My dog was neutered today, no pain meds. How can I help him heal?

Some dogs do fine without pain meds but others really need it. If your vet did prescribe the pain medication, then they want Apollo to take it for a reason. I would be sure to phone your vet first thing tomorrow to ask for a refill. Pain is a common occurance after any surgical procedure. You can use a little mild soap and water or baby wipe to help gently clean off his fur.

Oh no, that's not good. Poor Max. He should have gotten pain medication. You need to take him into a vet immediately, as there are no OTC pain medications you can give him. Many human ones are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. Please take him into a vet now.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Achilles! We don't want poor Achilles to be in any pain, but I recommend you do *not* give him anything tonight, and instead touch base with your primary vet first thing tomorrow morning. Most likely, your vet gave Achilles some injectable pain medications as part of his treatment today, and many injectable pain medications will stay in the system for 12-24 hours. If you were to give anything tonight that was not prescribed by your vet, it could end up being something that might not be safe to have in his system along with the drugs he's already received. The most important thing you can do tonight is to keep him calm and quiet, to keep swelling to a minimum. If he will tolerate it you can also ice the incision line with an ice pack wrapped in a towel, for 10 minutes at a time. If he still seems painful tomorrow, your vet should be able to offer guidance on what would be a safe follow-up to what's already been given. I hope this helps and Achilles is back to his normal self soon!

Give pain medication as prescribed by your veterinarian. It is important to make sure that you restrict his activity to short leash walks only (for the purpose of going to the bathroom) for the first week after surgery. Excessive activity such as running jumping or playing will increase the likelihood of complications. Lastly, but most importantly, he must wear an E collar (cone of shame) to prevent him from looking at or biting at the incision. Licking or biting the incision could lead to the incision coming apart and a need for further surgery. It could also lead to the incision becoming infected which could even make him systemically ill. He will need to wear the color for about 7 to 10 days. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach !

Pain after neutering does occur, and your vet can give you pain medication for him if they haven't already. After neutering, some dogs can be tired and want to rest a little more than usual. Keep an eye on the stitches where the surgery was done, and make sure they don't become red and swollen. Do not let your dog lick the stitches. Your dog likely didn't poop until this morning because they weren't allowed any food for 12 hours before the surgery, so they wouldn't have anything to poop out. Butt scooting can also indicate parasites, so if his worming isn't up to date, I would get worming tablets from your vet. If the incision site becomes red, swollen, and warm to the touch, I would contact your vet right away for an appointment. It is also okay to give your vet a call if you are concerned about your dog being in pain, and see what options they can give you for pain relief.

The calming chews should be fine to give but you may not notice much effect from them. Typically a vet will send home pain medication (and a sedative if needed) after a surgical procedure. If you are worried that Charlie is showing signs of discomfort (panting, whining, restlessness) then you should call your vet and request some additional pain medication. If he seems fine at home just be sure to restrict his activity as best you can for a few days to allow the surgery site to heal. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi there, and thanks for posting this question. The first night is usually a little rough, but after that they seem to bounce back so quickly! Make sure your veterinarian sends home some medication for pain management and an E-collar. Those are never fun, but it is worse to be half way healed and then have him Chew out all his stitches and have to start at the beginning again! Short leash walks are great to keep his brain active when his body is supposed to be resting. Also, chew toys help too. Best of luck and he will be healed before you know it!