My dog is crying and struggling to poop after spay surgery. Help!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Poor Lemon Drop! Given that she has not pooped in four days, I do think it's best she sees a vet immediately. I would take her into a vet now. Best of luck.

If the area is too swollen for him to urinate (ie the urine cannot be evacuated through the opening prepared by the surgery), then this needs to be rechecked by your veterinarian. He could also withhold urinating due to pain, so make sure you give him the pain medication given to you for him by the vet , or get some from the vet for a few days. Any movement, including pressing to poop, probably hurts, so Ginger may try to avoid eliminating. Again, pain medicine is necessary to help him eliminate without fear and pain. Food wise, I suggest you feed him the food he is used to, do not abruptly changed his diet. If Ginger does not urinate within another 23 hrs, it is an emergency and he must be seen by the vet.

I wouldn't be too worried just yet. She would not have been able to eat before her spay due to the anesthesia, so she has no food in her system to poop out. Certain medications can also cause a decrease in pooping. I would not worry about this unless 72 hours go by without her pooping. She should return to normal soon. I hope this helps.

Hi there. Different individuals can respond to anesthesia differently, just like humans. In my experience, it's not uncommon for some pets to be wobbly, confused, or otherwise "out of it" for up to 24 hours or so after an anesthetic event. As long as she's responsive and doesn't seem to be getting worse, this is likely normal. If she's still shaky and crying by tomorrow morning, I would recommend giving your vet a call as she may be painful and need some additional medication to help with this. For tonight, you can sit and snuggle with her if she seems to want this, or leave her alone if she doesn't want to be touched. Make sure she has food and water available if she wants it. Monitor for any bleeding from the incision site, pale gums, or increased weakness or acting less responsive, as these could indicate a more serious problem that needs an ER visit.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lucy. Anesthesia will slow down the gastrointestinal tract and make bowel movements less frequent. Plus she was probably not eating well before surgery due to being ill and most patients are fasted for a bit after surgery. This means there is likely less food in her system to come out. Unless she is straining to defecate, it is typically not worrisome that she is not defecating regularly yet. As far as the drinking, she most likely received IV fluids under anesthesia and while hospitalized. This would have provided her with a large amount of fluids. Now eating the canned food, this is supplying her with moisture as well. As long as she is eating and is acting normally, then I suspect her recovery is going well. If you have any concerns though, I would seek emergency care this weekend just to be sure. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lilly! From your post I am assuming that Lilly is producing stool, but she is asking to go out and poop a lot and is crying before and after pooping. Is the stool normal or diarrhea? If it is loose then she likely has diarrhea and is crying and going more often because she has the urge or feeling she has to go. If the stool is normal then I would have her anal glands examined and a rectal exam performed by your Vet. If she has diarrhea, fast her for 12 hours to rest her tummy then feed a bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger mixed with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20 lbs per day as small frequent meals. I hope this helps and I wish Lilly a speedy recovery! Please repost with more details if needed!

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would definitely give Buksi another 24 hours. Any surgery, especially abdominal surgery, can cause an ileus, or slowing of gut movement. If not watched, it can lead to constipation, but I would not worry yet. If she is eating, you can give her about 1 teaspoon of canned pumpkin ( not pie filling ) a couple of times a day. The fiber will act like a natural laxative. If she has not had a BM by Tuesday evening, call your veterinarian. They may recommend a stronger laxative. Take care.