Pet problem & possible solutions?

My 16 year old cat loves to lay on my stomach, so when I got home from the hospital, she missed me and really wanted to cuddle. I ended up sleeping with my body pillow across my stomach to prevent her from doing it while I slept. After a few nights I started feeling better and let her lay on me again (plus she is not even 10 pounds, so it's not like she's heavy). My other two cats were a little harder to stop, but they aren't allowed to sleep in my room with me, so it wasn't as difficult because when I was around them I was conscious.

Silly me, I got a new puppy one week before surgery (I love her and wouldn't change anything for the world), but it made for an interesting recovery. A few days after surgery she accidentally stepped on my big incision and opened it up -- through clothes and bandages. It ended up getting infected and I had to go on antibiotics. I don't think you need to do anything special, just try to keep them beside you. Two years later I have no ill effects from that episode ;)

Meg~

Omg! What we do for our pets!!

I kept pillows in all the locations where the cats would normally try to get on top of my stomach. They were happy with the pillows instead.

I agree with everyone, I think you'll be fine. I have a sucky basset hound, and he was great. Other than the fact my husband had to walk him for a couple of weeks, in case he pulled on his leash. but I also had a great recovery, so I can't speak to complications etc.

My cat would not take "no" and she insisted "taking care of me" by being on top of me. She is rather small so a nice pillow was all I needed. Wearing? a binder with some extra padding under it (thick folded towel) helped during the time I was not fast enough to grab a pillow. Specially after more invasive surgery - my lower body lift.

The binder does not need to be super tight on.

I had the same concerns. I have a 45lb labradoodle and a 135lb great dane. The dane likes to jump up when youre standing and stand with her paws on shoulders, and the doodle likes to jump onto lap when in recliner.

My wife ran protection for me coming home at first, and then it was pretty much fine. The doodle would jump up onto the recliner with me, but I expected it and had my hands out to shield her from jumping directly ONTO me, but in between my legs.

Like others said, you probably wont be in too much pain and discomfort after surgery and getting home. Not sure its worth while to fabricate anything for just a few days, unless you have materials laying around and a husband whos itching to build something creatively lol

I also stayed in our guest room the first few nights after getting home. The bed in there is much lower than my wife and my bed, and it was away from the dogs that also sleep with us (and on top of us) in our bed.

I have had numerous surgeries. I had my dogs at the same time. The one is like a doggy heating pad. She knew exactly where to lay.

The one dog who I don't usually allow on my bed laid next to where my stomach was hurting. I had gotten hurt at work. I had no diagnosis and to find out the pain was from a hernia. That was where my dog laid right where the pain was.

They do understand.

Thanks, everyone! Maybe this isn't going to be as big a deal as I thought. When I finally get through surgery, I'll be sure to post & let you all know how it went with the fur babies.

A few more ideas:

How about a bed railing, like the kind you use to keep a toddler from falling out of bed, to keep the beagle from hopping up into bed?

You can also look into aversion stuff to spook them away if they look like they're trying to jump up-- at least, while you're awake. Squirt guns and compressed air (the stuff you use to clean your computer keyboard) both work well.

Can you just keep the beagle out of the room where you're napping/recovering for the first few days? You can pick up a baby gate for quite cheap, and even though BB8 will be lonely there won't be any risk of him getting up on your abdomen.