Separation anxiety following spay

[Emily & Wispa]

Please help, I don't know what to do!  Wispa was spayed a week ago Thursday and ever since she has been much much worse about her barking/howling/yelping when left home alone.

I think she's always barked a little bit when home alone, but since she was spayed it's apparently much worse.  I haven't heard it myself, as she's always quiet by the time I get home and she doesn't bark immediately when I leave.  I don't actually know when she starts, or for how long, but if my neighbour is to be believed, you'd think she was being tortured for hours on end.

I don't have a camcorder or anything to leave running to find out exactly when and for how long she cries, and she's never making a sound as I come home.  I also don't really have the time or ability to clear everyone out of the house to hide in the garden and wait for her to cry. 

I'm loathe to try the citronella spray collar because she never makes a sound when we're home, doesn't bark in the garden, nor at squirrels or other animals.  I wouldn't want her to suddenly bark when she's alone and get even more frightened! 

Does anyone have any suggestions?  Have you ever used calming tablets?  Should I ask the vet for something?  I've never had a dog get this upset when left alone, and it's killing me!

[John and Finn]

Finn did this for the first month.  I would drive around to the side of the house and I could still hear him inside the house from the road.  On occasion he will still do it but he has gotten better with time.  A neighbor kind of throws a wrench in the whole thing.  What would normally work itself out in a short time is made more dramatic by complaining neighbors.  

You could get a nanny cam or set up your PC/lLaptop webcam to monitor the situation. 

[Chris and Gretje]

I recently started using Lavender essential oil to calm the foster dog we just took in.  Someone had posted that on this site.  Not sure how effective it would be for barking, but it does have some calming effect for a hyper dog.

[Susan]

First- have you given any thought that something may be medically wrogn from the spay?  I would have a vet check her just to make sure.  If you have not noticed any of this behavior and it is only the neighbor reporting then... hmmmm....  are you sure you believe her?  Do you trust this neighbor enough to give her a key and pay her a small amount to check on on her and make sure she is ok? 

 

[Emily & Wispa]

There was - even though it was a laproscopic spay and less painful, etc, she did develop an infection on the inner sutures, and I took her back to the vet this past Thursday and she had a course of antibiotics until yesterday.

The incision sites look so much better today, but I don't want to rely on that being the issue and just hope it resolves itself as she gets better..