Dog spay in China: Is 4-day vet stay or same-day release better?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Typically a combination of drugs is administered prior to the procedure. I typically like giving the pre-medication 15-20 minutes prior to the procedure. This should not set her back and once she is out of the unfamiliar vet clinic, she should be fine. You can ask the veterinarian to pre-medicate her prior to the procedure so that she is not so stressed out. It is not necessary to keep dogs that have been spayed overnight. All of my spay procedures go home that exact same day. If you feel she will be too stressed out while there, I would be more apt to have you keep Sie at home for the post-op recovery period. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Incision lengths vary from surgeon to surgeon. Since incisions heal from side to side and not from end to end, it takes a short incision the same time to heal as a long incision. Your vet will give you written instructions on how to treat your dog after surgery. Here is a sample: http://files.dvm360.com/alfresco_images/DVM360//2014/09/26/ca50e33b-4a98-4584-bf15-dbf0f2a912c7/handout_afterspay_neuter.pdf Healing times will vary but the incision should be healed after 10 to 14 days. All will be well.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. In some hospitals, especially at academic institutions, spays can be performed laparoscopically, meaning only a couple very small incisions are made in the abdominal wall. A thin camera is placed through one, and another instrument which can grasp/cauterize/cut tissue is inserted through the other. While these procedures are less invasive, the procedure itself takes much longer than a typical, "open" spay. Most spays can be performed in 15-30 minutes, thus minimizing anesthesia times. Laparoscopic spays tend to take 60-90 minutes. I hope this is helpful!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lily. I know it is hard to do, but a dog should really be kept quiet for 10-14 days post-spay. This allows her body to heal. She went through major abdominal surgery. Her incision appears to be healing well from your pictures. I hope this information helps!

Without having been in the surgery myself and not having spoken to your vet at all, I can only speculate as to why Scooter is staying overnight. I recommend asking your vet why specifically he wanted him to stay overnight. Personally, I would keep an neuter overnight if the dog had some trouble with the anesthesia, such as taking a little bit longer than expected to wake up, if the dog had excessive bleeding during the surgery, or if the dog seemed to be a little more painful than expected. Chances are, your vet is simply being cautious and safe.

Your vet should go over instructions for her aftercare based on the surgery. In general we recommend restricting activity untli the sutures are removed, which is normally 7 to 10 days. Unless she has had an upset stomach we can usually give them their normal food, just in small amounts initially to be sure the anesthetic didn't make them nauseous and they aren't going to vomit. As far as how long the surgery will take, that will depend on your vet's office and where the bump being removed is located. You should contact your vet for information on when she will be ready for pick-up from surgery, and at discharge/when she goes home,they should provide you with their specific instructions for aftercare. If they do not, then please ask them for details. Best of luck to you and Precious!

Good question. Typically pets are pain free after day 3 or 4, which is why we don’t give medication past that. Signs of pain are constant fidgeting when trying lay down, abnormal panting, decreased appetite and unwillingness to move around and whining. Cuddles is likely past the painful stage and well into the healing phase of post surgery. Best wishes with your pet Cuddles and I hope things continue to go well. Take care!