For many pet owners, a dog's spay is the first surgery they will experience--and hopefully the last. A female dog's spay is more invasive than a male dog's neuter, and therefore she can take longer to recover. For the most part, the incision will heal on its own with no intervention from you. Watch for signs of inflammation or infection.
Things You'll Need
- Bland food
- Water
- Betadine
- Cone
Instructions
Monitor her or keep her separated from other dogs in the household for the first few hours until you see how the other dogs will react to her. After getting spayed, a dog may experience lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea and possible aggression. It's best to keep her away from any other pets and small children so that she can rest. Because she can experience the effects of anesthesia for several hours after the spay, she should be isolated from others for 24 hours.
Provide food and water. Your dog was given plenty of fluids during the spay procedure, so she'll most likely be urinating frequently during the first 24 hours. Be sure to provide adequate amounts of water so that she can re-hydrate herself. While many dogs may not want to eat immediately following the spay, you should offer a small amount of food. Because the dog's tummy may be sensitive - and because you don't want her straining herself when she defecates, offer her a bland combination of boiled chicken and rice.
Keep her away from the stitches. Once the grogginess of the anesthesia wears off, she will probably become aware that she has stitches. These will more than likely irritate her because they will feel itchy, and she may try to scratch or bite at them. The vet will provide a "cone" for the dog to wear after spaying to prevent her from agitating the stitches. You can remove the cone while you are with her and can stop her from worrying the stitches, but it should be on her when you are not there to stop her.
Keep the incision clean. Be sure to clean the incision several times a day. The vet will provide betadine (and possibly some oral antibiotics), which should be applied and allowed to air-dry. The area around the stitches may swell because fluid has built up, but be on the lookout for excessive swelling, redness or oozing. Any of these signs may indicate infection, and the spay incision should be looked at by the vet promptly.