Another cone thread - wearing a cone for 2 weeks after spay?

[saultgirl]

Daisy’s going in to get spayed tomorrow, and I called the office to confirm this afternoon. I wasn’t sure what to expect for after-care, and the receptionist said to keep her in a cone for 2 weeks after surgery. Is that the normal recommendation after spaying?

Also, can anyone give me tips on post-spay care as far as how long she should be on crate rest, and when I can start back hand-walking (and for what duration, etc). Tips for making her walk quietly (I have a feeling it will be more like flying a kite than walking a dog). How long until I can let her off-leash again?

My current dog was already fixed when I got him, and my childhood dog was a male… I remember that being a very uncomplicated matter (except the whole “keep the puppy quiet afterwards” was close to impossible after the next day).

Other than that, I would just like to hear from EVERYONE who has had a dog spayed, and they were FINE… y’know, so I can relax??? Please and thank you!

[french_fry]

I think I asked the same question re: a full two weeks of the cone when I spayed my kitten last year. The feedback I got was that it’s probably overkill but it’s not pleasant to deal with ripped stitches and infections so better to follow the vet’s recommendation.

The first 24 hours I was all “OMG I CAN’T DO THIS TO HER FOR TWO WHOLE WEEKS” but the first day is the hardest when they’re all groggy from the meds and they’re soooo pathetic in their cones. After that they (mostly) get used to it and you (mostly) get used to it so it’s not a huge deal to leave it on for a few extra days.

We did start taking it off of her while we supervised her after a week or so. By that point she was sort of over trying to get at her stitches anyway.

Breathe, she will be fine! My kitten was on pain meds so she didn’t really WANT to do anything for the first couple of days, which helped with keeping her quiet. The dogs I’ve worked with through the rescue I volunteer for are mostly the same. After that they can pretty much go back to light activity.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Cones are good in big wire crates, but the inflatable or something else may be better when she is out and about. They crash into stuff with the cone.

[EventerAJ]

I had my adult rescue dog spayed about a month after I got her (she had pups). The vet said I could use an E collar depending on my dog’s behavior. She came out of surgery wearing a vetrap bandage around her midsection with taped edges. As per instructions, I removed the bandage two days later. The incision site looked pretty good; it was closed with staples, not stitches.

My dog is used to being very active, and keeping her quiet was difficult. She HATES to be leashed, and is terrible about going potty while leashed. I walked her for hours and could barely get her to pee once a day. By day 3, I gave in and let her loose for 5 minutes of supervised potty time. She was pretty good and did not run wild, but she did leap off the porch before I could stop her…and tore one of her staples out.

As a result, the incision site developed a seroma (fluid-filled area beneath the skin). It broke open and leaked clear fluid a few days later; it was not infected, thankfully. I went back to bandaging her abdomen; a bit of pressure seemed to help the swelling, plus it completely prevented her from licking it and discouraged much activity.

I was going through a lot of vetrap and elastikon daily, so I switched to “bandaging” her with a human t-shirt. At about 1-week post op, I put a shirt on her (legs through arm holes) and wrapped the waist end. She hated wearing the shirt and would walk gingerly in it-- success!!-- but she left it on and it kept her wound clean. I could let her outside, briefly with supervision, and not worry about her laying down in the dirt and getting dirty.

At two weeks, I took her staples out and the incision site looked very good. There were some subcutaneous “lumps,” relating to the stitches holding her innards together. Those finally went away about 4 weeks later.

My dog is used to being outside in the barn with me 8-10 hours a day; keeping her locked in the house for all but 20 minutes a day was tough. If I could have kept her leashed 100% of the time, she would have healed with no complications whatsoever.

[Alagirl]

I had 2 dogs and 3 cats spayed, not one of them was bandaged nor wore the cone.
10 days later we went back to have the stitches removed, done.

The Tom wore the cone when he had his eyeball punctured. It was a pain to keep on him, he fought it like mad.

[HappyTalk]

When my min pin had to have eye surgery, he had to wear the cone of shame for 6 weeks. He absolutely could not disturb the stitches in eye. He adjusted just fine and even went on walks wearing it.

[JanM]

My last boy had a retained testicle, and that caused a spay and neuter surgery. The outside neuter site didn’t bother him, but the abdominal one drove him nuts. Then he popped out an umbilical hernia, and ended up in the cone for two weeks. He was a very determined licker.

I put up a gate, and left him in the kitchen when I wasn’t home, and I had a doggy door and that didn’t work with the cone either. By day two he smacked the cone flat (to get biscuits), drank and ate fine, and perfected the art of gouging my heels frequently.

It was a very long two weeks.

[Megaladon]

At my clinic they typically don’t send post spays home with a cone. Most animals don’t bother the incision. Your discharge instructions will tell you how long for the leashed walks (most likely out to pee or poo and back in). Basically don’t be taking her on hikes, into bodies of water, jumping off of things (you get the drift). I recommend pre-surgical bloodwork, and as far as everything else, good luck I’m sure she’ll be fine, it’s pretty routine–I’ve had several animals spayed/neutered and it was great.

[wireweiners]

I’ve had beaucoup animals spayed or neutered over the years and never used a cone. The incisions are small and I’ve never had one bother the incision. I try to keep them reasonably quiet, no rough play and keep the area dry. The only problem I’ve ever had was one dog who was allergic to the suture material.

