Why We Need to Keep an E-Collar on a Dog after Spaying?
When you adopt a dog, it is generally spayed or neutered (depending on the gender). This is to ensure that, should they get loose, they won’t breed if they wind up engaging with another dog.
The process can be one that is difficult for your dog. They will want badly to lick themselves, risking popping any sutures or stitches and preventing them from properly healing. If you have ever wondered, “Why do we need to keep an e-collar on a dog after spaying?” this is the reason. Here’s what to know and how to prevent them from licking.
How Long to Keep an E-Collar on a Dog after Spaying?
Whether you opt to use a cone or an e-collar, it is important to know how long your desired method must stay on. After all, you want to give your pet the chance to properly heal from spaying or neutering but don’t want them to have to endure the discomfort for longer than necessary.
It can be hard to know precisely when to take off their cone or e-collar without having a physical examination. There are a few things that might give you an idea, however. The wound should heal with zero fuss, which can happen as long as there is no licking and the area is kept clean.
In most cases, the wound should heal somewhere within the 14-day mark. That said, there are a variety of conditions that can change that timeline. Just make sure that you get the opinion of your vet before you decide to do anything.
Should the wound have completely healed after two weeks, you should be good to go. That said, the sutures will need to come out. If the incision area looks pink or even bloody, then give it a little more time before acting.
Warning Signs after Spaying
One of the biggest questions is, “Why do we need to keep an e-collar on a dog after spaying?” Without a doubt, the biggest reason is that you are hoping to prevent infection or complications from occurring in the area after the procedure.
The good news is that complications are quite rare after spaying or neutering. That said, there is always the possibility of it happening. Make sure to follow the vet’s directions after the operation has been completed. If you go astray, then your dog might take longer than necessary to recover, developing potential infections or complications.
There are some signs to look for that can give you an indication that your dog is in the early signs of infection. They may be lethargic for days on end. If you notice that they are refusing to eat more than a few meals over that time period, that is a big sign.
They may also show signs of pain—hiding, drooling, shaking, etc.—that are related to the procedure. The area could show signs of bruising, swelling, or acute redness, with the more extreme instances showing pus or bleeding directly from the incision site.
Should the incision reopen or you notice a bad smell coming from the incision, take your dog to the vet immediately. Should you notice diarrhea or vomiting that lasts longer than 24 hours after the procedure, it could be a sign of infection as well.
When in doubt, talk to your vet. They should be able to give you more information about the procedure at large as well as what to expect from your dog after that. But if your dog exhibits any of the aforementioned symptoms for longer than a day at the most, contact your vet immediately to have them seen.
How to Deal with My Dog Jumped after Being Spayed?
This is a tough thing to gauge. For the most part, so long as it is a few days after the procedure, jumping isn’t much of an issue. Just check to make sure that there is no bleeding at the site and that your dog is not showing signs of discomfort or pain.
Make sure that you check for a few key issues. Things like bloody discharge or any redness near the scar, ripped sutures, excessive panting/whining/licking the wound, or lethargic behavior can all be indicators that something is amiss.
If you can, try to keep your dog from jumping or bouncing around for at least 10-14 days. This can be tough, depending on the breed of dogs in question. Some are more energetic and playful, and they definitely won’t understand that they shouldn’t be bouncing or jumping around.
It can also depend on just when the dog has jumped. If they do it immediately after the procedure, even falling at some point, call your vet. A couple of days or even a week out should be fine; just check the site afterward.
You can always consult your vet if you have questions about jumping, restrictions of any kind, and anything else that could compromise the incision site.
How to Lift a Dog after Spaying?
One of the biggest mistakes pet owners make after having their dog spayed or neutered is lifting them up and causing issues with the incision site. Make sure that you are lifting by wrapping one arm around their hind legs and one arm around their chest. This is all to avoid putting pressure on the incision.
Do not lift them by their collar, scruff, tail, or their underarms. You could not only hurt your dog in the process but also run the risk of doing damage to the incision site.
Of course, you should probably avoid carrying your dog after they have been spayed or neutered. If you can avoid it at all, do so. But if you do need to lift or carry them, wrap your arms around the front and hind legs to prevent any unneeded pressure on the incision site.
