What to know about getting dog neutered?

How pets recover is different from one dog to the next, and while some need several days of rest and may seem distressed, some greet their owners the same day bouncing around and acting like surgery never even happened! The best advice is to monitor your dog closely and accommodate his needs.

The night he returns home with you, and up to the next 48 hours, he may act a little differently. That same night, he may seem very sleepy, may whine or act more dramatic than usual, and may even seem a little groggy (or "drunk" as some people like to call it). He may also experience some mild nausea, gas, vomiting, or diarrhea while the anesthesia and everything wears off. Generally as long as everything is mild and not severe or happening for more than several days, this can be considered normal for some pets. You should definitely contact your vet if your pets GI upset is severe or persists for over 48 hours.

The incision for a neuter is typically just over his scrotum. Since your dog is cryptorchid (has a retained testicle), they will either have to enter his abdomen to find it or it may be close to the skin in his inguinal area. He will have two incisions for his procedure. The incisions may seem a little inflamed and red for the first few days, and some seep a clear - clear/red discharge. This is normal to see post op. Keep an eye out for any severe inflammation or discomfort, and let your vet know if there is any heavy bleeding or pus discharge coming from the incision. You do not need to cover the incision or even clean it, but if there is some dried blood or mild discharge, you can GENTLY wipe around (not on top) the incision with a warm, damp washcloth. Keep the incision as clean and dry as possible; no swimming/bathing and try to discourage laying in dirt or grass.

He will be discharged with an e-collar most likely. This is very, very important, and he needs to wear this for a minimum of 10 days following his procedure. He may not like it initially, but most dogs will get used to it. A pet's first response when something is itchy or painful is to lick to chew at that area. Even with us, think about receiving a cut, and how tempting it is and how good it feels to itch and scratch at it once it starts to heal. The e-collar will prevent him from licking the incision, which if he does in excess, can create a moist, warm environment perfect for infection. He may also damage the incision by pulling out sutures or hurting the fragile, healing tissue. I have witnessed pets needing an additional surgery due to severe damage they have caused to their bodies by chewing and licking. You do not want to go through that!

Your vet should prescribe medications to reduce inflammation and control pain. At my hospital, we give an injection during recovery to help with this, and owners do not need to start giving them anything until the next day, so check with your vet or tech to see when you should give his first dose.

You may feed him a small amount that night, but only a small portion, and ensure he does not eat it too quickly. You can resume his normal feeding schedule the day after. Be sure you do not feed him after midnight the night before his surgery! (Just like humans, too).

You will want to make sure he stays calm and receives adequate rest. He may feel better after a few days and want to run around and play, but you need to step in and discourage this. Imagine if we were getting the same procedure done - we would be in bed for several days! The tissue needs time to heal, even if he is feeling 100% better. The most activity he should be getting for 10-14 days after his procedure is leashed walks to go outside to potty, and light play indoors (small games like doing tricks or tug-of-war). If he is a smaller or medium sized dog, also discourage jumping up onto things like beds and sofas, and if he is very small (toy breed sized) try to carry him up stairs.

Your vet tech should tell you everything I just did at discharge and will be able to provide you with other infofrmation about your pet. When I discharge my patients, I always notify them if there was any sign of GI upset so they know if they should expect it. I also can let them know other things I may have noticed specifically about their pet that may help in the recovery process (for example, some pets are very very vocal and dramatic even with adequate pain control on board - this can be distressing for owners if they don't realize their pet is just trying to get their attention and is generally upset, not necessarily in severe pain!). You should also ask your tech the nearest 24 hour vet hospital is located, just in case of an emergency should they be closed. The odds of that being necessary are low; most puppies do just great after their procedures and feel fine in no time! Hope everything goes well with your puppy!

If you're able to stay home with him the next day or two, I would. If you can't, then you can't. If that's the case, you should crate him when you aren't home, and probably put an E-Collar (cone) so he can't get at his stitches. Most of the healing happens in the first 4-5 days. After he has the surgery, the Vet will give you any and all instructions when you pick him up, but even though he's not having his surgery until next week, you can still call the Vet and ask then what they suggest. Phone calls are free. Since this is something you need to be prepared for in advance, call the Vet in advance.

I always stay home just to make sure they are leaving the incision alone but if you can't then the pup will be fine. They will probably send him home with the cone of shame so if you can't stay with him make sure you put that on him so he can't mess with the incision.

Its really not that hard to deal witg

bring your dog to the vet.