Caring for Your Dog After Spaying: First Aid, Preventative Care, and More
Caring for your dog after spaying is a crucial step because you want to ensure that your pup feels as good as possible. This blog will give you some advice on immediately following the procedure, how to care for your puppy over the next few days and weeks, and preventive measures so this doesn’t happen again.
What To Expect After Spaying a Dog
Did you get your puppy fixed? That’s great! When you buy a pet, it is essential to get it fixed. It helps us keep the number of pets in our homes down.
Spaying surgery’s recovery might take 10 to 14 days. Many dog owners are caught off guard by their post-operative symptoms and ask, “Is this normal?”
What’s the Difference Between Spaying and Neutering?
First, let’s make a difference: spaying is a process that fixes female dogs. Neutering is a process that fixes male dogs. Spaying is more invasive because it involves cutting through the abdominal wall. At the same time, neutering does not require an incision to the skin of the testicles.
What You’ll Need
When your new dog comes home from the vet, you should have the following supplies on hand:
- E-collar is an electronic collar (traditional “cone” or inflatable e-collar)
- Bed for your dog
- Dishes for food and water
- Pads for puppies or a plastic rubbish bag with tape
- Blanket or towel
- A calm environment devoid of children and other pets
- Kennel for dogs
Provide your phone number and address for the nearest 24-hour veterinarian clinic.
Dog’s Inflatable E-Collars
Looking for an alternative to a cone (also known as an Elizabethan collar or an e-collar)? Consider getting an inflatable one. Because they are smaller, they are more convenient for both the dog and the owner. The dog will have easier access to the food and water dishes and more freedom to walk around. Traditional electronic collars are prone to trap doorways, walls, and woodwork.
You can buy inflatable dog collars. They look like doughnuts, and they have a slit to put around the dog’s neck. The collar is then secured with Velcro.
How To Prepare a Recovery Room
After surgery, dogs need to rest. They might be furious because of the pain and other feelings. That’s why you should keep them away from kids and other pets.
Find a room that is away from other animals and kids. The dog might be unsteady and fall, which can be dangerous. Make sure there are no couches or stairs in the room.
A bathroom is often a good idea. A tile floor is easy to clean if the dog vomits, which can happen after surgery.
Place the following items in your pet’s recovery room:
- Water bowl
- Food bowl
- Dog bed
- Puppy pads
Place the pad in the bag or on top of the bed. Then drape a blanket or towel over it. Your dog will vomit following surgery due to the effects of the anesthetic. It is best to cover the bed with a blanket. Dogs may urinate in their sleep too. When your pet is sleeping because of the after-effects of anesthesia, they may wet themselves, so you should also put some puppy pads near the bed.
Post-Operative Symptoms To Expect
After surgery, your dogs might have some different feelings. This is normal. It will help if you understand their feelings about taking care of them.
Poor Balance
After surgery, dogs can have trouble walking, and this is common. Dogs might walk as if they are drunk. But it will be gone after a few days or weeks.
Need To Remember:
- Walk behind your dog when she walks up the stairs. This way, you can catch her if she starts to fall.
- Stroll.
- Your dog should be on a leash if you are outside.
- When you put her in the car, help her. Don’t let her jump in by herself.
- Don’t let her get near other kids. Other children might bump into her, making her fall or angry because she is in pain.
- Don’t let her jump on the couch or bed. She might miss, and the sudden movement can cause a tear in her stitches.
After your dog has her surgery, it can be hard to carry her. If you pick her up, she might stretch her muscles and skin, which will hurt. So don’t pick her up or hold your girl for a bit of bit after surgery is finished.
Go home after you collect your pet from the vet’s office. Your pet will be tired and in pain.
Sleepy/Groggy
When you go to the vet, your dog will be tired. They might not be able to move, and they might not be able to talk.
If your dog is sleepy, that’s normal. Dogs like to sleep deeply, and sometimes they pee when they sleep. You can fix this by covering the bed with puppy pads or plastic if it gets wet. Check on the dog every few hours to ensure the mattress is dry, and take her outside often to do her business.
If your dog was just surgery and is not sleepy, you’ll have to keep her quiet. It might be hard to do this if she keeps jumping up.
After surgery, your dog’s energy level returns to normal. It may need some extra sleep to help with the healing process. But it won’t be tired or sleepy most of the time. If your dog is tired for more than 36 hours after surgery, tell the vet immediately because that might be a sign.
Refusing to Eat, Drink, and Vomiting
Is your dog vomiting after a spay procedure? This is a common occurrence.
Some dogs vomit after they get anesthesia. Other dogs do not.
After surgery, some dogs will not eat or drink water. This is because of the anesthesia after-effects. It could be that they are in pain too.
Wait until 8 or 9 p.m. before giving your dog any food or water to reduce the possibility of vomiting. A small amount of food and water may be consumed by your dog. If not, don’t be concerned.
