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Why is my older dog incontinent with diarrhea after spay surgery?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | spayed | 10 years and 9 months old

Is it normal for a dog to have fecal incontinence with diarrhea after surgery. She is 10 and had a ovariohesterectomy,

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on February 13th, 2016

This can happen but usually only for less than 24 hours. If it's been more than 24 hours and she is still suffering from uncontrollable diarrhea, you should contact your vet straight away.

3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Lindsey Edwards MVB, BSc, IVCA
Veterinarian
Diarrhea after an anesthetic is not uncommon but I would be concerned when it is so severe to cause incontinence. Please contact the original clinic for a post op exam to check everything is healing appropriately and to treat the diarrhea. Inflammation at the base of the cervix is not uncommon especially if there was an infection present before surgery (pyometra) and she may require an ultrasound to investigate this is well as medications and possibly fluids
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on February 21st, 2019
Vomiting and diarrhea can occur secondary to anesthesia in the first 24 hours following surgery. Urinating in the bed might be normal as well if she had IV fluids during the procedure. I would recommend alerting your vet - if the diarrhea is getting worse, if she vomits again or if she is not eating they may want to examine her to make sure everything is okay.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Claudia Fioravanti
Veterinarian
Published on March 14th, 2019
Yes, this can happen following the anaesthesia and also being in the vet hospital with other dogs, or just because of stress. If diarrhoea is mild, you can just try to fee her a bland diet such as chicken and rice, white fish and rice over the next couple of days. If diarrhoea happens more than 1-2 times a day, then have her checked over .Hope this helps !
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Why is my spayed dog suddenly incontinent months after surgery?

I find that very young dogs that are spayed can get incontience. However it is not typical in older dogs no matter the method they are spayed. I would make sure a urine sample is checked for infection and crystals. If this is normal than it is possible she has developed incontience due to being spayed. Typically estrogen supplements helps the most prevent dribbling. Hope that helps

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My dog has diarrhea and accidents after infection. Is it incontinence?

No, fecal incontinence is very unlikely to be present. The signs you are describing are only related to the gastrointestinal infection which will need a full course of antibiotics to be cured. I would suggest to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice for 4-5 days. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog isn't eating and has diarrhea 3 days after spay. Vet visit?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Luna. I do recommend that she sees a veterinarian today. Her incision appears to be healing well. I do not see redness, swelling or discharge draining out. However, pictures can be deceiving. I am more worried that she is not eating. The diarrhea needs to be addressed as well. The veterinarian will examine her and take her temperature. A fever, for example, can indicate an infection. If you stopped her medications, which is reasonable given the diarrhea, she may be very painful now though. This too can affect appetite. The veterinarian will guide you on any testing or treatment options. In the meantime, keep her quiet, encourage her to drink so she doesn't become dehydrated and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

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My older cat is having incontinence after spay surgery. Is it common?

No, this is not common in my experience. I recommend a urinalysis and chemistry bloodwork, and potentially an ultrasound to see if Jenny has a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, kidney disease, or some other condition causing the incontinence. It may or may not be related to the spay.

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Why is my older spayed dog suddenly incontinent and licking herself?

Poor Lulu! If she has been checked for underlying problems that could cause incontinence (such as diabetes, Cushing's disease, or chronic kidney disease), then I agree that it's likely her incontinence is due to being an older spayed female. I would recommend asking your veterinarian about medication to control this condition, such as Proin or DES (diethylstilbestrol) - these are quite effective at managing incontinence in most cases :)

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why is my spayed dog having diarrhea and gagging after surgery?

The diarrhea could be from the antibiotic, stress and hormonal changes after the surgery. The gagging could be a sequel to the intubation which facilitates gas anesthesia. Fast Rosie for 12 hours. You can give her some bland food such as boiled white rice and boiled white chicken in small amounts over several feeds for a day or two, and then transition back to her normal food over two or three days. If the diarrhea does not subside within two to three days, you should take her back to the vet for a recheck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My dog is peeing & pooping inside after spay. Why & what to do?

If these behavior changes have taken place directly in concern with the surgical procedure, I would first want to make sure there is no post-operative medical issue taking place. It is not common to see urinary tract infections shortly after a procedure that could easily be the cause of the problems you are seeing. Although the pooping in inappropriate locations may not have anything to do with the urinary tract, Molly may be in too much discomfort to necessarily care about following the rules in general. Conversely, it is possible that the removal of hormone producing organs in the body are causing a behavior change resulting in problems you are witnessing. This would be very uncommon however, and I think that first ruling out the medical issue would be the prudent way to approach this.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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