Moving your dog after spaying or neutering is not recommended, but there may be a time when it is absolutely necessary. Just be sure to avoid any pressure on the abdomen. Other than getting them home from the vet, there really should be no reason to lift your dog.
Keep jumping, getting up and down from the bed or couch, climbing the stairs, and car rides to an absolute minimum. They might not pop their sutures with minimal activity, but anything more than that is definitely taking a risk. It might be a long 10–14 days, but both you and your dog will be grateful to have made it through.
Dogs Won’t Keep Their Cones on After Spay
One of the main reasons that pet owners will opt for the e-collar is because the cones can come off from time to time, particularly with a persistent dog. For gentler breeds, the cone is the ideal way to go for a number of reasons. They are cheap, safe, and easy to implement.
But some dogs are persistent when it comes to trying to get their cones off. Depending on the breed, they may simply not like having something around their head. It all depends on the temperament of your dog.
When they are insistent about getting the cone off, it can lead to some troubling times. You need to know that when you aren’t watching, they haven’t managed to get the collar off and start licking their wounds. If the dog keeps licking the stitches or sutures, then they won’t have the chance to properly heal themselves.
If your dog is insistent on getting its cone off in the wake of spaying or neutering, an e-collar could work as well. You need to be vigilant to ensure that they are getting the response as soon as they begin to lick. Not only that, but also make sure that you are giving them a gentle reminder that the behavior is not correct. You don’t want to cause them any additional pain or discomfort along the way.
When to Take the Cone Off of Your Dog after Spaying
Though it can vary from dog to dog, the general rule of thumb is to give your dog anywhere from 10 to 14 days from their surgery. Remember that it can depend not only on your dog as an individual but on any number of other factors as well.
Just make sure that you keep an eye on the incision site each step of the way. If you can help it, try to keep your dog within eyeshot just to make sure that it isn’t compromising the cone to get at itself.
Your dog will definitely not like the cone and will want that thing off as soon as possible. Loving on them and showing patience can help to ease the shame of the cone as they heal from their surgery. If you notice that the incision site isn’t healing properly, displaying pus, blood, or any other signs of infection, make sure to see the vet as soon as possible.
Your Dog is Traumatized after Spaying and How to Solve it?
Though it is rare, there is the chance that your dog could become depressed or traumatized after the spaying or neutering process. Understanding why this happens can be important on the road to helping your pup become themselves again.
There are four reasons in particular why they may seem traumatized in the wake of the procedure. Let’s take a look at the four and how they can impact your dog.
Hormonal Changes
Hormones are a major part of how your dog behaves emotionally. Surgical procedures can have an impact on those hormonal levels, which can leave them feeling depressed or traumatized.
Dogs that have been spayed or neutered will suffer from a sort of triggered depression because their reproductive organs have been removed. This is one of the more common reasons for depression in dogs that have been recently spayed or neutered.
Physical Discomfort
There is also the simple fact of the matter that spaying and neutering can leave them feeling pain. This can leave your dog feeling a little reserved or even depressed. Talk to your vet if you get the indication that your dog is in regular pain. They might be able to prescribe additional medication that can help your dog to feel more comfortable as their incision heals.
The Stress
Dogs can feel stress just as their humans can. Stress is enough to trigger depression in dogs, and the process of having surgery can definitely be the kind of stressful experience that leaves your pet feeling the blues.
Going to the vet’s is unpleasant enough for most dogs. Then there is the poking and prodding, not to mention having to recover on their own in the kennel until their pet parent comes back. All of this is enough to leave any pooch feeling stressed.
Medication Reactions
Though these are less common than the other three, there is the chance that your dog might not be having the best reaction to the medication. There are medications used both during and after the surgical procedure that can leave them feeling down. This can include the anesthesia used for the procedure as well as any other medications that might go home with them.
Conclusion
There are generally two methods for keeping your dog from licking itself in the wake of spaying or neutering. Some opt for the cone as it is both safe and simple to use. But some more persistent dogs can get their cone off before long.
For that reason, an e-collar may be the way to go. It can provide a small jolt to let them know that licking is not acceptable right now. It is important to know how much shock you are delivering as you don’t want them to become fearful of licking entirely.
