Vixpup getting spayed on Thursday- very stressed- what to expect?

[SirVixofVixHall]

That is me that's stressed, and DD. Not Vixpup, she is blissfully unaware.
I haven't had a bitch before, so I'm not sure what to expect after spaying. She is having to have the op at a vet hospital over two and a half hours drive away, as she has a heart condition, so our vet felt it was the best place. I am worried about her having such a long journey in a car the day of the surgery (although they may keep her in overnight, depending on how it all goes). And I am worried about the surgery itself. It will be keyhole, so hopefully slightly less invasive. I am also worried about her recovery. Will she be in a lot of pain for a while? She is a very sensitive sort of a dog. Highly strung, not placid. She hates any sort of interference, won't let the vet look in her ears even. So I think that the whole process is going to be rather traumatic for her. Wish we didn't have to do it, but with her heart I really don't want to risk pyometra and have to put her through a far worse emergency spay. Also pregnancy would be an extra strain on her heart, and she could possibly pass the problem on to any puppies she had, so we really don't want to risk any accidental matings. This seems the most sensible course of action, but I feel terrible about it!

bumping..

Gratuitous sweet pic of Vixpup asleep with a visiting friend..

Awww sweet photo .

My girl was spayed last year and it was really not as stressful as I'd anticipated. She was just a bit quiet and feeling sorry for herself for a few days but returned to her normal daft self very quickly.

Thanks Bunny. Did she need any painkillers for those few days? I am assuming no walks for a little while, but as you can see she is an Irish terrier and so very active normally. She is 17 months old this week, and has had her first season, so hopefully she is fully grown. I wanted to wait until she was fully adult, and our vet also wanted to leave it until after her first season had passed. I am really worrying about it! I've had a male dog done, and he recovered very quickly, but obviously this is much more invasive surgery than castration. I'm also concerned about her heart, but I know they won't take any risks and will take excellent care of her.

My little pup just had the non keyhole spay a few weeks back. She was only 6 months old, so the youngest I have ever had a dog spayed but she came from a rescue and that is the age they spay them. So I was worried too.

She had the op mid day and we picked her up around 4PM. She was a bit groggy and out of it. She is also sensitive and never apart from me, so didn't want to walk into the vet part of the rescue - we had to take her. So it was upsetting leaving her but she was fine, they told me afterwards.

When she came home, she was groggy and a bit out of it but they gave us 3 days' worth of painkillers. And the following morning, we had to go to my son's football match and I'd assumed I would stay home with her but she was up and raring to go. She didn't seem in pain at all - although we gave her the painkillers anyway. She ate and slept fine and didn't seem at all upset by the experience.

The only hard thing is keeping them from charging about in the week or two afterwards. By about the 3rd day I gave up!

Oh and she was back to going for her full walks the very next morning - we just took it easy (She's a terrier as well).

Full walks the next day! Nothing keeps a terrier from their walks...clearly. Well that is reassuring. I did agonise about putting her through any surgery, but it seems insane to risk her needing an emergency op in later life, probably in far less ideal conditions. Partly i think I am stressed because she will be so far away (DH is taking her ) and also because of her nature, I think she will be very stressed and upset. And that is before adding the heart condition into the mix!

Aw, Vix, it must be extra worrying with the heart problem but as you say, it's partly due to the heart problem that she needs this doing! You are so doing the right thing, for her. I just tried to busy myself on the day and not think too much about it til we went to pick her up. Hard, I know. But she was only really not her usual self for that first evening - and even then, nothing distressing I just don't think she ate, that day, and she was sleepy and a bit out of it, as you'd expect after an anaesthetic. Following morning, it was as if nothing had happened. They gave us one of those Elizabethan collars for her but said only to use it if she bothered the wound but she left it alone, totally, so went without the lampshade, as well. I think with the less invasive keyhole option, recovery is probably even faster.

Never had a female dog but my male was neutered at 10 months and I was only getting him done because he kept marking in my dad's hous.
I was nervous as he gets separation anxiety and I was also worried about the op itself but ddog was fine a bit groggy when I picked him up and couldn't walk but not a problem as I carried him he's only small.
He slept off and on for the rest of the day and he didn't need the cone as he never touched his stiches, he was back to his normal self a day later.
Try to keep your self busy on the day she's in having the op so you don't worry too much,hard I know but try to keep your mind off it as much as you can while waiting for the vets to phone you.

Might be a bit late now, but if she's going to be stressed - ask if your DH can stay with her until she's sedated, I did that when my dog was neutered (for different reasons) he was sedated in the waiting room and I didn't leave until it had kicked in.

I wish he could have done that, but they wanted her in at 8.30 this morning, even though she won't be in surgery until about 1. DH had to leave the house at 4.30 this morning to drive her there. She was very very stressed just at them taking her pulse apparently. She was fine in the vets as a small puppy, I'm not sure what has made her so nervous, possibly a knee problem she had at 5 months, as when the vets checked it, it did make her squeak and must have been very painful. She ended up needing a scan for that, and since then has been increasingly anxious in the vet's, even to the point of getting snappy. So I am very worried about her being stuck in a crate now, waiting for her op. I am wandering about the house aimlessly, it is very strange without her here. Fingers crossed it all goes well and she is home late tonight. Poor dog having to have a three hour drive home.

No news of how it went. I can't relax at all. I assume she won't have come round yet? (surgery scheduled for 1pm). I feel as though I should be pacing the surgery corridors, instead I am trying to distract myself with mumsnet and occasional forays into the garden to fuss my chickens!

Yeah she'll still be sleeping...if anything had gone wrong you'd know by now though, if that helps.

She's had the op and all went well. Phew! I felt strangely tearful at the thought of her now having no ovaries though... It seems rather cruel to take away an organ without her consent!! But i know it is to avoid her being in a life threatening situation later, and as her heart problem may shorten her life, I don't want to add any other risks.
DH is picking her up at 6, and then driving home, so she will be back at about 10 I imagine. I hope she isn't in too much pain tomorrow.