My dog growls and snaps after pyometra surgery. Is she in pain?

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Daria. If she is not acting normal, this is worrisome. She should not be getting more painful this many days out from surgery. It is worth having her rechecked by a veterinarian. In the meantime, keep the incision clean and dry. Do not allow her to lick it. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Hi, sorry to hear about Daisy's troubles! Pyometra surgery in most cases is relatively uncomplicated. She should be on pain medication and antibiotics that your vet would have provided. many pain medications for dogs can make them sleepy. 60 hours post of she should be starting to feel back to herself within another day. If she is still lethargic and is having any problems like not eating diarrhea, a fever or acting dull, she should be rechecked by your vet. If she is not having any of these, she may just have hard a tough time with anesthesia. I would say by day 3 or 4 if she is not back to herself, call you vet and ask if it could be related to any medication she was sent home with. If she is on pain medication, you may also want to try to cut the dose in half to see if that helps. Good luck, wishing Daisy a speedy recovery!

I am happy to hear that Shakira did well with the surgery. She should be on pain medications for her postop care. Watch her for any signs of pain such as a reluctance to move, vocalization or isolation. Otherwise it is not likely that the masses themselves are causing her pain. Definitely have them removed after she is recovered from her pyometra surgery. I hope she does just as well for that surgery as she did this one. Best of luck.

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

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Poor Armoni. A pyometra makes a dog very sick, and it's a serious operation. I am concerned that she had the surgery Tuesday, and still isn't wanting to walk. She should be walking by now. I'd take her back into the vet first thing in the morning for a health check. Best of luck.

No, that is not normal. She should be put on broad spectrum antibiotics. There may be an infection in the uterine tissue that is remaining in the abdomen (stump pyometra). A second surgery may be needed to remove the infective tissue. The bloodwork shows a high white blood cell count indicating infection. Some of her liver enzymes are mildly elevated but I don't think they are significant at this time. She needs to be evaluated for a stump pyometra. ( https://healthtopics.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/canine/stump-pyometra )