Chloe is getting spayed u/d...now the fun begins...NOT!!!!

[SkyeSue]

I know there have been lots of threads from concerned owners about what to expect, but I rely on you guys so much for support, so please, tell me again what your experiences have been. I know I have to keep her relatively quiet till she get's her stitches out...how on earth do you do that? I guess she won't feel much like jumping around anyway for the first day or two though.  And how many of you have had to resort to the collar thingy? ANY comments and advice will be very much appreciated...I'm dreading it 

[BettyBoo]

I've had both of mine spayed and after the first day or so they were both back to normal and trying to leap around all over the place They were only allowed on lead walks until the stitches came out. I made them both wear collars while we weren't there to keep an eye on them which didn't go down too well at first but they got used to them eventually. My shins didn't though I know lots of people use t-shirts or babygros instead. Oh and be prepared for the big bald tummy too.

[bella15]

Tess was spayed last month,for the first two days she was a bit depressed ,making me feel like a nasty mummy but she soon bounced back after I took off the dreaded collar and put her in a childrens T-Shirt    - she was walked on a lead until her stitches out,I also kept her out of the long grass (I've got a thing about grass seeds  ) .It was hard work trying to keep her from bouncing on the furniture and racing around  but we survived 

[Cockertime Blues]

That'll take the wind out of Ms. Chloe's sails for a day or two then.    Have only had one dog spayed (others came ready done) and that was Mollie - honestly she sailed through it - right as rain in a couple of days.  I'm sure CHloe will be fine and that you'll be more troubled than she is.

[Heatherb88uk]

Carla has just been spayed and had her stitches out on Monday. To be honest she coped really well and wasn't ill at all only a little subdued the evening of the op when we fetched her back, she only had 4 external stitches and didn't bother with them at all - we put the collar on her just the once when we thought she was at the wound but it turned out she was licking where she had been shaved, think a nipple had a close shave!!!  It was funny to see her in the collar as she just stood rigid and wouldn't move.  We took her outside on a lead for toiletting as we do that anyway and carried her upstairs to bed and down again in the morning.  Also started gentle walks of about 5 mins on the 3rd day as she was stir-crazy. Now she is walking more and seems back to normal.

Hope this helps and that Chloe does as well as Carla and soon over for her, love and best wishes Heather xxx

[cerinrich]

Carla has just been spayed and had her stitches out on Monday. To be honest she coped really well and wasn't ill at all only a little subdued the evening of the op when we fetched her back, she only had 4 external stitches and didn't bother with them at all - we put the collar on her just the once when we thought she was at the wound but it turned out she was licking where she had been shaved, think a nipple had a close shave!!!  It was funny to see her in the collar as she just stood rigid and wouldn't move.  We took her outside on a lead for toiletting as we do that anyway and carried her upstairs to bed and down again in the morning.  Also started gentle walks of about 5 mins on the 3rd day as she was stir-crazy. Now she is walking more and seems back to normal.

Much the same for Hattie. She had external stitches as she's a 'crazy cocker spaniel' (her vet recently lost his golden cocker so I guess it's ok for him to say that!) but didn't trouble them at all so no collar or t-shirt for her. She was very subdued and sad the evening she came home, about 75% the next day and then trying to bounce off the walls from then on. Trying to stop her jumping and bouncing was definitely the hardest part. Hope it all goes well for Chloe

[Toni-UK]

Will let you know more details tomorrow sue,Ruby is being spayed  am dreading it

I have a silly question...when you collected your doggies after spaying,could they walk or did you carry them to the car 

Think i'm worrying too much to

[Helen]

start giving her Arnica now Sue - will help with swelling, bruising and healing...continue for a few days after the actual spay.

The GA will give some side effects and she may become quite distressed and whiny - this coupled with the painkillers wearing off may give you an evening of fun  but it quickly passes 

I hate the elizabethan collars, I think they add to the stress.  If you can get some cheap babygro's I would 'modify' one of those so they cover the wound and stop her licking.

And stock up on some alcohol for you.... (and a bottle of Emergency Essence - for both of you 

[Nicola]

I'm sure she'll be fine, it'll probably take more out of you than her! Tills was already spayed when I got her but we had our old GSD Sasha done and she was a bit groggy the first night but after that she was fine. I would try a t-shirt on her rather than a buster collar if she's worrying her stitches, a lot of dogs get a bit stressed with the collars. Arnica works for healing and Rescue Remedy is good for calming -  you and her! I gave Rodaidh both before and following his knee op and they did work.

ETA - posted at the same time as Helen!!

[mcphee]

Can't help you with this one Sue, but hope it goes ok for Chloe. Vivian and Rufus.

[SkyeSue]

Aww thanks for the quick replies folks  Right I've got Arnica pills in my medicine cabinet  So, can I use these? If so, what dosage?

[Joules]

Agree with above - Arnica and Emergency Essence is needed 

I was expecting Coco to be groggy when I picked her up but she bounced out of the vet's as if to say "what shall we do now then"    She was just raring to go and the worst thing was trying to keep her still and quiet    She had internal stitches which were the dissolving sort and she never bothered with her wound - didn't seem to be in any pain either.  The day after she decided she wanted to do the wall of death round my garden and tried to launch herself off the steps    After that I had to put the lead on her to take her outside for a wee.  Her wound did bulge a bit and I was worried that she had done herself an injury but the vet said it was OK.  After a week she was pretty good and the vet said to let her do pretty much what she wanted as she was going bonkers being on the lead all the time. 

I think I was quite lucky but I am sure Chloe will be fine too - I did use a Buster collar when I wasn't with her but now I would have got a t-shirt or babygro instead as my legs were black and blue after a few days. 

I have a silly question...when you collected your doggies after spaying,could they walk or did you carry them to the car 

Think i'm worrying too much to  

Yes Toni, I think you may be worrying a bit too much   I expect Ruby will be more than capable of walking to the car - the only thing is you have to avoid them jumping up/stretching and potentially putting a strain on the wound.    Coco tried to run to the car and if she hadn't been on the lead I expect she would have tried to leap into it too.   

[supergirl]

Think they're all different.  Indie my first cocker was back to normal the next day and I had a terrible time trying to keep her calm.  However, Misha took a full four days before she would even consider going to the loo without being carried outside first.  She really made the most of being pampered.  I was lucky in that she didn't bother with the wound too much, so we didn't have to use one of the collars or bother with at T-shirt/babygrow - don't know whether this was because she had disolveable stitches, so there was nothing for her lick at really.  Also I was told that one of side effects of the aenasthetic was constipation, which Misha did have, so its worth having something like Chappie to hand to feed with her normal food (advice given to me by NESSR) -soon sorted her out.

Will let you know more details tomorrow sue,Ruby is being spayed  am dreading it

I have a silly question...when you collected your doggies after spaying,could they walk or did you carry them to the car 
Think i'm worrying too much to

Misha had to be carried as she wouldn't walk.  Stupidly, I put her down so that I could open the boot of the car and she tried to jump in (very big yelp), they don't realise that they can't do these things, so bear that in mind.

[Toni-UK]

As far as i am aware Sue you can follow the human dosage,i only started giving it to Ruby this morning so don't know if i have left it to late, but there are some threads on Arnica 

[SkyeSue]

As far as the ga is concerned, well Chloe has had it once before, when she got a "foreign body" in her eye, and had to be put under for the vet to scrape it off....ouch  Anyway, she came bounding out the vets as if nothing had happened to her, so I'm presuming she won't react badly to that, but of course there's no way of telling. Will definitely start the Arnica tomorow morning. As for the baldy tum...well it surely can't be any balder than it is already....Chloe is a bit short of fluff in that area