Very sad dog - recovering from castration

[Ghostsdonttalk]

Yesterday we took the plunge and got our lovely Beardie neutered. I am a bit taken aback about how sad he is. Vet has given Arnica as pain relief and Amoxicillin as antibiotic. He also is struggling to drink or eat wearing the head collar type thing.

What can I do to help? Do I just let him sleep and be quiet today? Is Arnica enough? Can I give Calpol or Ibuprofen and if so how would I work our dose?

Feeling a bit guilty for putting him through this!!

Arnica is t going to do anything at all poor boy - you need to go back to your vet and ask for some proper pain relief - my friend's dog was castrated last week and he was misera le for the first 24 hours but perked up remarkably quickly after that

Hope your boy feels better soon

If he needs painkillers, get dog ones...you won't need an appointment as he's had a procedure done. But, it is normal to be a bit subdued for the first day or so.

The cone is to stop him getting at his wound - I always take it off for mealtimes and stick it back on as soon as he's finished eating.

My pup had Metacam painkillers from the vet on the day and then the follpwing day and bounced back right as rain after that. I'd ask for proper pain killers.

Also, with pain relief, mine didn't need the cone of shame at all.

Mines on Metacam anyway...but he had to wear the cone the whole time as he's a nibbler, with previous dogs though I could leave the cone off when I was about and they'd be fine, it just depends on the dog.

Thanks all, he appears to be perking up. Turned my back for two seconds and he managed to full down a pan with thankfully cold bacon grease. Has perked him up no end.

Definitely need the collar as even with it hes trying to lick.

Has eaten and drank too so hopefully ok from now.

As a vet I would say surgery of any kind without proper pain relief is totally unacceptable. Even a cat castrate which is even more minor than dogs get proper pain relief in the vast majority of practices.
Arnica is not a licensed veterinary medicine and without your specific consent and signing a separate consent form should not be used.
Aside from that even in homeopathy arnica is not used for pain relief, but reducing bruising.
I would be on the phone to your vet demanding proper appropriate pain relief.

My lab was given a Metacam injection before he left the vets. Perhaps your dog had one? its supposed to give 24 hr pain relief. He wasn't given a collar, was a bit wobbly and spaced out from the anaesthetic the next day but fine after that.

I had my girl spayed about six months ago and we were not given any pain relief
I think she felt sad because of the cone, so I took it off and only put it on when she was left alone/at night

He will soon cheer up

He is happier now Dh is home. Have ordered a comfy collar as hes bumping into everything with the cone.

I cant believe these animals dont get pain relief either. I wonder if your vet would be ok with just arnica if he were castrated?! I would ask him:)

ddog is booked in to be neutered next Friday and remembered this thread.

Asked our vet if they would give me painkillers to take away and they said I won't need them as they will give him a long lasting pain killer before I take him home.

Should I ask them for a couple of pills as well just I case he has problems overnight?

Is arnica and antibiotics standard issue after this op too? Anything else I should know or ask about?

Hopeful bump

WeAll - I can't speak for all practices obviously but at the one I'm familiar with they don't usually send home painkillers for a dog castrate. They are given an injection which lasts for around 24 hours and instructions to call if the dog is very uncomfortable after that, though they rarely need anything else and you should be invited back for a post-op check a couple of days afterwards anyway.

Antibiotics aren't standard and I've never heard of arnica being prescribed. Maybe suggested as a topical cream for bruising but steer clear of any homeopathic nonsense.

They don't need to wear the cone of shame while you're supervising them closely (some dogs find the cone more distressing than anything else!) but it must go on overnight and any other time you're not watching their every move.

They may be a bit spaced out, sleepy and whingy for a day or two afterwards, some are a bit drooly as well. They may not feel like eating that same day so don't panic, just tempt with something special.

The nurse and/or vet will talk you through everything during the admit and discharge though. :)

Thanks toboldlygo. Only booked it yesterday and I swear he knows what's going to happen as he keeps looking at me funny!

A peri operative dose of antibiotics (given just prior to surgery) is appropriate for castration as it is 'groin' surgery. It would also be common to use an opioid in the pre-med most commonly buprenorphine. Also for a non-steroidal anti inflammatory injection to be given metacam is the most common, though there are others this will last 24 hours. It is rare for a dog castrate to need more pain relief.
Arnica is inappropriate on two levels firstly it is not a licences medicine for dogs, secondly there is no evidence for pain relief the small amount of evidence is a reduction in bruising.

Lonecat thanks so much for the info. His op is on a Friday. If he does have any pain its likely to be the Saturday when his meds wear off, is it worth getting an extra pain killer just in case he needs it or better to get an emergency appointment on the Saturday if he looks uncomfortable as the vet should examine him?

We had a dog castrated on Tuesday and I was so surprised. He doesn't seem to have noticed AT ALL. Came out of surgery bouncing like tigger, scoffed down tea that evening, has barely sniffed at his wound. Unbelievable. Poor your dog op. Hope he's better now!

34dd I've ordered a comfy cone which is waiting at the post office for me to pickup and get him used to this week. will have boxers in reserve as a backup plan!

trash I am hope ours is like that too and doesn't need it as he's not good at wearing anything normally - fingers crossed!

Something else to remember is that when you take them for walks they don't need to wear their cones. My boy has a very long neck & could still lick his scar when wearing an inflatable collar (which was a shame as it cost £14!).

Mums ddog was given a long lasting injection before we took him home , but also had some pain pills for days 2-5.
He was quiet for the first week or so, but soon recovered.

Pups op got cancelled last week as he decided to eat the couch the night before the op.

So crated him last night and he had it done today, he's just home now and lying down, dopey and whining constantly, poor wee soul. Wish he'd just drop off to sleep looks like he really needs it.