Cookie gets neutered

My Cookie gets neutered this Friday. She hasn't been in heat before (she's only 6 months old). In Germany it's not common to get it done before they had at least one heat cycle, but my vet has been to many American courses and he does it before. I agree to him, for the obvious reason of not wanting puppies.
Now, he told me that large dogs can get incontinent or get problems with their skin and coat. Does anyone know anything about that?
And can any Retriever owner tell me how their dogs coped with the operation and the healing process? Can she walk stairs afterwards (I can't lift her upstairs anymore since she's too heavy for me)?

CC - I'll be getting my little chi spayed in a couple months and I've already discussed the operation with the vet. Although the spaying process is a little more involved than the neutering process, dogs and cats seem to recover very quickly and it really isn't too big of a deal. I think for a dog they should put that collar on that keeps her from licking the wound so it will heal better. She will be able to move and run up and down stairs just like nothing happened as soon as the anethetic wears off. I think you'll find your Cookie will come through with flying colors and be a much better pet to boot :D :D

Are you saying your vet implied skin and coat problems for large dogs from spaying? I've never heard anything like that, but also never owned a large dog. Every dog my family has ever owned has been spayed before ever going in heat without problems.

You should prevent jumping after the surgery but recovery isn't all that long. Sadie took a big jump off of a porch the day I brought her home from her spaying but she only let out a yelp and kept going. It's hard to tell a young dog she should take it easy til she heals!

All my Goldens were spayed before the first heat and never had any problems with skin or coat. They all recovered very quickly once they got over the effect of the anesthesia and were able to come upstairs on their own. Just keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't lick the wound.
Hope your experience is as good as mine was with this operation.
Good luck and many kisses to lovely Cookie.
Let us know how she's doing.

Everyone preceeding me gave you excellent info. I would stress that you should limit strenuous activties, running and jumping, etc. to allow adequate healing time (internal as well as the suture line) for a least 10 days to 2 weeks post op. Not easy with a lab like mine, who was ready to "do it all" from day one! And do try to keep her from licking the incision. As for the skin and coat being affected...never heard of that!! However, horomonal changes in spayed females can cause a type of incontinence (leaking in nature; usually during rest) that is easily treatable with medication. I can't stress the importance of spaying non-breeding females enough. My rescue lab, my lab of a lifetime, Jingles, was adopted without having been spayed first. (It was up to me) I scheduled the appt. immediately, but before the scheduled spay could be done, she developed pyometra, a potentially fatal uterine infection common to unspayed, non-breeding females. She almost died! And female dogs not spayed before 1 year have a far higher rate of breast cancer. Please do it as soon as possible for her health!! I'm sure she'll do great :)

Hi C.C.'s Mom,
All my female dogs have been spayed
before their first heat accept for 2.
(Husband put off spaying, because he
wanted to breed them, but we never did)
The only time I had a problem with
one of my dogs being incontinent,
was a dog I had spayed through
the shelter (pound)when I was 18 yrs. old
and could not aford the price to take
her to a private vet.
Many years ago the pound use to neuter dogs, pretty much like an assemply line for
a cheap price.
Later on in years, when my dog started
suffering from this leaking problem,
my regular vet said that the problem
was probably caused by the surgery
from the first vet.
He explained it to me, and it had something
to do with the surgical cut error. It was so long ago I do not remember.
But that was the only time, me or my family
ever had a problem.
All my dogs that were spayed before their first heat recovered very fast. It is important that they do not excersize and lick their stitches for the first 2 weeks if I recall. You will not be sorry. :)

Thank you all for your stories. Now I know she'll be alright post OP. I'll write how she's doing. I suppose the worst will be tomorrow, when she's not supposed to be eating from noon on! And my baby simply loves eating.

All of our female dogs have been spayed. All had no problems. One girl (Black lab - greyhound) became incontient at night at age 13 and the vet said it does sometimes occur with spayed dogs when they get on in age (just like some humans - the muscles are not as tight) he put her on a hormone pill I think it was 3x a week after the 1st dose the problem was soloved. I wish humans could heal as fast as some dogs do.

I know today's the day for Cookie. She's probably already in there now. I'll say a prayer for her. My two Goldens did beautifully with their spaying. I'm sure Cookie will too.

Let us know how she is, and in the meantime, we'll keep all paws crossed and fingers too. :)

Logan

Love and best wishes for being back on "all-4 paws" a.s.a.p!!! Love to Cookie and family from Sandra, Star and Cody :)

Logan and tatsxxx11 it's so sweet that you thought of my baby. I had no time to write yesterday because she was very sick when we got her back in the evening. It was a shivering and whining little baby when I picked her up. She couldn't walk or even look me in the eyes. She wet her basket about 10 times, something she would never ever do normally. We spend the night downstairs on the floor instead of going through the stair trouble with her. She slept in my arms with her new pretty 'hat' on.
This morning we had to go to the clinic one more time for another shot of antibiotics, and she was so happy to see the vet again. She's still not able to really walk too much, and I feel so cruel and a bad mommy for her going through all the pain.
My husband brought her up to the studio now so that she can be with us while we're working on the computers and she made a nice and comfy nest for herself on the guest bed.

It's so hard to see her suffer, but it's for the best. She'll be able to run again and chase snowflakes in a few days.

Bless her heart, the anesthesia really does a number on them CC, so just know that she will feel better, probably even today. Many times the vets will keep them overnight so we don't "see" what you dealt with last night. I've had one spend the night and one come home....the one that came home was pitiful and sick. :(

Hope your Cookie is feeling full speed in no time. :)

Logan, I never even thought of that.
I have never seen my dogs the first day of surgery.
The vets over here have always kept my dogs
overnight after a spay and neuter.
My girlfriend in AK works in a vet office
and she says they send them home after
a spay/neuter the same day. She says it saves the clients money and they
since they are not a 24 hour hospital the clients can look after them at home.
I guess she has a good point too, since
my vets are not at a 24 hour pet hospital either.
I bet Cookie is feeling much better today than yesturday.

Hugs For a quick recover.

So sorry to hear that Cookie had such a bad day after her surgery :( After so many of us told you that our dogs had no problems, it must have come as a surprise to you. Don't feel as a bad mom, it's something that you had to do in order to make sure she will not suffer from the consequences of not being spayed, horrible things like breast cancer. I'm sure she'll feel better in no time with your tender loving care.
Many hugs, kisses, and good thoughts for sweet Cookie.

Not to worry, Cookie's Mom!! Logan is right. Most male neuters go home the same day. But I've always found that the vets around here do keep the females for an overnight, if only to assure they don't move around too much. And, being a recovery room nurse, I can tell you that what Logan says is true. The worst part of the surgery is often the after-effects of the anesthesia. That's why we never let nervous mommies in to see them post op! So try not to worry. I know how hard it is to see them looking so vulnerable and needy. But it sounds like your family has made her so comfty and warm, surrounded by lots of love. That's the best medicine of all. And don't second guess yourself. You certainly did the best thing for precious Cookie. Please give her lots of "get well" kisses and hugs from her cyber moms! :) Love, Sandra, Cody and Star