The downside of buying a female puppy

[Sally M]

My little girl was spayed today. Of course, we are very traumatized that we did this to her. We feel so guilty. Everything went fine, thank goodness, and she's home with us now. She's acting kinda "drunk"...very dazed. She isn't wagging her tail and we can't see any love in her eyes (like usual) but those things will return.
Our instructions say that we can't allow her to play for 2 weeks. I don't remember it being that long with our other dogs (through the years). They were feeling better after 1 week. We'll do as directed, though, and keep her on a leash.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I hope your sweet little girl is feeling herself very soon.  She is a cutie.

[Sally M]

Albeit a cutie who looks pretty pathetic right now. Poor thing! :-(
She ate well this evening (altho we are limiting her food and water intake per instructions for the first day).
And she went #2 twice. Instructions said that might not happen right away. Good sign!
Thanks for your reply.

[Phoenix]

I'm seriously dreading the spaying.  :(

I hope your little girl feels better soon!

[Sally M]

Someone once told me that it's harder on the human parents than the actual dog. Don't know...
Yeah, I was dreading the spaying too!
Thanks for your comment.

[Julie and Max]

Hope she feels better soon! I was told fifteen days, my guy ate half his cone on day two and was leaping snow piles by day 3 so good luck keeping her calm. :)

[Sally M]

Thanks!
Penny doesn't have a cone. I'm not sure that's a good thing or bad thing. (Yet when her brother got neurtered, he had a cone from the get. [???] ).

[Patty, Duffy & Oliver]

I've never heard them sending a dog home without a cone, male or female. It's too easy for them to get to their stitches when you are not looking. I think I'd be calling the vet and asking why she was sent home without a cone. I have two nephews that are vets and they have always told me to use a cone anytime stitches are used. I'd be calling the vet just to be sure!  Poor baby but she will be fine in a day or two. The only thing that saved me was those Hol-ee Roller Ball you stick treats in. It kept my pups busy for a little while to keep them fairly quiet. The hardest part is going to be keeping a dog fairly quiet for a couple weeks. Good luck! 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

They sent Luna home without a cone because after observing her for a while she wasn't bugging things at all.  They said to come back and get a cone if she was fussing over anything.

[Sally M]

We've had female dogs all our adult married lives. They all were spayed. (Penny is our 5th). And none of them had cones. It's never been an issue. But if I see Penny bothering her stitches, of course I'd get a cone in a heartbeat. I'm not familiar with cones so I don't know if they are good or bad...time will tell. My husband works at our animal hospital so I'll have him ask about it or lack thereof. Thanks for your concern.

[Patty, Duffy & Oliver]

I think I get a little panicky because after we had a tumor removed near my lab's eye, he was in a cone and it was a small tumor, only 3 or 4 stitches. The day I went back to have the stitches removed they wanted to leave the stitches in couple more days. The darn thing was almost healed too.  When the incision starts healing is when it starts itching & they want to scratch it. Well long story short, I got home and removed his cone (with the vets permission) just long enough to wash it. He had been using it as a mud plow outside & had been carrying his dog biscuits in it until he was ready to eat one. lol  The cone really getting yucky. My mom was with me and was watching the dog. She screamed and in two sec. he scratched the stitches just one time with his back foot and it was all over with. The whole thing came open and he ended up in the ER with superglue stitching it back up. He ended up in the cone for two more weeks and a scar to boot. I'd keep a close eye on her when the incision starts to heal. It will be too sore now for her to even want to mess with it.  Hope she is feeling better in the morning!! 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I agree that one bad experience would make me lean towards a cone as well, however, I've never used one on either of mine. For spaying or any wounds.  But every dog is different and my girl never even noticed her stitches when spayed, and didn't come home with a cone either.

[Sally M]

I understand. I will definitely keep an eye on Penny (when the stitches start to itch). (It's going to be a long 10-14 days). My other girls just licked the sutures; never scratched them. I guess we lucked out. Sorry to hear about your dog's tumor. Sounds like eveything is OK now, right? (Except for the scar).