Preparing for spaying

[newbrunswick]

I will be spaying Maggie soon, and wanted to prepare her for this. She is 3 years old, finished her heat a month ago. I know I need to let her a full 2 months before spaying. What I wanted specifically to know about is any type of supplements to prepare her for this surgery. I have to admit, I'm nervous about this...so I figure, if I prepare her, I'll be prepared. What type of recovery should I expect? How about getting her into the truck after surgery - will she be able to jump up or will we have to lift her up? This may seem simple for others, but I'm the type that needs to know anything and everything - so if you have anything to add - please let me know. Thanks!

Clare

[BostonRott]

Hi Clare,

Your questions are very well thought out. When I had Banja's TPLO done (cruciate surgery), I was told (by people who are 'into' homeopathic stuff) to take her off all of her supplements for 3 days before the surgery, b/c of possible bleeding complications.

I would make sure Maggie is at a good lean weight, as dogs with less body fat do better during recovery (many anesthetics are quite fat soluble and the more body fat, the longer they take to clear the body).

Don't feed her that morning, but you can give her food the night before. Feed her as late as possible, your vet will probably tell you 8p. She can have water usually up until midnight.

You will need to lift her into the car after the surgery, she shouldn't be doing any jumping for about a week (this includes on/off furniture too).

Expect that it will take 24hrs for the anesthetic to FULLY clear her system and do not worry in the least if she's not hungry that night or the next a.m. Fluids are far more important than food. A bit of warm chicken broth usually goes over quite well (buy the low sodium kind!).

Have a place for her to be able to go crash when she first gets home, keep other animals away from her, and don't let people pester her.

Walks should be done on leash for the first several days, no running and no jumping.

Keep an eye on her suture line. If they use actual sutures (vs. skin glue), you'll see a raised red line, this is normal. If they use skin glue, you'll see very little externally (and healing will be faster).

If you're a person who uses Arnica, use the 1M starting the day she comes home, and for 3 days. On day 3 post-op, you can also start giving Vit C (start at 250mg if you've never used it before) and fish oil. Both of these will help with skin healing. Arnica is for soft tissue trauma.

If you notice any strange new bumps in the area (possibility that the internals sutures let go) or she seems to be not herself after a day at home, give your vet a call.

Good luck, I'm sure it will go fine!

[newbrunswick]

Thanks Gretchin! That helps - it should be interesting how were gonna get her into the car. Do you suggest someone stay with her for the first 3 days?

[BostonRott]

Usually staff will come help me lift dogs into the car, if needed. YOu can also use a sturdy blanket as a sling, one person holding each side, and just lift. Think ahead too, as to how you will get her out. If you need 2 people to get her in, you'll need someone at home to help you get her out.

Can you schedule her spay for a Thursday? Most vets keep spays overnight (not all, but many do). That way, she'd come home on Friday, you could take Friday off from work and then have Sat/Sun home with her.

[newbrunswick]

Gretchin, thats a great idea - when I go to schedule it, I'll try to do a Thursday surgery - if they keep them overnight that would work. Yes, we'd be able to get her out of the truck if we are both doing this. Maybe we can start practicing now so that when we do the surgery she isn't freaked out about trying to lift her up. If not, maybe a board she can walk down - I have lots of those laying around. When I had Chinook spayed, I only had a small car, so getting in and out was easy - but with the truck, its a big jump up and down. Again, thanks!

[AngelBunny]

BostonRott gave you solid advice.

I don't think you'll have to worry about Maggie freaking out when you pick her up to put her into your truck. She'll likely be under the weather and in no condition to be upset.

I think picking her up to get her into your truck is a much better idea what having her jump into it. If she's still groggy, she won't be able to do this. Can you borrow a car to bring her home??

[livertw]

When Daisy was spayed, the vet kept her overnight, and I picked her up the next morning. I took the day off. I did not pick her up in my Jeep, which is fairly high off the ground. I used a roomy old Volvo sedan which she could easily step into, and once she was in (the back seat footwell), she could ease herself onto the back seat. I used her seatbelt harness, and she was asleep ten seconds after we left the parking lot. She got out of the car at home by stepping into the footwell and from there to the ground. She mainly slept the entire day. All walks were slow, short and on a leash for ten days. She drank a lot of water but didn't have much appetite for a few days. We do worry about our pets, don't we? Maggie will be fine.

[newbrunswick]

Thank you everyone! This forum is the best. I am going to start training Maggie to walk up/down a plank - we don't have anyone who has a car - everyone has vans and trucks now. I don't like the idea of picking her up with stitches even if we have 10 people doing this. So, theres lots of time to teach her a new trick - so will start training her to "walk the plank!" Yes I do worry - if I was going in for surgery, I wouldn't even be thinking these things - only for my baby!

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by newbrunswick

I am going to start training Maggie to walk up/down a plank...

Watch her carefully as she's walking up the plank after her operation. If you get her day of she may be very groggy and unsteady on her feet. A wider plank is much better.

Originally Posted by newbrunswick

I don't like the idea of picking her up with stitches even if we have 10 people doing this.

My youngest dog is small enough and I'm big enough to pick her up like a shepherd picks up a sheep--one arm around the front, the other arm around the back to scoop her up in my arms.

[newbrunswick]

Thanks AngelBunny - didn't think about the sheppards way of picking up sheep - I just had these visions of picking up around her waist . I actually have a large plank at home that would work - its at least 2-3 feet wide - I'll work on this this weekend. Shes just about 70 pounds - just a bit too heavy for me to take her out of the truck. I'll see what happens this weekend and go from there.

[Ayoka]

Just to add...arnica is GREAT I used it myself after hand surgery last month...and it really helped the bruising.

Many of the vets in the Fredericton-Oromocto area will do the spays in the AM and observe them all day and you get them in the evening...as opposed to the overnight stay.

[spidey]

One thing: if your vet offers pain meds (and if s/he doesn't, I would ask for them), I would get them ASSUMING that Maggie isn't a hyperactive dog who needs the pain to remind her to take it easy, or that you can keep her quiet with a leash or crate for the first few days. It used to be the case that we didn't routinely give dogs analgesics for post-op pain because it was felt that they needed the pain to help them stay quiet, but now the thinking is that it's more humane and better for the dog to give pain relief post-op. I would always err on the side of giving the meds, at least for a day or two. I gave my dog pain meds after his neuter, which is a much less invasive surgery than a spay, he was very comfortable and didn't bother his incision at all, and I think at least some of that was related to the fact that he didn't experience much pain.

You're really thinking this through well, good for you, Maggie is lucky to have you.

[newbrunswick]

So, this Arnica - what is it? I googled it, but is it a cream or a pill? Where can I buy some? Maggie is a fairly calm dog, but I will insist on pain medication. When I had Chinook spayed, the pain she was in was very obvious to me and thats why it was so traumatic for me. The vet at the time (in Victoria, BC) said he didn't want her to have any pain meds and back then, I would just follow what they said, even though my gut told me to insist on meds. Today I would have no problem telling a vet what I thought, but back then... . I don't forsee any problems with keeping her quiet due to her easy going nature.

[Ayoka]

Arnica comes in TONS of forms...I have used the gel and the pellets...but it comes in cream too. I'm not sure you could apply the gel directly tyo the would...it may be irritating. I used it for those after rugby bruises - no broken skin.

The pellets, a human takes orally and lets them dissolve in their mouth...I'm sure though, that you could hide them in some wet food and that would be fine.

I have found the pellets in health food stores and, believe it or not, in bot Sobeys and Superstore (local grocery stores) near the Organic foods section.

Get 2 tubes you'll love it for yourself when you get aches or bruises!