My dog fears his crate after neutering. Is this normal? What to do?

Poor Douglas! This sounds like a difficult surgical recovery. It sounds as though Douglas had not fully recovered from anesthesia at the time of his discharge. It is possible that the reaction that you saw was an excitement reaction from some of the sedative or pain medications he was given at the time of surgery. While this is not a normal reaction, it is also not uncommon to see a brief period of excitement after certain medications. Confirm that Douglas was sent home with some anti-inflammatory pain medications and be sure to find out when his next dose of pain medication is due, as he could be whimpering as a sign of pain. Otherwise, continue to keep him in the crate until he is able to stand and walk normally, and generally restrict his activity until his sutures are removed. Make sure that he is wearing an e-collar (cone) for the next 10-14 days to prevent him from licking at the incision. I hope that the rest of his recovery is uneventful!

That is quite normal, some dogs tend to be frozen with the cons on them, especially in the beginning . When you take him out for a walk, you may remove the con, just for that 15 minutes walk, then put it on again and see if it helps.

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.

Yes, this is normal. Dogs hate wearing the Ecollar, and often show behavior changes due to it. They don't have spatial awareness with an Ecollar on, and frequently bump into things and walk differently. Once he is allowed to have the Ecollar off, he should return to normal :-)

It is amazing what can upset our dogs at times and a stay in the vets office can unsettle some dogs also. I recommend getting your son to feed and walk him on leash as much as possible, ignoring the behavior and not letting him when cowering as this may reinforce the anxiety. A calming supplement such as zylkene and comfort zone diffuser can help also

Usually the cone must be worn for one week or until the stitches are removed. These signs may be compatible with pain and could be quite normal after the operation. If persistent and last for more than 48 hours I would recommend a check up at your local vets.

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!