To Medicate or Not to Medicate; That Is the Question
Most dogs will experience a bit of soreness following a spay or neuter procedure. This can last for a day or two, or perhaps as long as a week or two in some cases.
Some vets like to prescribe canine-friendly pain medications to help keep dogs comfortable during the recovery process, but others do not. Those on the pro-painkiller side of the debate usually prescribe these medications to eliminate as much pain as possible and to help dogs rest comfortably while healing.
On the other hand, vets who do not like to prescribe painkillers to dogs argue that it discourages your dog from moving around more than necessary and helps keep them calm while they heal. This may sound a bit harsh, but remember that vets love animals and want the best for them – sometimes a bit of pain is an acceptable outcome if it serves a greater good.
The general trend appears to be moving toward using pain medications following surgery, but there are still many vets who feel that dogs heal more effectively if not prescribed these medications.
Just be sure to speak with your vet before the procedure and ask him or her about their thoughts regarding pain management. Some will be willing to adjust their typical procedures to suit your wishes, but others will remain steadfast and refuse to adjust their practices.
Although some vets do not administer pain medication to pets undergoing spay or neuter procedures to encourage your pet to keep still and rested, this is not in the best interest of your dog.
Use a crate if necessary to keep your dog calm, but don’t force him to endure days of pain unnecessarily.
If your vet steadfastly refuses to provide pain management for your pet, it may be time to seek out a new vet.
Spaying
The term spaying refers to the sterilization of a female dog, although your vet may call the operation an ovariohysterectomy or ovariectomy (the former involves the removal of the ovaries and uterus, while the latter only entails the removal of the ovaries).
At the beginning of the procedure, the veterinary staff will usually shave the area where the incision will be placed (usually the lower belly) and clean it thoroughly.
Then, once the vet is ready, he or she will make an incision through the skin, muscle, and fat to open the abdomen and access the ovaries and uterus.
The vet first finds and removes the ovaries before moving on to the uterus. The uterus, like the ovaries, is then tied off and removed. The vet will then inspect the abdominal cavity, and ensure that everything looks right and that there aren’t any bleeding wounds that require sutures. Then, the vet will begin sewing up the abdominal wall.
A bandage may be placed over the wound, and then the veterinary team will begin waking your pup up.
They’ll monitor her for a while and then release her to you along with instructions for her post-op care. You’ll usually be told to keep her calm for a few days and limit her activity.
Common Behavioral Changes Associated with Spaying and Neutering
Although spaying and neutering procedures are pretty normal and considered “standard” for pet dogs, they are quite significant from your pet’s point of view. For starters, they’ll alter the hormones produced by your dog, and they can also trigger a number of behavioral changes.
However, there is a lot of variation in these changes, and different dogs will react to the procedures in different ways. While most owners will choose to have this procedure done at some point, there are many pros and cons to spaying and neutering a dog at various life stages.
Typically, males experience greater behavioral changes than females following a neutering or spaying operation, but females can experience a few changes too.
Some of the most common changes include:
Many male dogs will stop mounting and humping other dogs, their owner’s legs, and inanimate objects once they’re neutered. Others will continue to do so from time to time, especially if the dog was neutered relatively late in life.
Most males will become less likely to wander off in search of romance after being neutered. This can be especially helpful for dogs who always seem to be interested in escaping from the backyard or bolting when you open the door.
Males are generally less likely to exhibit urine marking around the house after being neutered. This doesn’t mean that dogs who are poorly house-trained will suddenly start waiting to go outside before tinkling, but it will stop the territorial “marking” behavior that many males exhibit (you may finally be able to ditch those belly bands).
Some male dogs may exhibit fewer aggressive behaviors after being neutered. However, this usually only works well if they’re neutered very early in life.
Some females may calm down a bit after being spayed, although others will act just like they did before the operation.
Note that these are all long-term changes which will manifest over the course of weeks or months following the operation. There are also short-term changes that you should expect in the hours or days following your dog’s spaying or neutering operation.
Some of the most common behavioral changes you may notice soon after bringing your dog home include:
Most of these types of problems will resolve within a day or so, and many of them — such as lethargy and confusion — are likely to be the result of the anaesthetic wearing off rather than the actual spaying or neutering procedure.
Nevertheless, don’t hesitate to contact your vet if they persist or if your dog begins displaying symptoms of an infection. This may include vomiting, pain or swelling that doesn’t subside, discharge from the wound, or any other trouble effects of spaying or neutering your pet. Also watch out for behavioral changes, such as an increase in aggression.