4 Care Tips for Newly Spayed Dogs

by Kevin Smith Author

Are you planning to spay your dog? You should know how to help them recover after the procedure. Here are a few care tips you can follow.

Place Them in a Recovery Area

Confine your dog in one area of your home right after the surgery for at least a day. This is to keep them from going around too much and prevent other pets from bothering them. Ideally, this space should be an entire room, but if it's not convenient for you, you can use a playpen instead.

Make sure that the recovery area is somewhere warm and dry. Keep them indoors and only take them out on a leash when they need to relieve themselves. You should prevent them from being exposed to too much moisture, as bacteria thrive in damp environments.

Keep Them Well Rested

For the first few days after the surgery, the only things your dog should do are sleep and eat. They shouldn't be doing something that involves excessive running or jumping, as high-energy activities might reopen their wounds. Your pet may also still be feeling the effects of the anesthetic around this time, so they won't be as well coordinated as they are. So, it's best to minimize the amount of movement they have to do.

Try not to expose them to loud noises too. These may stress them out or overexcite them, and they'll end up running around too much or not getting enough rest.

Feed Them Light Meals

When it's time to feed your dog after the surgery, prepare a smaller amount of food than what they're used to. Larger portions may be difficult for their system to process right after the procedure. The anesthesia can also make them nauseous, so there's a bigger chance that they'll vomit a heavier meal. You may go back to the regular serving size after a few days. Ask your vet for the best time to resume their usual feeding routine.

Prevent Them From Licking the Stitches

Most dogs don't really mind having stitches, but if your pet is one of the few that are the exception, they might try to bite or lick the area. They may end up tearing out their sutures or infecting the wound. So, it's best to prevent them and the other animals around them from doing this.

Keep the area covered with a bandage as long as the wound is still fresh. You can also give them a cone collar, so they can't bend down and reach for the sutures.

These are just some care tips to follow after a dog spay in Jacksonville Beach. Remember these so you can help your pet recover faster.