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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Does anyone know what actually happens on the day when dog is in for spay op?

14 replies

Curledpup · 31/10/2021 22:18

Typically what happens at the vets? Do they get crated initially until ready for op? Or do I drop right at the time of the op? And do they get injection for general anesthetic? Or tablet to sedate them? I need to know more detail about it so I can prepare my mind for it to make it as easy as possible for my anxious girl

OP posts:
romdowa · 31/10/2021 22:43

You'll drop them off fasting in the morning. They'll probably be crated until its their turn , depending on how busy they are. They'll shave one of their legs and insert an iv line into which they will administer the anaesthetic and then they will do the op. The back into the crate for recovery , usually with fluids and once they've recovered and eaten they are ready to go home.

Motorina · 31/10/2021 23:55

If you have specific concerns about how your girl will cope with the whole vet environment, it would be worth discussing them with your vet in advance, as there may be things they can do to ease it for her.

tabulahrasa · 01/11/2021 00:15

Usually they’re crated till it’s their turn, they get an injection to sedate them and then the anaesthetic...they do it, then reverse it all and wait for them to be up and about before you come back.

Talk to your vet though, my last dog used to get sedated with me still there and only taken through once it had kicked in.

Most vets will change up how they do things if you’ve a dog with an issue.

Curledpup · 01/11/2021 06:11

Ok thanks. So shaving the leg is done while not drugged at all? Even that she won’t be keen on.

OP posts:
Knownbyanothername · 01/11/2021 06:20

If a pet is too stressed to have a leg shaved, often the premed is done first to relax them. Spays are clean ops so likely to be done earlier in the day than non sterile procedures.

Curledpup · 01/11/2021 06:42

What is premed?

OP posts:
romdowa · 01/11/2021 06:54

Premed could be an injection or tablet of some kind of relaxing medication. Kind of like giving a human valium before the dentist. Honestly vets are super experienced in handling dogs of all nature's, your dog will be perfectly fine with them but is going to pick up on your anxiety around this going in.

Curledpup · 01/11/2021 07:00

Thanks. We just started at new vets. First time going in she was fine. All vet did was listen to heart which she tolerated but not to happy, next day we popped in to pick up medication and I was surprised how reluctant she was to go in the door just from previous days experience

OP posts:
TheSquashyHatOfMrGnosspelius · 01/11/2021 07:04

Vet nurse here of thirty five years.

Dogs relax once the owner is not there as they are off duty. The premed relaxes them and lowers their BP.

Very few dogs are hard to handle once the owner has gone so don't worry too much. Most of them go into 'standby mode' and just chill out.

romdowa · 01/11/2021 07:06

@Curledpup

Thanks. We just started at new vets. First time going in she was fine. All vet did was listen to heart which she tolerated but not to happy, next day we popped in to pick up medication and I was surprised how reluctant she was to go in the door just from previous days experience
My dogs have been going to the same vet for the last ten years. Never had anything really bad happen in there and they still don't want to go in . Minute they smell the place they try to do a nope. I think most dogs are the same.
Curledpup · 01/11/2021 07:49

Ok thanks. That does make me feel a bit better

OP posts:
vivainsomnia · 02/11/2021 09:51

I'm worried about it too. My dog is fantastic but very anxious about being touched by strangers. The experience with the groomer is traumatic for her and she is a mess for a week or more afterwards. Just the sound of scissors will get her to go and hide.

Same with the vets and so far, it's only been for check ups and injections.

I will speak with the practice but I hope they do take it seriously and help. Ideally, I'd like her sedated whilst I'm still there and pick her up as soon as she is awake. I feel very confident looking after her at home and getting in touch if any concern.

By the way,I'm not anxious myself at all, I just know how scared she is and how it affects her afterwards.

PermanentlyDizzy · 02/11/2021 11:50

If you are concerned that your dog is particularly anxious I would definitely raise it with your vet. I have had two different rescues that really didn’t cope with being inpatient and the vet was happy for us to stay with them until they were sedated if they ever needed to go in. They also tried to arrange it so we were first pick-up, as long as recovery was straightforward. Our vet explained that they would rather do everything they can to keep a dog calm and comfortable, than have to deal with stressed anxious dogs, which ultimately are harder to care for.

When one of mine had to be inpatient for a week at a specialist vet hospital, the lovely ICU nurses kept him with them at all times (he helped them with their rounds apparently Grin) and that, alongside sedation when he had to be left, kept him much more calm and settled. He was a pretty extreme case though.

@vivainsomnia have you tried any of the OTC anxiety supplements for her around grooming appointments. The dog described above, who absolutely could not tolerate the vets as an inpatient, was able to go to our lovely boarding kennels, as we put him on Zylkene for a week before doing a tour, then an hour trial, then two hours, then a half day. We always put him on it a week before, just in case, but he loved going there, as we were able to essentially condition him to feeling calm and relaxed going there. We are just starting our current old boy on it now, as he’s developing some anxiety in certain situations in response to health issues. If Zylkene (made from natural milk proteins) doesn’t help, you could try a Tryptophan based supplement like Calmex or something like Dorwest’s Scullcap & Valerian compound and/or drops. (We used to use the latter for ferry trips for our dogs.)

vivainsomnia · 02/11/2021 12:33

@PermanentlyDizzy, thank you very much for the suggestion, I will definitely look into it.

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