Why is my dog growling and scared after surgery? Is she traumatized?

Poor Milo! No, this is not normal behavior. It sounds like he has some significant anxiety issues - I would really recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist to determine what is causing his anxiety. The behaviorist can evaluate him in person and help you put together a treatment plan to work on the problem, which may include prescription medication if needed. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

If only Milo could talk! This type of behavior could be related to something like anxiety or to pain/discomfort. I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian who will check for evidence of pain on the physical exam. Many times this type of sudden pain is related to intervertebral disc disease, discospondylitis, upper abdominal pain or a pinched nerve. They may also check a urine sample or the anal glands as well. Since he can't talk, it's best to play it safe. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. It can take up to 24 hours for all the sedation to work through her system, so she is very likely still a bit under the influence. I would like for you to look at her gums, the tissue just above her canine teeth, to see if she looks nice & pink. If her color is pale, greyish or bluish, get her back to your vet immediately. You can certainly lay with her, & if she is just on a cold floor, I would try to get her on something warmer. The pain medication is just indicated for once a day, so you can not give her any more just yet, nor can you give any aspirin, Tylenol or Alleve. Your veterinarian may have something else on hand if it looks like she needs more, but most patients are feeling much, much better by the next day. Keep her warm & in a quiet place, & she should do just fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I'm sorry to hear Brandy is not acting like herself after surgery. If the surgery was recent (say within a week) she may seem aggressive because she is painful. If it has been longer than a week or so, the discomfort from the surgery shouldn't be an issue anymore. If you don't think the surgical pain is the issue, think about other changes that may have recently taken place that could make Brandy feel uncomfortable like a new pet in the household or neighborhood or a lot of visitors or children in the home. We could always set up a consultation to talk more and try to figure out what is going on and a trip to the vet to make sure she is healthy is always a good idea.

There are lots of possible causes, but the most important one could be pain. I would consult with your vet and make sure her pain medications are all at the best doses for her currently. Alternatively, she could be developing some resource guarding. She has gone through a stressful procedure and she may be feeling more sensitive and protective of herself and her spaces. For now, I would keep the puppy away so he doesn’t get hurt. This article may provide more insight: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=102897&id=10464193

Ruling out an underlying health issue such as pain or illness is always a good first step when your pet experiences a sudden behavior change. As seven is the start of the senior years, it is possible there is some pain from laying in the bed, or arthritis causing problems. if Milou checks out health, trying to find if there is a pattern to the "attacks" may be helpful- does it happen the same time every night? Same spot? Same triggers? Is the neighbor arriving home in a noisy car at that time, etc? This may help you figure out what is triggering it so you can make some adjustments- IE moving the bed somewhere quieter, making sure your dog is fast asleep prior to that time, getting out excess energy before bed, feeding a treat to keep the stomach from becoming too empty and causing growling/discomfort, etc. If you can't seem to find any pattern at all, taking a video of the even to bring to your vet or a local trainer may be helpful in better identifying what is going on, and finding a solution.

Poor pup! It sounds like she may be in pain still or having a hard time recovering from her surgery. I would let your vet know right away so they can either provide a different medication, or have her seen to make sure there isn't an infection or other complication that needs to be addressed.