How long spay heal

Dogs should be given a thorough physical exam to ensure their general good health before surgery is performed. Blood work may be recommended to ensure that the dog has no underlying health issues, says Dr.

Liver and kidney issues and heart murmurs may require further investigation, she notes. A number of misconceptions about spaying and neutering dogs persist. One of the most popular beliefs is that a sterilized dog will get fat. Dogs do tend to need fewer calories by about 20 percent after being spayed or neutered, but changing their diet appropriately and keeping them active will prevent weight gain.

If anything, it may help stop unwanted behaviors such as marking in the house. The cost of spaying or neutering a dog varies widely by geographic area as well as the size of the dog. Petfinder reports that most animal hospitals charge more than dollars for the surgery.

A low-cost clinic may charge in the range of 45 to dollars, but this varies by location. But the proliferation of low-cost spay and neuter clinics makes it worth researching the low-cost options available in a given area. Dog owners can also check with their local municipalities for specific low-cost and affordable options for spay and neuter procedures. Tejeda points out that low-cost care provided by spay and neuter clinics does not necessarily mean the care will be less comprehensive than what a private practice provides.

Home Dog Care Center. Written by: PetMD Editorial. Petcare Rewards. Sam Gilbert Share. What to Expect After Your Cat or Dog is Spayed or Neutered When you pick your pet up after their spay or neuter surgery, they could still be a little "out of it. Here are some common things to expect after a spay or neuter: Grogginess. It's common for pets to be a little tired the evening after their spay or neuter surgery.

But if your pet is super sleepy, not responsive to your touch or voice, or otherwise acting in a concerning manner, it's time to call your veterinarian or an animal ER if your veterinarian's office is closed for the night.

Though often considered routine procedures, spays and neuters are significant surgeries , and your pet may be prescribed medications to encourage healing and recovery. Your pet may be prescribed veterinary-specific pain medication to manage pain or discomfort after medications administered around surgery wear off.

Whatever you do, don't use human pain medications on your pet even aspirin , as they can cause some severe problems in cats and dogs. Be sure to talk with your veterinary team to ensure that the safest, most effective pain medications are administered to your pet.

Monitor eating and drinking. Since your pet had anesthesia, their water and food should be limited immediately upon returning home and in the evening following their procedure. After a few hours, you can usually start by offering them a little bit of water, followed by a small amount of their regular food an hour or so later.

This ensures that your pet is able to drink and eat normally following anesthesia and surgery and that they're not likely to vomit and develop aspiration pneumonia or another problem. If they are able to keep these small amounts of water and food down, then you should be able to return to normal water access and feeding the following morning.

If not, call your veterinarian. Exercise restriction. Strict activity restriction is necessary following spay and neuter surgeries. Activities like running, jumping, and playing can result in stitches failing, bleeding, pain, and other post-surgical problems. The Spay Neuter Project will do a free recheck examination regarding any surgery concerns on the days we are open. Our veterinary staff will address at minimal cost, any post-operative complications resulting directly from the surgery, if the above post-operative instructions have been followed in full.

We do charge for medications but do not charge for our veterinary examination. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery. Please call for an appointment as soon as you see cause for concern. We cannot be held responsible for complications resulting from failure to follow post-operative instructions, or from contagious diseases for which the animal was not previously properly vaccinated.

If you have any questions or concerns directly related to the surgery during the recovery period, please call us at For after-hours emergencies , we recommend first contacting your regular full-service veterinarian. Their phone number is Either way, it is very important that you limit your pet's movements during the 7—10 day recovery period, as strenuous activity, such as running, jumping, or playing, could disrupt the healing process.

Your pet can have a small snack on the night of surgery, and their appetite should return gradually within 24 hours. Although patients' reactions to surgery can vary, lethargy lasting for more than 24 hours after surgery , diarrhea, or vomiting are NOT normal, and you should contact us immediately if these occur.

We can then assess if your pet needs to be examined by a medical professional. What you see when we discharge your pet is what we consider normal. If this occurs, we recommend an E-collar be applied to prevent them from being able to reach the area. The Spay Neuter Project will treat at our clinic, at minimal cost, any post-operative complications resulting directly from the surgery, if the above post-operative instructions have been followed in full. Although two weeks seems like forever when you have a rambunctious puppy or kitten, it is very important to follow our directions for the full two weeks.

If your pet is not completely healed and you allow for unrestricted activities, it could result in a complication that could cause you to have to restrict them for even longer! One of the main reasons you need to keep your pet restricted is too much activity and movement at the surgery site results in the sutures popping open. If the sutures open completely in female pets, there will be nothing to keep the intestines and other organs from coming outside of the body.

I think it goes without saying that this could result in the death of your beloved pet. For male pets, excessive movement can result in bleeding that will fill up the empty scrotal sac. This can even result in rupture of the scrotum if enough pressure builds up — also extremely painful as you guys can imagine!