Questions about Spay Procedure

[Amy]

My mini GD is 5 months old. We are getting ready for her to be spayed. Wondering if anyone's girls came home the same day as surgery. One vet here sends them home same day -with pain meds- and two keep them overnight. My thought is I'd rather have her home to keep an eye on her. Any reason why I should not bring her home? Any advice for keeping her comfortable post surgery?

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

We had Enzo spayed at 5 months. She went in at 7 am and the Vet called me to pick her up at 4. She was barely groggy. Instructions were to keep her calm....Enzo had other ideas. She did sleep well that night and was back 100% the following day. We ended up having to give her sedatives to keep her calm. It's not that she was bonkers...she just wanted to play as normal. Hard to keep the " thou shall not run" commandment!

[Bonnie and Kona]

I would rather have my pup at home where I would be keeping a close eye on her condition rather than in the vet's kennel. Is someone with the pup all night or is she left alone? Just my opinion. I hope it all goes very smoothly and she recovers well. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree, most vets do not have staff overnight.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I wonder if there is going to be anyone at the vets if you did leave her overnight? It might be interesting to ask, however I would opt to bring her home and nurse her yourself where she will be happiest.

[Diane and Alma]

We picked up Alma the same day.  The vet told us to keep her from jumping up so we propped up the couch cushions (since we allow her on the furniture) and even carried her up and down the stairs.  Also, no walks during this period, just kept her calm.  She did have an abscess of fluid that the vet had to relieve about a week after.  I called after I noticed the area looked swollen.  We also put a cone on her while we were away and at night.  During the day when she was with me I just put an old t-shirt on her so she wouldn't lick at the incision. 

I've recently seen this bumper sticker that made me laugh: Don't Litter, Spay and Neuter

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Love that saying!  

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

Charlotte was spayed just before she turned six months. I brought her in to the animal hospital early in the morning and picked her up late that same afternoon. Unless there is a complication of some sort, what reasons do the two vets give for wanting to keep her overnight? I would imagine that they would charge you extra, as well, and that most insurance companies might not cover that added expense.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

We actually had a choice to take her home or leave her in the Vet. Hospital overnight. Our Vet is open 24/7. When I asked why I would leave her...they explained to me many folks did not have the stomach to care for their pets...especially, females. The Vet Tech sort of rolled her eyes and laughed. She said one lady told her she couldn't stand to look at the incision.
I guess having the option is good PR and helpful to those with weak stomachs. I know around the clock Vet care is expensive!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My girls came home the same day. As others have mentioned, there is nobody there overnight at most vets offices anyway. She will be on pain meds and will most likely just sleep a lot, and will feel much better at home than alone in a cage at the vet's office. 

[Willow and J]

Willow was dropped off early in the morning and was picked up around 4pm. She was very happy to see us, but groggy and in pain despite the meds. She wasn't sent home with a cone - we were told to put a shirt on her so that she didn't pick the suture. I still remember feeling so awful seeing her little puppy belly stitched up, and every now and then she whimpered. I laid down beside her and "spooned", and she stopped crying as if mommy was the best medicine. She was uncomfortable for a few days, but from Day 2, it was challenging to keep her activity down! I stayed close to her so that she didn't have to move around to find me. Good luck!

 

[Emily, Bentley, & Maserati]

I've always picked up both our own dogs and foster pups on the same day as their spay/neuters. They are usually full of energy and its difficult to keep them calm! :) 

[Michelle & Ruepunzel]

I just made an appointment for Rue for next week for spaying. They instructed me that this was a surgery and she must stay overnight. I cried, how pathetic right?

I'm very uneasy about leaving her alone and one of my first questions will be if there is anyone there at all hours of the night watching her. If not, I might need to make my appt elsewhere. I don't like that.