Recovery Time For Desexing?

[~Aimee~]

We have a 15 week old cavalier puppy and will be getting her desexed at around 6 months. I was wondering what the recovery time is like after the operation? How long before she can resume normal activities such as going for a walk? We will be in the middle of a puppy obedience course and I was wondering how long it will need to be before she can start going back to classes?

[DeltaCharlie]

Is it a weekly course? If so I would try to book her in for the day after so that she has 6 days to recover just in case. Delta was desexed on the Wednesday, came bounding out of the vets, went to obedience on Thursday and then on Saturday we took a 6 hour trip to meet Charlie where she participated in the 5k million paws walk with him on the Sunday. I can't see obedience being too much for her, every dog is different though. I don't think Delta even acknowledged that anything had happened or that she had stitches in her belly. It was up to me to keep her calm as much as I could, and obedience was a good calming activity for her.

[:ange:]

I kept Ruby quiet until the stitches came out when she was desexed - but she had a larger incision site than regular with hers as she had exploratory surgery done at the same time.

It's very hard keeping a puppy quiet though.. hehe

[~Aimee~]

Thanks. Yes, it is a weekly course. We go on Mondays so I might book her in on a Tuesday and then pick her up on the way home for work. I don't work on Wednesdays so I will be able to dedicate an entire day to her to make sure she is ok.

How long do the stitches stay in for? Do they come home wearing one of those plastic cone collars?

[storm]

stitches in for 10-14 days depends on the vet

some vets suggest you use a Elizabethan collar some don't

[~Anne~]

Recovery is sually dependant on the dog, its age and health. Some dogs are sooks and are still gingerly walking around for days and days after, whilst others are tearing around almost immediately.

The stitches are removed around 10 days after the surgery, if there are no complications, so I would hold off anything for 10 days after her surgery.

[Miss B]

We recommend to clients that they keep their dog as quiet as possible until the stitches are removed (10-14 days post-surgery). No vigorous exercise, no jumping up and down off couches/beds, no swimming, no rough play with other dogs etc. All of our castrates/spays are sent home with three days of post-op pain relief, which sometimes has owners amazed at how well their dog seems to have recovered in such a quick time. Truth is they are still sore, the painkillers are just masking it.

We recently had our rescue girl spayed and I kept her indoors for 10 days, until the stitches came out.