Girl getting spayed soon, what can I expect

[GARLANDGIRL2024]

Good morning all
my 22 month old Labrador is having her operation on the 30th to be spayed.

I’ve not done this before so can anyone tell me what to expect. How will she be after, will she be able to walk? To any after care tips .

thanks so much

She will be given painkillers at the time and got a few days afterwards (we supply three days then do a check). Ask your vet about what their protocol for pain relief is. I’d expect her to be on a drip during/after the procedure - we’ve now just included this in the price as when owners were given the option some would choose not to pay for it. It helps keep blood pressure stable and they recover so much better. We keep them minimum four hours after the anaesthetic and at that point they can walk - we say only outside to toilet for the first hours and after that they can lead walk for 10 days until their second check. They sometimes feel a bit sick after anaesthetic so just a small meal that evening. You need to stop her licking the wound - either with the plastic buster collar (cone of shame) an inflatable collar or a body suit. I think the body suits are best tolerated. If you want to use one send it in with her in the morning and it can be put on before she wakes up.

My 2 year old terrier was spayed in the summer. Very sleepy for a couple of days and whiny and drooly. She had lots of painkillers. Then she was very unsettled for the next week or so. Very short lead walks only for 10 days. No running or jumping. Then longer lead walks for 2 weeks (up to 30 mins) and still no running or jumping. No toys. We did then build her back up slowly after a month and after 7 weeks she was back at agility doing flat work for a couple of weeks before building up. It pays to be extra cautious. 6 months on I can’t see the scar.

She wore a body suit for a couple of days but she’s clothes phobic so as she became more aware she started to freeze with it on. So we switched to a cone which we kept on for a month on and off.

Oh our last dog we didn’t restrict at all and she developed severe incontinence at 5 and with hindsight we think it may have been a factor hence the being ultra careful with this one!

Standard or lap spay? My lab is one week post laparoscopic spay.

If you can afford a lap procedure, healing is so much quicker and less evasive so less pain.