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

How's Cookie doing today?
I hope the sweet little girl is feeling better and on her way to full recovery :)
Love, hugs and kisses to her.

I was just thinking the same thing!! Hope she's quickly returning to her perky self! GIve her a whole BUNCH of get well kisses and hugs!! :)

Helly everybody!
We just got back from another visit at the clinic. Poor Cookie isn't doing all that well. She had a huge bump on the wound caused by blood and whatever that collected itself just there. She had fever and was really not well. After the punktion from yesterday she's doing a bit better, still sleeping a lot though. Her shaved belly is also completely blue and purple, but that's most probably normal after the operation.

I'm glad that we did it, but I didn't believe anything would happen as I read here of uncomplicated neuterings and was told the same by other dog owners and the vet.
But as I told my husband yesterday, we somehow bonded so much over this weekend with Cookie, something we hadn't really done before.

According to the vet will she be fine in a few days.

It's so sweet of you all that you take interest in her well being. I'll tell her all about it when I go downstairs later.

Cookie's Mom

http://community.webshots.com/storag...jAIpONA_ph.jpg

The cats are thinking of Cookie too!

http://community.webshots.com/storag...nwTZqiQ_ph.jpg
Get well soon sweet Cookie.
Carina says there's nothing like a long nap to make all your troubles go away ;) We both hope you are feeling better today.

:( my old vet used to send my females home the same day as
the surgery, but the clinic I use now for spaying keeps them
over night to be sure my baby is completing awake and to watch
for infection. I know your Cookie will be just fine in a day or
two.

Cookie is so much better today. We had to go back to the clinic this morning and the wound is less hard now because she's back on the antibiotics. She still isn't too eager on food, but I'm sure that'll come back as she was very interested in my lunch just now.
Yes, she sleeps a lot already. Sleeping, and sleeping and than a bit more sleeping.

I'm pleased Cookie is doing better. Give her a big hug.

Hope you're feeling a bit better today precious Cookie! Star agrees...a nice nap, snuggling with your Mom always helps! Love to you!

I am so glad to hear that Cookie is doing better. My Hannah had an infection after her spaying and this brought back those memories. It is a scary thing, but I can see from your posts that you didn't hesitate to go back to the Vet which is critical Good for you and good for Cookie.

Please get well soon Cookie. A labbie needs to play, play, play, not sleep, sleep, sleep.

Cookie,
I'm so happy that you're feeling better !!!
Prayers and Good Wishes for you Sweeheart !!!
Hugs from Buddy & Liz.

HI Cookie,
Rocky, Sheba and Pepper here.
We just wanted you to know that we are
so glad you are feeling better.
We were starting to worry about you.
Heal and feel all better ASAP!
Hugs and slurpey kisses.

Cookie and I went for our first 1 hour snowwalk since her neutering. She loved it (and so did I). Running around, playing silly girl again in the bushes, and meeting some dogs we never met before. Now she's back in a lovely deep sleep at my feet. She's still on antibiotics till Friday that make her sleepy.

Thanks for the update. What a relief to know she is feeling some of her old spirit again and that she had a good time today. She deserves it. The antibiotics must be kicking in. Yay!

Great news... What a lovely image. Give kisses to Cookie from Sandra and lab pal Star and Cody!:) Take a deep breath of relief, Mom!:)

Has Cookie gone to see the vet today?
We hope she's completely recovered:)
Many hugs to the lovely little girl.

We do hope the beautious Ms. Cookie is getting better and better each day.

How are you doing darling Cookie girl??? Sure hope you're up on all 4 paws and healing well! Let us know:)

Cookie is happily alive and kicking! We went to the vet on Friday who said 'she's a very bouncy guy', forgetting she was a girl! Her belly is still hard, but that'll go away.
This morning my husband went for a walk with my white Golden, bringing back some kind of a Labrador because she has been digging in the melting snow. That's the sign she's back to her old self: digging.

So sweet that you remembered my Cookie.

Oh my, I did mistake Cookie for a Yellow Lab because she is so light. As I look at your signature picture picture, I can see she is obviously a Golden. Oops! Sorry Cookie. But it is really good to hear that she is doing so much better. When does she get her stitches out? Sometimes it isn't until then that the incision area will improve considerably.

Hi RachelJ
The stitches went out today even though her belly is still hard and sensitive. But, Cookie is happy, played with her buddies already and has been swimming in the lake.
Many people think she's a Lab because she's so light and also quite heavily build for a young girl. Her mom is snowwhite, her dad is a Golden beauty.