You need to see a veterinarian if your dog is not eating, drinking, or vomiting.
- Stitches
- Dissolving stitches
- Wound glue
- Staples
If your doctor closes the incision with glue, you should not get it wet. So do not bathe your dog or clean the wound. You’ll know if it is closed with glue because you won’t see any stitches or staples. In 10 to 14 days, the stitches and staples will come off at the vet’s office.
How To Care for the Incision
- It is ok for this area to be red. It may also swell a little bit. This is normal. Sometimes there will be discharge, but it should stop in a few days.
- There will be some discharges after surgery. Using a warm, damp washcloth to clean it away is best. Hold the cloth against the incision for a few seconds and gently wipe it off.
- After your dog is spayed, you can put antibiotic cream on the incision. Clean it with Betadine. If your dog licks it, you need to clean it again. You must keep the collar on until it heals!
The Following Are Signs of a Diseased Incision or Another Issue:
- The gap is the space between the two sides of the cut or opening.
- Redness
- Swelling
- Pus discharge
- A large amount of discharge
- There is a bad smell coming from my body.
- Bleeding after surgery is normal. It can happen during the first 36 hours.
You should assess how your dog’s incision is progressing by looking at photos. If it doesn’t look better, an infection might have set in. Consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Why Do I Need a Cone or E-Collar?
The cone will help heal the wound on your dog. It might want to bite at the stitches or staples, so you should keep the cone on. If you remove them before they are released, they may come off, which can be very dangerous and costly to fix.
Additional Tips: Dos and Don’ts
Below are dos and don’ts for a quick recovery after spaying.
Dos:
- Find the phone number and address of your area’s closest 24-hour emergency department.
- Allow your dog to rest after surgery.
- Your puppy’s teeth will begin to grow, and she’ll need to be walked on a leash until her stitches are removed.
- If she is in pain, has signs of infection, pale gums, or other issues, take her to the doctor.
- If your dog wants to run, jump, or play for 10 to 14 days, crate her. She must stay inactive.
- Expect little panting and other symptoms of discomfort in the hours immediately following surgery.
Don’ts:
- Give your dog aspirin. It will thin her blood, resulting in excessive bleeding.
- Give your dog Tylenol or some other pain medication, not aspirin. These are poisonous to dogs!
- Allow your dog to run or jump until the sutures have healed.
- Let your dog lick the incision.
- Allow her to go off-leash as soon as she has healed (10 to 14 days). It’s possible that losing her would be fatal!
- After surgery, your dog might show aggression. This is a normal reaction to pain.
- Do not take off your dog’s e-collar. This is easy for the dog to do, making her stitches come out.
Is My Dog in Pain?
Your dog will be in excruciating agony following the surgery. The vet has to cut through your dog’s skin and muscles. But your vet will give your dog some medicine before he leaves the clinic, so that will make him feel better. If you think your dog is uncomfortable, call the vet right away!
Post-operative Complications to Watch Out For
Before your dog has surgery, look for the nearest veterinary institution’s name and phone number. Then you’ll know where to look. If your dog needs to go to the vet, phone beforehand so they can prepare for her arrival.
Bring Your Dog to the Veterinary Facility If You Notice…
- Bleeding**
- Pale gums**
- *Staples, stitches, or an open incision injured
- Excessive panting or vocalization resulting from pain (even after the first 12-24 hours following surgery) is possible.
- The incision gap is far apart.
- Excessive incision drainage that smells foul
- There are several incision discharges.
- The incision site is red.
- Swelling around the incision
- Refusal to eat or drink (24 hours and beyond after surgery)
- Laziness (24 hours after surgery and beyond)
** The starred (**) points indicate that there is an issue. If you see any of these symptoms, transport your pet to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions About Caring for Dogs After Spaying
Sterilization of female pets is referred to as “spaying.” The ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus of a female dog or cat are removed during an ovariohysterectomy or traditional “spay.” This prevents her from reproducing and stops her from having a heat cycle or engaging in breeding behaviors.
The minimum age is 6-8 weeks old, but more risks are involved with anesthesia. Older females who are not spayed may get breast cancer and uterine infection. Older males that are not neutered may get prostate disease or tumors on their testicles.
Getting your pet spayed or neutered will not change its personality. It might change their behavior, but usually for the better! Spaying or neutering can make cats and dogs less aggressive, more relaxed, and more focused on you. Cats and dogs are free from mating urge after being spayed or neutered. If you get your pet fixed, they will be more likely to show affection and protect your home and family. If you get a dog, and it’s not set, then the dog might not protect anything.
Animals that have recently given birth are not allowed to breed for at least two weeks after their young have been weaned and the mother’s milk has dried up.
The castration of male pets is referred to as “neutering.” During orchiectomy, sometimes known as “neutering,” the male cat or dog testes are removed. He cannot reproduce, and male breeding activity is reduced or eliminated.