Female Boxer - just spayed - any tips on home-care?

Howitzer

Hi,

Our Bella was spayed on Friday. She was groggy that night and then fine in the morning. She was full of beans on Saturday morning and walking around the garden.

Today she's not so full of beans and looks like the operation pain has hit in.
I'm sure it's a case that time will help her recover - but would anyone have tips / their own experiences after the spay to share on here.

I've read this so far - http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_care_for_dogs_after_spaying_surgery
which made me realise how invasive it actually is (i.e. cutting through abdo- muscles for access).

Looking forward to your tips/stories.

Cheers.

mymo

Did you watch to see if she pee'd and pooped ok? it can take a couple of days for them to poop, the vet warned me they can have probs and it causes pain.
My pup was spayed at christmas, we had to try and stop her jumping around for few weeks and going up stairs and stuff.
The vet gave her a long lasting pain and antibiotics shot, said it would last a week to 10 days, but to watch she didn't pull the wound in this time as they don't feel it with the meds. If she seems in pain give the vet a call and ask about it, they may give you something for her.

Is she eating ok? I gave some scrambled egg and chicken to encourage mine to eat, she picked up the next day and started eating fine.

Watch the wound, hers opened a little after the stitches out but not badly, I was advised to keep it clean(cooled boiled water with little salt added) and dry and let it heal. So keep an eye even when stitches are out.
It is a pretty big op and animals don't show the pain like we do, they hide it unless its really bad; So do keep an eye on her.

It took a few weeks before ours was back to normal completely(probably due to the wound opening and the snow wetting it all the time), leaping over streams and jumping onto fallen trees, but she's fine now and as crazy as ever.

lorebringer

If she is still under the weather tomorrow I would recommend you take her back to the vet - generally, once the first day has passed the dog should be in fine form. It could be sign of something not being quite right if she is not herself, esp considering she was ok yesterday. It could just be some pain or a minor infection but it's always best to get checked out.

If all is well, keep the site and stitches clean - don't let her at them too much (a little licking is ok) and keep her out of long grass (where she could pick up lots of bugs). The biggest problem is preventing them from jumping around too much, walks on lead only while the stitches are in and not too much leaping around the house (I know it can be very difficult to do, esp with a young Boxer!). If at any point the site gets very red, hot, oozy, inflamed or bulgy, or if she is not herself (not eating etc) she will need to see a vet. Once the stitches come out she will be able to be a normal Boxer again!

Just a note - well done on getting her neutered

Howitzer

Thanks for the posts. She's just a bit shell-shocked (who wouldn't be!!) Moving around a bit now and resting well. She had a few bits to eat too.

Cheers for the tips on keeping the wound clean. She'll be back to herself soon enough I'd say.

Yes I didn't notice she was taking sometime to get her bowels back right after the op. I'd say its the anesthetic that probably does that.

Thanks again.

morganafay

In hope she's ok now. My dogs and cats all recovered by the next morning (except for two very small cats who took a couple of days to recover) and were back to normal, so I'd say if she still seems unwell then it would be worth calling the vet and asking them about it