Spay top tips for after op survival

[Rileysmum]

Hello, bonnys booked in for her spay next month 24th April   :'(she will be nearly 7 months all but 3 days I've heard that using a baby gro after the op is a good idea so she doesn't lick the wound? Anymore top tips for you lovely cocker peeps!

[Holly2009]

Storm started off in a baby grow when she got home/ next day, once she was back to normal & anasthetic had completely worn off she had a plastic head collar while we were out/ in other room! Stupid thing loved having it on, happy wee wagging face when we put it on her   she had no problems eating & drinking with it on (I just had lots of bruises where she kept banging the backs of my legs)  




2 days after the op she was completely back to normal. She had her stitches taken out on Monday (10 days after op)

Good luck!

[Poppsie]

Have you thought about having internal stitches done for her ?? I did for my 2 and it was the best thing that I did for them  as there is no stitches for them to nibble at, it's worth thinking about x x x

[supergirl]

Misha also had internal stitches - it just looked like someone had drawn a small red line on her tummy, and there was nothing for her to get at 

[JulieM]

Florence had internal stitches but still licked a lot so we needed to use the cone on the head 

I'd say to make sure that you have absolutely nothing to do the rest of the day when you pick her up. My OH looked after our daughter and got tea etc. so I could just sit with Florence and keep a close eye on her. I'd just say to think through if you'll need to carry her down a back step to go for a wee/ where she'll sleep the first night etc. so that you're all set up rather than having to think of things on the spot.

The first day I felt awful as she looks so miserable, but by the next day she was so much brighter. A couple of days after it the main problem was how to stop her jumping on the sofa etc. so thinking ahead to boarding off areas (e.g. stairs) would be worth thinking of too.

Good luck

[PennyB]

I do nothing really - my vet never gives the buckets out unless there's a problem and none of the dogs I've had neutered have used one or anything else either. As julie said you do need to keep an eye on her when she comes home just to make sure she's ok but they bounce back pretty quickly.

The big problem I had is when they boing around on and off the sofa as it makes the internal stitches bulge - this goes down in time though

[Pearly]

Misha also had internal stitches - it just looked like someone had drawn a small red line on her tummy, and there was nothing for her to get at 

Pearl also had internal stitches - she was pretty poorly before the operation so getting her home, with a waggy tail and more energy than she'd had for a few weeks was just brilliant - the most difficult part was keeping her calm....she was in her crate when I went out and checked every hour or so but she was absolutely fine.  

She was allowed her normal daily walk, on the lead the same day onwards for 10 days but no lampshade or babygrow needed - just some will power on my behalf to stop her doing too much!

Hope all goes well for Bonny, too x

[Ruby Tuesday]

I used a baby t shirt for Jem. It was enough to deter her licking most of the time. As the others have said, after a day or so, the problem is keeping them still 

[LurcherGirl]

I always stick a t-shirt on them if they have stitches anywhere that can be covered by one, including spay. Also, I always give them homeopathic arnica. When Skye was spayed, she was a bit tired for the day, but back to her normal mad behaviour from the day after.

[lisalh]

Staple her paws to the floor and a bucket of red wine for you if she is anything like Kooki (back to normal in hours and burst her stitches jumping onto sofa before OH could stop her - I hadnt even got home from work yet) you will be more bothered than she is ......


All joking aside though, it is stressful seeing/knowing your baby is going to be in pain so look after yourself as well as her!!

[black taz]

love it Lisalh 

Dont think my lab Kira even realised she had had anything done.  Picked her up from the vets expecting her to feel sorry for herself and she had had a whale of a time - still loves going to the vets.

The hardest thing was keeping her quite - mission impossible.

I put one of my t-shirts on her, but she wasnt really that bothered by the stiches, although she was tugging at the dressing before i put the t-shirt on her.  Once i had removed the dressing (which was hanging off by then) she was fine, so i think it was the dressing that bothered her not the stitches.

Although they say not to walk for several days, i did take her out for a very short slow walk the next day to try and calm her down.

Good luck.  These are routine operations for vets so try not to worry.

[HoneyG]

Honey had keyhole surgery for her spay, and the incisions were glued.  She didn't seem to even notice them at all and didn't try to lick etc.

But oh my, Storm looks so cute in the babygrow!! love it!!

I would highly recommend that just for sheer gorgeousness!! 

[Rileysmum]

Wow thank you All soo much x I'm not sure how the vets perform the spay so I will give them a call Monday and see but will get a baby gro in just incase we need it x is there anything anyone has rubbed into the scar area to help healing?