My dog is disoriented and whimpering after neuter. Is this normal?

It’s common for dogs to whine following a surgery and anesthesia - it’s possible that your puppy is still recovering from he drugs or that he is a little painful. If he seems very painful you could have him examined by a veterinarian. It is normal to use a cone following surgery to prevent dogs from damaging their incisions - you should keep it on at all times.

This really depends on what he is doing, and how long ago he was neutered. If the surgery was today, then he will likely be feeling strange and not himself for the whole evening. Depending on what kind of anesthetic drugs and pain medications he was given, he could be really whiny, needy, or just laying around. If he is really agitated, or trying to lick constantly, or seems really painful, then he may not have been given adequate pain medication and I would call your after-hours vet right away for further help. He may not be interested in food or water, and this can be normal, just for tonight. Tomorrow he should be eating and acting normally. If he is laying around and won't get up even when you stimulate him, this may be an emergency and I would call a vet right away, as this is certainly not normal. With my neuters, I always send them home the same day, fully awake, and with extra pain medication to go home with. Hope that helps!

Poor Silverado! It sounds like he is in pain, it from your description it sounds like the pain is more than what is expected. Typically dogs are sent home with pain medications, and if you have some, check when his next dose is due. Should he be due for some and it doesn't help or he doesn't have any, I would take him immediately into a vet. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Fender is not doing well after his surgery. From the photo, it looks like the incision is healing well but he has been licking the scrotum raw, and I am worried that part may be infected. I also worry that he is in pain from the surgery. Was he sent home with any pain medications? Even if he was, I would recommend having him re-evaluated by the vet today as he may need additional, or different pain medications. He may also need antibiotics. Please also put an e-collar (cone) on his head to prevent him from further licking the area. This should be worn continuously for at least 10 days after surgery to help the healing process. I hope this helps, and that Fender improves soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Roman. His incision site appears to be healing with only mild bruising and swelling associated with it. I do not see any appears that are opening in your picture. It would be unusual for him to still be painful a week after surgery. The collar may be bothering him, but if his behavior does not resolve, then I would check in with his veterinarian. If you are able to fully supervise him, you can try to take the collar off for a little bit. This will help you judge if the collar is causing the change in behavior. Whenever he is alone or not fully supervised though be sure that he is wearing it. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Buster, it can be exhausting on surgery day. It can be considered a "normal" occurrence for pets to be tired the day of surgery due to the anesthesia and analgesics (pain control medications) administered for the surgery itself. On occasion they may also experience some mild vomiting (i.e. once following a car ride, after eating supper/drinking water). Buster should want to sleep tonight and we do not want him running around/playing until the surgery site is healed (minimum 2 weeks). If he is too mobile/active this could result in hemorrhaging at the surgery site or failure of the incision. If he continues to vomit, seems painful/agitated, or excessively tired/lethargic then he should be evaluated by his veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian. I instruct my clients to always monitor there mucous membrane (oral gum) color at home the night following surgery to make sure it stays pink (normal color).

Constantly dry heaving and trying to vomit are signs that your pup probably needs to see his doctor. Tail down and trying to reach his rear aren't complications of a neuter-they are a normal reaction to pain in the area. Please keep on his e collar (or "cone") at all times so that he cannot reach this area as it can get very swollen and painful if he is agitating it right after surgery. Hope this helps!