Why is my dog whining after spay surgery? Pain or cone discomfort?

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.

If she is whining then she is in pain even if you can’t see any external injury. Internal injuries or illness can manifest in many ways and because our dogs cannot talk to us all they can do whine or cry. I recommend you have your dog examined by your veterinarian as soon as possible.

It’s common for dogs to whine following a surgery and anesthesia - it’s possible that your puppy is still recovering from he drugs or that he is a little painful. If he seems very painful you could have him examined by a veterinarian. It is normal to use a cone following surgery to prevent dogs from damaging their incisions - you should keep it on at all times.

Hello! In all likelihood, Bruce is annoyed by the cone and not actually hurting. Make sure that you can fit two fingers snugly between the cone and his neck- this will ensure that it is not on too tightly. Many cones fit into collars, and this may make it more comfortable for him. If the cone is not on too tightly and there are no sharp edges poking into his skin, it should be comfortable. However, it is a strange and new experience for Bruce to have "tunnel vision" and he may bump the side of the cone into walls, tables, your shins, etc. :) Some dogs are okay with the cone when they are relaxing, but do much better at eating and toileting with the cone off. My own dog refuses to urinate if he is wearing a cone, so I take it off to walk him when he needs to wear one. If he is truly distressed about wearing the cone, you can call your vet and ask them for a mild anti-anxiety drug for him to take while he wears the cone and heals. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor pup! It sounds like she may be in pain still or having a hard time recovering from her surgery. I would let your vet know right away so they can either provide a different medication, or have her seen to make sure there isn't an infection or other complication that needs to be addressed.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Roman. His incision site appears to be healing with only mild bruising and swelling associated with it. I do not see any appears that are opening in your picture. It would be unusual for him to still be painful a week after surgery. The collar may be bothering him, but if his behavior does not resolve, then I would check in with his veterinarian. If you are able to fully supervise him, you can try to take the collar off for a little bit. This will help you judge if the collar is causing the change in behavior. Whenever he is alone or not fully supervised though be sure that he is wearing it. I hope this information helps!

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.