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Tequila's avatar

I can't keep my dog from running around after her spay...

Asked by Tequila (337points) May 25th, 2013

My chihuahua was spayed on Thursday, all went well but I’m having a hard time keeping her calm. She’s still a puppy and she’s also got a lot of anxiety (obsessive compulsive disorder) normally. She started licking her incision so the vet fitted her for an Elizabethan collar which has helped. But she’s jumping on/off couches, trying to go up/down stairs, and running full speed around the house. I am trying my very best to sit with her at all times but it’s like I look away for one second and she takes off. Will this really hurt her or damage her sutures? Any tips on how to keep her safe?

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7 Answers

Tropical_Willie's avatar

Crate and all bathroom breaks on a leash, been there done that.

marinelife's avatar

Crate her.

WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

If she’s that excitable, crating would be best. My dog was just neutered yesterday, and is doing well with not running and jumping so far, but I do keep him crated at night so I don’t have to worry about excess energy or post-surgery pottying accidents. ;)

Pandora's avatar

Is she on any pain medication? Some dogs will get hyper on medications that should make them sleepy. It could also be that the pain killers are doing a great job of blocking the pain. So you may have to lessen the amount so she doesn’t feel like she is supergirl.
When my dog was on pain medication for his hip surgery, we had to lessen the meds because he was zipping around like a nut case. Once he felt a little pain, he learned to stop jumping around.

Plucky's avatar

Another vote for crating.

I’d crate her and keep her on a leash when out of the crate. She can really hurt herself running around like she is. She can play but not in the manner you are speaking of. No tearing around the house or jumping up and down on furniture. To lessen the energy level, take her on short walks (not runs) but only if she is calm on the leash, for about 5 to 10 minutes. If she isn’t used to walks, do not force her. It’ll take about 10–14 days for her skin wounds to heal. It takes even longer for her linea alba (connective tissue in the abdomen) wounds to heal. Remember, there are 3 layers with stitches in them. They need to heal correctly. A happy healthy dog will be your reward.

Best of wishes to you and your little canine.

livelaughlove21's avatar

The vets say to crate (or contain in a small space) the animal for 7–10 days while they heal. Absolutely NO running, jumping, or climbing. Keep the animal as calm and quiet as possible. Take her on one or two short walks a day, but take it easy.

We kept our puppy in a play pen because her crate at the time was small and I felt awful confining her in there all day. It worked like a charm. Male dogs take longer to heal, so around day 5, our pup was more than ready to return to her normal activities. We let her free around day 6 and she was fine. Just play it by ear.

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