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My dog won't urinate or eat after surgery. When is it an emergency?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Great Pyrenees | Male | neutered | 6 years and 5 months old

My dog had surgery on Fri and has not urinated since. He is also reluctant to eat and drink. At what point is this a serious concern / emergency?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on May 22nd, 2016

He should be rechecked by your vet or at the local veterinary ER today. He may be painful or still feeling the aftereffects of general anesthesia. This can last as long as 72 hours. If his bladder is full, the doctors can insert a urinary catheter if necessary to empty it. Medications can be administered or dispensed to alleviate pain which may make him comfortable. Supportive care can also be administered. SQ fluids may rehydrate him and perk him up.

20Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Christie Long, DVM
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
You don't mention the type of surgery that your dog had, however not urinating for more than 48 hours is a serious situation. Either he's significantly dehydrated (so that he's not producing much urine) or there's a functional reason related to his urinary tract or the nervous system that's keeping him from urinating. Coupled with the fact that he's not eating or drinking well, I'd recommend going for an emergency visit to get his general condition assessed today.
13Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jeffrey Milner
Veterinarian
Published on May 6th, 2017
30 hours without urination, particularly in a small dog breed like a Shih-tzu, is approaching the point of an emergency. I would get Charlie to the vet as soon as possible to make sure that the bladder is not blocked and that the kidneys are fully functioning. Manual drainage of the bladder or passage of a urinary catheter might be required if the bladder is overly distended.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ana M, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on April 6th, 2019
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Poppy. Anesthesia slows down the gastrointestinal tract so it is not unusual for it to take a while for the dog to have bowel movement. It is worrisome that she is not urinating regularly though. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian today to determine why she is not urinating. Is she drinking normally? Could she be leaking urine on her bedding? Sometimes if a dog is painful, it will hurt to posture to urinate. So the dog will go while laying down. I hope this information helps!
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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