After spay care

[ConsternationStation]

We're getting our 15 month old WCS spayed this week and I'm just looking for any tips and info on the aftercare. I know our vet will run through all their recommendations but as DH will be the one doing drop off and pick up but I will be doing most of the aftercare at home I just would like any information or tricks from other pet owners too!

We've bought a post-surgery suit (she loves a jumper so I'm hoping for the same!) and i bought a few extra brain game things to add to the ones we already do. I know she should avoid stairs and can't go out for walks etc. She's very energetic but loves a good cuddle and to just laze on the couch with me while I work but I know she'll be going mad wanting to burn up that energy. She typically sleeps upstairs with us in her crate but I'm wondering if we should bring it back downstairs for a week or two so that she a)has somewhere safe to sleep at night without going upstairs and b) somewhere for during the day to chill out while she can't be jumping onto the couch.

All kind advice welcome.

Is she having traditional spay or laprascopic?

My current bitch had a lap spay and while it cost a fortune her recovery was quick and easy.

We used a baby playpen type fence to remove sofa access just incase she tried to jump while we went looking but that's because we already had it hanging around in the shed and because we allow the dogs on the sofa so she would have tried it given the chance

Could you carry her upstairs at night so her routine is not disturbed?

She will likely be a bit whispery as the anaesthetic leaves her body, and may be clingy.

My lab was not crated after her spay. I basically turned our sitting room into a large den, with cushions and pads from outdoor chairs up against the sofas so there was no jumping. That may not be suitable for a smaller dog.

We were allowed gentle on lead walks for about 20 mins at a go, and no tearing round the garden with our other lab.

So yes, brain games, Kong wobbler, etc

She healed really quickly , tiny scar.

Definitely recommend a lap spay, the recovery is really quick. We did 48hrs of no exercise, just lead breaks in the garden for toileting. Then a week of short lead walks for no more than 30 mins. My Border Terrier decided she couldn't really walk with her surgery suit on (quite helpful) it was one of the ones that fasten with poppers behind the back legs.
I carried her upstairs to sleep on the bed with me at nights. I thought it would be easier to keep an eye on her like that. I took her suit off as much as possible to allow the very small wounds to heal up quickly. It was much easier to deal with than I had anticipated.

Mine had the old fashioned remove the lot big cut open spay.

I turned the sofas on their backs so she could not jump up, bought a couple of replacement suits in case washes were needed, put rugs down on the wooden floors in case of any slips opening sitches and turned the sitting room into a giant crate where I slept with her on a matress on the floor for the first week.

Despite my OTT efforts at home, I stupidly gave her a little longer walk than the vet suggested at the time (30 mins instead of 15) and she got a seroma... so seriously - stick to the strict time limit.

If we went upstairs, she'd have jumped on my bed as usual. So upstairs was blocked off entirely.

Our vet does the traditional spay so I know the recovery will be a bit tougher. I think I'll probably bring her crate downstairs and sleep on the couch for at least a week as she loves knowing we are with her. I think given even the tiniest opportunity she'll be trying to jump on our bed. I've only got a couple of days left to teach the kids to close the door behind them so she stays in the living room!

I've been a vet nurse for a long time and i am never ceased to be amazed at the amazing post op /post ga recovery from a spay .
Most of the bitches i discharge a few hours later give the impression that nothing has been done to them and they are often raring to go !
We advise a body suit or a blow up or elizabethan collar , restriction of exercise for aprox 1 week , no off the lead just out for 5-10 mins on the lead to do the toilet, no running up the stairs etc , often easier said than done but even if they do more than we advise it is very very rare that we see a complication post spay.
Most vets use intradermal sutures ,sometimes a little skin glue also so usually there are no sutures to be removed and no wound care to be done by the owner other than a visual check to see that all looks well.
I hope all goes well for her and you.