At the end of March one of my worst nightmares came true, Cosmo needed surgery.

When I got Cosmo I could tell he was going to be a dog with weak joints but I was really hoping we had at least 5 or more years before we would be embarking upon a surgery journey. Unfortunately for us, Cosmo injured both knees and needed bilateral MPL surgery.

If you are unfamiliar with this it is when the knee joints are dislocating to the point it can cause ruptures and tears in other parts of the ligament and lead to arthritis. It is extremely painful for dogs and the younger they receive the surgery the better off they are for long term preventative care when it comes to ligament tears and arthritis.

All of April 2026 I spent researching what we would need for post-op care and began making my living room and apartment into a recovery space for Cosmo.

I also focused on training so that he would be used to all of the things in the environment and it would ease some of the stress.

I learned a lot over the last two months and was so grateful to the content creators who have been through this that shared their journey- especially JW Dog training.

Here are the things I bought for Cosmo’s post op care that I am so glad we had and would recommend for future pet parents embarking on a similar journey:

Transparent play pen

This was a life saver. As someone who lives on the 3rd floor of my apartment building in an extremely high traffic part of the city, going downstairs for potties was not an option for Post op recovery. I set this up not just for potty time but also for a place for me to be able to put Cosmo if I needed to shower or step away myself.

I highly recommend creating a space in your living situation for confinement for the first two weeks of recovery. Your dog will be safer and less likley to reinjure themselves and what I like about the pen is it enables them to stretch out and have more comfort than a crate.

Orthopedic dog bed

Now there are a lot of dog beds on the market that are better than this one, but after doing a lot of research and being on an extremely tight budget, for the lower end price this seemed like a great option and had great reviews. This did prove to be a comfortable bed for Cosmo to sleep in post op and I loved that it matches my orange couch. He continues to enjoy laying in it even now.

Donut of shame

I am so lucky that Cosmo was so easy to train with this and did so well wearing it when we needed it. I really love that they are making cones that are comfortable, versatile, and cute.

Dog Ramp

Cosmo next to the ottoman that converts into his ramp!

Now, as someone who has been a dog parent for the last 16 years of my adult life, I have used many ramps and I will say this is the best one I have ever used. Not only does it serve a functional purpose for humans as a stylish and sturdy ottoman, but it transforms into an extremely good ramp for small dogs for the couch. I am so glad I bought this and would recommend to anyone with a small dog who needs a ramp that does not wobble and has good traction. This also helped aid in Cosmo building strength for inclines.

Stroller

This is my third stroller I have had and is by far my favorite. My last two were not really the best and I learned what I actually needed based on my previous experiences. What was helpful with this stroller and made a huge difference is that the top is detatchable and can be used as a car seat. That was something I really needed for safe transport home to and from the vet especially because I do not have parking and often have to walk blocks and blocks to get to my apartment building. I also live on the third floor and even though there is an elevator it is located on the other side of my building and I have to walk up one flight of stairs to access it as well as go down 3 hallways to get to my door.

Having a stroller also made it possible for me to take him out on enrichment walks as he was recovering which we both desperately needed after the first week.

This stroller also comes with a drink holder and two pockets for storage. It is easy to store and fold down.

lick mat

It is pretty common for a lot of small breeds to be picky eaters. One thing I learned during all of this that a lot of dogs will avoid eating the first 48 hours of surgery and will also not use the bathroom. Despite this knowledge, it still stressed me out because some of the medication that you have to give needs to be given with food.

Cosmo has always been really particular about what time he eats and I have been flexible with his needs to a point, but after a couple days of him refusing food in his bowl I needed to start getting creative. I had used lick mats with him and previous dogs of mine in the past and so I decided to begin feeding him using toys and items that he found exciting. This also is a great option for getting their brain stimulated and working and can aid in post op boredom blues.

Snuffle toy

Adding to the lick mat, I had purchased this before Cosmos surgery and trained him with it so he would be familiar with what to do. What I love about this toy is that you can hide treats in each of the vegetables and then hide the vegetables in the garden. The dog then has to snuff the treats out of the toys and the garden. Cosmo is absolutely obsessed with this toy and asks me to fill it for him a couple times a day. It really brought him joy during his recovery.

gate

This is obviously something that is really dependent on how mobile your dog is. Cosmo has some reactivity when it comes to hearing the neighbors coming and going in the hallway and one of the things he was doing before his surgery was running up to the door and injuring himself. I could not risk any of this happening any longer so I found this gate that not only was stylish and matched the aesthetic of my apartment but also comes in various lengths and is something I can move around between doorways. This works perfect for my small hallway and prevents Cosmo from slamming his tiny little body into the door and skidding down the hall. He now barks at the gate and sits on the rug instead. Much safer, still annoying. We are working on it lol.

Joint supplements

I have been a fan of these for years and gave them to my last two dogs. If you have a dog with joint issues it is good to have them on a regular joint supplement,

Pumpkin Puree

Cosmo did not use the bathroom for the first 48 hours after surgery and then he had horrible diarrhea and then didn’t poop again for two more days. Despite reading a lot of articles that this is pretty normal post op, it still isn’t good to not address the issue and find a solution because Cosmo needed to eat to gain strength during his healing and to be able to take his meds, and if his bowels were backed up he was less likely to eat.

Now in the past Cosmo refused to eat pumpkin but I decided to go ahead and get this as it is one of the number one recommended treatments for constipation and upset stomachs in dogs. To get him to eat this I mixed in some of the Stella and Chewys chicken shreds. It worked like a charm and Cosmo began having health solid poops within 24 hours of consuming. This put us both at east and was a life saver!

Chicken topper

The thing I love about these meal toppers is they add a level of high value for picky dogs and are so great for hiding medication in. Cosmo continues to eat his food more consistently when there is a high value meal topper and I am put at ease because it makes giving medication a walk in the park.

Other items that were helpful for us that you can find at Target, Amazon, or any pet store were:

Pee pads, grooming wipes, disposable gloves, urine spray, small towels,small fleece baby blankets, and various treats for enrichment purposes.

I hope you find this list helpful if you find yourself on the surgery journey with your pooch.

xox

Analisa and Cosmo

Surgery recovery must haves for a small dog