My dog is shaking and crying after spay surgery. Should I worry?

Hi there. Different individuals can respond to anesthesia differently, just like humans. In my experience, it's not uncommon for some pets to be wobbly, confused, or otherwise "out of it" for up to 24 hours or so after an anesthetic event. As long as she's responsive and doesn't seem to be getting worse, this is likely normal. If she's still shaky and crying by tomorrow morning, I would recommend giving your vet a call as she may be painful and need some additional medication to help with this. For tonight, you can sit and snuggle with her if she seems to want this, or leave her alone if she doesn't want to be touched. Make sure she has food and water available if she wants it. Monitor for any bleeding from the incision site, pale gums, or increased weakness or acting less responsive, as these could indicate a more serious problem that needs an ER visit.

What you are describing is pretty normal side effects from the anesthesia. Dogs definitely feel pain after surgery! You should only give pain medication from your vet. OTC human pain medications are not recommended. If you did not receive any pain medication to give her, call your vet so they can dispense the proper medication for you to give. Other than that, keep her as calm and quiet as possible. Don't bother her too much. Just let her sleep. Keep her away from any other pets until she is fully healed from surgery (about 10-14 days).

It sounds like Lucy is painful from the surgery, and if she was prescribed pain medication, I would make sure to give that to her as prescribed. Should she not have pain meds, I would call your vet now to speak to them about getting her some. Please do not give her any human pain medications, many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Daisy! Is Daisy on pain medications. She sounds painful to me. I would call and ask for pain medications or for additional pain medications. She should be on an anti-inflammatory (rimadyl, previcox and deramax) at a minimum. They can add tramadol and/or gabapentin. If you are worried and are not happy with how she is acting then definitely take her somewhere to be evaluated. They can check her temperature, her gums and her pain level. I hope this helps and I wish Daisy the best!

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.

This sounds like she is getting an ear infection, or has something stuck in her ear or mouth. It also could be from insect or ant bites on her face. It doesn't seem related to the surgery from her symptoms. Check her over carefully. Look at her face, the fur, check inside her mouth and in her ears to see if you can fine a cause for the face rubbing and head shaking. If her ears are hot, red and painful, or they have some discharge in them then she should have them checked and treated by your veterinarian. Please try to stop the rubbing as she can get skin sores or a hot spot if she rubs too hard. Use a cone on her if needed to stop the scratching. If this worsens and you can't find the reason please bring Emmy back for a recheck. They can give medication if needed to stop the rubbing and they should be able to diagnose the problem and treat it also. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Emmy.

I recommend a phone call to your veterinarian to ask about additional pain medications. Some dogs are more sensitive than others. My own puppy needed a second prescription medication to make him more comfortable. Although most dogs do fine with just carprofen, it might not be enough for Bella. It doesn't mean anything is wrong, or concerning, but we don't want her to be painful.