Spaying a shy puppy: Will a new vet cause anxiety or setbacks?

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.

I'm a nervous mom too, so I certainly understand what you are going through. The way most vet clinics do surgery is that we try to do all surgeries before 1 pm, so they have at least a few hours to recover before they are sent home. Most vets prefer to do dog spays first, so Sienna may already be done with surgery! Often, we do not call after each surgery is over, but will call after all surgeries are over for the day to verify pick up time. But every vet clinic does things differently, so I can't be sure how your vet clinic does things. I'm sure everything is going well, but if you really need to know if Sienna is done with surgery, you can always call to check on her. It certainly wouldn't be the first time an owner has called to check on their baby. Good luck! I hope that made you feel a little better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You absolutely did the right thing. Spaying dogs is the best option to help prevent certain conditions such as pyometra and reduce the possibility of mammary tumors. Usually dogs recover very quickly after surgery and she is expected to be fine after surgery. It may take her a few days to be back to normal but that would be the expectation. Rest comfortably that you did the right thing. Good luck and have a good night!

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.

That could be due to a mix between discomfort/pain and what she experienced yesterday at the practice where she was spayed. I would wait few more days to see if she gets more comfortable and back to her normal self before being concerned. Hope this answer was helpful, but 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. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

I'm sorry to hear Kona is not feeling well! This can be totally normal after surgery. Sometimes they have whats called 'Dysphoria' and they will be agitated and not able to settle. Basically they are still feeling weird from the anesthesia but they don't understand what's happening to them so they become anxious. I would advise to sit with her in a quiet location with soft music (classical and reggae music have both been shown to soothe dogs) and keep the environment stimulation free. While these herbs are generally safe, interactions can occur. Given that the sedation chemicals are still in her body, I would not advise to use this supplement. Its best to avoid interactions. Try to pet her and reassure her. By the morning she will likely be feeling better. If she is still anxious tomorrow, call the veterinarian for additional medications that can sedate or provide anxiety relief. I hope Kona settles down quickly and falls asleep. Best of luck!

Good on you for getting Precious spayed! As with any surgery, of course there will be risks, but it is a routine surgery and it's not often that things go wrong. It's good that she handled the anesthesia well in 2015, and your vet will check to make sure that her organs are functioning well so that the anesthesia and surgery will go as smoothly as possible. In addition, there will be someone monitor her anesthesia at all times during the surgery to make sure it goes as well as possible. It won't change her personality, but she will likely be a little sleepy and painful the first couple of days after surgery. Your vet will send home pain medications for her to help her be more comfortable. Typically we see dogs bounce back pretty quickly from a spay, and it's extremely important you keep her as quiet as possible while she is recovering. No running, jumping, or playing at all under her sutures are removed. Too much exercise and movement post surgery can lead to complications, which is why it's so important to keep Precious quiet. You also need to make sure she doesn't lick her incision site and sutures, and she will likely be sent home with an Ecollar. Dogs typically don't like them, but she has to wear it all the time to make sure she doesn't mess with her incision. As hard as it is, try not to worry, she will be in good hands with your vet. I hope this helps!