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My spayed dog is too active. Should I worry about stitches or panting?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 5 months and 25 days old | 7.2 lbs

Hi my maltipoo was spayed on Monday. And she's acting fine as far as eating/drinking/pottying. She has energy which is kind of the problem. She loves to play and I try to stop her as much as possible but it's hard. I'm worried about her stitches they're the dissolvable kind. Also she starts panting on and off through out the day. She does have pain meds in syringes once a day that's what we were given. What can I do to help her?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jenny, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 26th, 2017

It is impossible to completely keep them confined. Keep doing the best you can and keep the incision clean and dry. You may notice a little swelling around the incision called a Seroma from the activity, but it will resolve over the next week. Keep using her pain medicine as directed. If she was in pain she would it be as active either

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on October 1st, 2017
It can happen sometimes that puppies can get a little overexcited after surgery! One concern about too much activity is that it can cause a seroma to form at the incision site. A seroma is a collection of fluid in the dead space under the skin, and can be a common complication post-surgery. They aren't very serious, they typically resolve on their own, but sometimes the vet may need to drain them. The other concern is that too much activity can interrupt the healing process and cause the internal and external sutures to fail. I would keep an eye on the incision, checking it twice daily. If you notice any swelling in the area, have Roxie seen by your vet for an ultrasound on the swelling to check what it causing it. Also have her seen by the vet if you notice the sutures coming out, or if the incision becomes red, hot, and/or has pus coming from it. Otherwise, one little run shouldn't cause a problem. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

Health & Wellness

Is my puppy's spay incision healing or infected? She's too active!

Keeping puppies "quiet" after surgery is certainly not an easy undertaking! The good news is that I think her incision is healing beautifully. There is very mild inflammation right around the incision, but the incision appears to be closed and does not appear to have any discharge. Continue doing your best to keep her as quiet as possible for the next week, but I know it's not possible to turn a 5 month old GSP puppy into a couch potato! If she's really out of control, you can ask your vet about prescribing mild sedative medications (like trazodone) to help her to stay a bit more mellow while healing. Keeping an e-collar (cone) on her is the best thing you can do to promote healing, as this prevents her from licking at the incision at all. Hope that everything continues to go well!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog is panting on and off after spay. Is this normal or pain?

Panting can be a sign of pain or discomfort. I would recommend calling your vet and letting them know about the panting. If she isn't on a pain medication then she may need some, or need additional medication. Also be sure her gums look nice and pink. If they are pale in color then she needs to be seen right away. Other signs to watch for would include lethargy, decreased appetite, heat or swelling or discharge around her incision, or fever (rectal temperature over 102.5). If these occur, she needs to see the vet ASAP.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog was just spayed. What signs mean I need to call the vet?

It's important to make sure Panda is eating and drinking, and I would rest her as much as possible. She's not supposed to play as too much activity can lead to complications such as wound breakdown and a seroma (pocket of fluid). Check out her incision twice a day, and if you see any redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, those are signs of infection and she will need to see a vet. Should she stop eating and drinking, or begins vomiting or lethargic, call the vet right away. I hope this helps and Panda recovers well!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog just got spayed. What fun, safe, limited activities can she do?

Chew toys and food kongs are ideal at this stage as she would be likely to lie down and rest the wound in order to 'play' with them. Regular, limited lead walking will also help to deal with some of her excessive energy. She should not be playing and running, jumping or stretching games as these may cause the stitches to rupture

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog just got spayed. Is discharge, panting, odd behavior normal?

Poor Abby! Discharge is not common from surgical incisions, but a very small amount of clear discharge can still be within normal limits. However, if the discharge is bloody or pus-like, this could be indicative of an incisional infection or suture reaction. Regardless, since Abby is panting and acting abnormally, I do recommend taking her to the vet for evaluation since this could be a sign of pain. Until you take her to the vet, be sure to keep an e-collar (cone) on Abby to prevent her from licking at her incision, as this would likely make matters worse. I hope this helps and that she feels better soon!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog had spay surgery. How to care for non-dissolving stitches?

Limit or restrict activity to avoid stress on the incision. Avoid excessive running, jumping or rough play. Use an e-collar (cone) to prevent licking or chewing of the sutures. Examine the site daily for redness, swelling, bruising, bleeding or discharge. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite, fever or abdominal pain. Look at her gums daily to ensure they are pink. Sutures are kept in for 10-14 days. Do not bathe her until the sutures are removed.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's spay stitches bled after playing. Should I see a vet?

Hello, and thank you for your question. It looks like Sydney's incision is still mostly apposed. I would keep her very quiet for the next week, and keep an e-collar on her at all times. With strict rest, the small gap may start to scab up and start healing on its own. Over the next few days, if you notice any further redness, swelling or discharge, I would take her back to the vet to see if she may need a few stitches or tissue glue to re-appose the edges again. I hope this helps, and that Sydney continues to heal well!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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