How long after my surgery will it be until I can walk my dogs again?

Dear meganlyn93, Our patients have activity restrictions in place for 6 weeks after surgery, which includes no lifting anything heavier than 7 lbs (or pushing or pulling). Therefore, if your dog weighs more than 7 pounds we would recommend not walking with the leash in your hand for about 6 weeks. If your dog pulls this is even more important. Some patients prefer to get a waist leash, that way if the dog pulls it is not going to affect the surgical site. Good luck!

In general, two weeks is an appropriate time to avoid any heavy lifting or strenuous activity following a breast reduction.  I would include dog-walking as well.  If your surgeon uses drains then you would definitely want to be careful while they're in place (usually about a week).  After about two weeks you may start feeling more comfortable engaging in more activity, but if certain motions or positions cause pain or discomfort it's best to avoid them, or take it more slowly.  After about 4-6 weeks most patients are completely back to their pre-operative routine.  Ultimately it's best to follow whatever guidelines your plastic surgeon recommends.Best of luckKeith M. Blechman, MDNew York, NY

If you have little dogs you can probably walk them within a couple of days. If you have large dogs then you may want to wait 2 weeks so you do not exert a lot of energy and risk a hematoma developing.