Castration surgery, or neutering, is a common procedure performed on thousands of male dogs and cats each day. Neuter surgery does not usually require sutures and, barring unusual complications, the dog goes home the same day. Despite the relative simplicity, neutering is still a surgical procedure and is, therefore, subject to possible post-surgical complications, including diarrhea. Always call your veterinarian to consult on abnormal behavior after a surgical procedure, including diarrhea.
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Stress
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Diarrhea can be a symptom of stress. If your dog has an anxious personality, a trip to the veterinarian may be stressful and cause upset stomach and diarrhea. Although pain medications are routinely administered after neuter surgery, your dog may be experiencing breakthrough pain, which is pain that breaks through the prescribed pain medication. Even though neutered dogs typically go home the same day as the surgery, it is still important to keep your pet quiet and stress-free for 24 to 48 hours. Once she is eating, drinking and acting normally, she can start to slowly build up to her normal level of activity.
Feeding
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Your veterinarian will provide you with complete instructions on how to care for your dog after his neuter surgery. This will likely include a gradual return to his normal diet, beginning with feeding him small, frequent meals. He will need to fully recover from the effects of anesthesia before you begin to feed him his normal diet. Feeding him too much too soon can cause vomiting and/or diarrhea. Back off his feed and perhaps give him some bland food, such as boiled hamburger and rice, to slow down the diarrhea until you get specific instructions from your veterinarian.
Infection
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Diarrhea can indicate a gastrointestinal bacterial infection or a virus. If your dog is adequately vaccinated, chances are she is protected against the main viruses causing diarrhea, such as parvovirus or coronavirus. Bacterial infection may have occurred at the veterinary hospital. This is rare as veterinary hospitals utilize the same antiseptic techniques as human hospitals, although infections can occur. A bacterial infection, and resulting diarrhea, may be completely unrelated to your pet's neuter surgery.
Medications
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Your dog was almost certainly given pain medication post-surgery and may have been discharged with additional pain medications to keep him comfortable over the next couple days. Diarrhea may be a side effect of some of these medications. Your veterinarian may want to change pain medications to see if the diarrhea goes away as a result.
Followup Visit
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Short-term diarrhea is rarely a cause of serious concern. However, if your dog has just undergone neuter surgery, call your veterinary office as soon as possible and tell them about your dog's diarrhea. Your veterinarian will want to know when it started as well as what and how often you have been feeding her since the surgery. If the diarrhea persists or is severe, your veterinarian will want you to bring your dog in for an immediate followup visit to prevent dehydration and to be sure your pet is getting the nutrition she needs to heal from surgery.
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