Dog refusing to be touched and cleaned after complicated operation

[CBFA]

Had a bit of a nightmare week with dog having emergency surgery for a complicated foreign body. Normally a very affectionate staffy, but intolerant of being touched or overhandled in certain ways.

Now, after multiple vet visits and post-surgery complications, leading to a drain and an infected wound, he's (understandably) much more likely to growl & snap at us. We can muzzle him, although he's becoming increasingly wary of this, but of course we need to try and get to the abdominal wound to keep the area clean.

Increasingly, there is a real possibility of escalation and being bitten (although he's never bitten before) because of his pain and stress.

Does anyone have any tips as to how we can go about doing this, or do we just muzzle him and do our best? We are having regular vet check-ups, but we need to be able to manage this at home too. We only adopted him a few months ago, so it's difficult maintaining a positive relationship through this episode and for him to trust us, and we are a bit nervous about trying to handle him at the moment!

If it absolutely has to be done then:-

Give him a clear signal that the nasty thing is going to happen. Signals you could use are you wearing a certain hat, or putting him on a certain mat or table.

Muzzle him and do what you have to do (if you really have to do it)

Then the minute it has finished remove the signal eg take him off the table or mat put away the hat out of sight.

What this does is let him relax with you between the "nasty" bits now that it is all ok. This indirectly shows relaxes him and does even make the nasty bits more tolerable.

Same at the vets if they are going to do something to him either take him out of the usual consulation room or do it whilst he is on the table. Then all routine checks in future can be done on the floor and he will not be so anxious to revisit the vet.

Hioe he feels better soon.

I would be asking the vets for a sedative personally. And upping pain relief too. They shouldn't be letting him be in pain.

In terms of the actual cleaning - how often does it need doing? Can he go into the vets for it? I'd be trying to do it as infrequently as possible. Muzzle if you need and lots and lots of reassurance. The most important thing is for you to stay calm. If your calm that will help him relax. If your getting worried and stressed then it will only make it harder for all of you.

Will he eat whilst you are cleaning the wound? If he does, I would squirt Primula cheese or Webbox etc. into his muzzle whilst someone else cleans the wound (assuming he's wearing a basket muzzle and is not on a restricted diet). I would do something positive straight after the wound cleaning, e.g. give him his breakfast or dinner.

Thanks, all. Had a go at it tonight, with muzzle, had it all set out and lots and lots of treats. He made the most frightening growling noise and started lunging around, so we chickened out, although this is probably perfectly normal for a dog under stress and worried about handling. Will ask the vet for our advice but I do not feel capable of any wound cleaning or creams etc. (abdominal) at home!

Please speak to your vet, we can prescribe stronger pain relief, mild sedatives for home use for situations like this. Trazodone is commonly used for example.