[SquishTheBunny]

It’s up to you.many dogs do just fine without it…just understand what kind of complications you may run into if you do leave it off and the costs associated with it. Generally incisions heal in well under 2 weeks, I’d just be very diligent she doesn’t lick at all if and when the cone comes off

[StGermain]

I had a boss who had his dog spayed. The next day he left her crated while he was at work. He went home at lunch to check on her and she’d basically disemboweled herself. She was alive with her intestines hanging out. He rushed her in for expensive surgery to put Humpty back together again. She lived.

StG

[khall]

Raise hand have had one foster dog try to disembowel herself, had omasum hanging out of spay site a full 7 days post surgery. My regular vet said she should have had pretty good healing by then, was rescue vet who did surgery. Very expensive surgery ($600) later over a holiday weekend no less when rescue vet was not taking emergencies, had rolled them over to another clinic.

I like the blow up donuts which foster wore when she came back home until she took it off and tore it up, back to the big ugly cone. She did just fine in it.

[jetsmom]

[QUOTE=EventerAJ;8178689]
I had my adult rescue dog spayed about a month after I got her (she had pups). The vet said I could use an E collar depending on my dog’s behavior. She came out of surgery wearing a vetrap bandage around her midsection with taped edges. As per instructions, I removed the bandage two days later. The incision site looked pretty good; it was closed with staples, not stitches.

My dog is used to being very active, and keeping her quiet was difficult. She HATES to be leashed, and is terrible about going potty while leashed. I walked her for hours and could barely get her to pee once a day. By day 3, I gave in and let her loose for 5 minutes of supervised potty time. She was pretty good and did not run wild, but she did leap off the porch before I could stop her…and tore one of her staples out.

As a result, the incision site developed a seroma (fluid-filled area beneath the skin). It broke open and leaked clear fluid a few days later; it was not infected, thankfully. I went back to bandaging her abdomen; a bit of pressure seemed to help the swelling, plus it completely prevented her from licking it and discouraged much activity.

I was going through a lot of vetrap and elastikon daily, so I switched to “bandaging” her with a human t-shirt. At about 1-week post op, I put a shirt on her (legs through arm holes) and wrapped the waist end. She hated wearing the shirt and would walk gingerly in it-- success!!-- but she left it on and it kept her wound clean. I could let her outside, briefly with supervision, and not worry about her laying down in the dirt and getting dirty.

At two weeks, I took her staples out and the incision site looked very good. There were some subcutaneous “lumps,” relating to the stitches holding her innards together. Those finally went away about 4 weeks later.

My dog is used to being outside in the barn with me 8-10 hours a day; keeping her locked in the house for all but 20 minutes a day was tough. If I could have kept her leashed 100% of the time, she would have healed with no complications whatsoever.[/QUOTE]

Mens or boys boxer shorts put on backwards so the tail comes out the crotch opening does the same. I also found that Cortisone cream on the shaved area near but NOT on the incision eliminated the prickley feeling that makes them want to itch/lick.

If you are going to do a cone get the soft cone/inflatable. The plastic ones are awful.

[saultgirl]

I bought her a cone at petsmart – it’s not an inflatable one but it’s a soft plastic type with a “padding” on the edges.

I dropped her off this morning and I’m so worried about her! More than anything, I’m worried about how traumatic this will be for her. She’s such a timid/nervous dog, and I’ve made such progress in socializing her and getting her to relax around new people… I’m worried that’s going to go right down the tubes today.

[NorCalDressage]

My last two spays have been shelter dogs from the County. They use internal stitches and skin glue, so no stitch removal. Usually say 10-14 days restricted activity no water/bath.

Very very small amount of food & water to be offered the evening after surgery. Neither needed a cone or had bandaging, but was home all day to watch them.

Potty on leash for a few days to make sure they weren’t going to run. After that you can gauge how reasonable they will be off leash about staying quite.

Make sure they don’t jump into the car themselves on the ride home - when they come home usually go into crate, in dark room to encourage them to sleep & rest. Then offer small amount of food (2 tbs maybe) of kibble and 1/4 cup water if interested. If not interested, don’t worry. Feed small amount in morning.

I get your worry about her being traumatized! If only they could understand…our newest is like that too. And then she had to get further vet workup a week later - some rads and a urinalysis. But she did really well and I’m sure your girl will too!

[french_fry]

Again, not a dog, but we were sooooo worried about the trauma of the spay throwing my kitten into a stress asthma attack (she had severe ones when she was younger) and she was totally fine.

They bounce back quicker than you think they will, at least emotionally.

[Sabino]

I had my younger Chessie spayed last fall when she was 2 1/2. Internal stitches and glue, and she never bothered the site. No cone, thank goodness because in her short life, she’s been coned I believe 3 times (injuries) and she uses those things as weapons. Well, until she destroys them. She surprisingly kept herself pretty low key for about a day. Then went right back to being the high energy Chessie that she is and had zero issues with the incision.

[Cat_Tap]

One of my dogs wore a cone as he had to have an eye lid stitched up. He coped OK but continually ran into things with his cone especially going through door ways and up and downs stairs.

We felt badly for him but it was actually quite funny.

We never used a cone for neutering male dogs.

[french_fry]

Whether the cone is recommended after a spay seems to really vary by the way the incision is closed and by the vet, but I’ll just put in a word for following veterinary (and not internet!) advice. After all, the vet is the one you’re going to have to go to if your pup rips out her stitches.

I’m not saying it’s fun, but I have absolutely no regrets about leaving the cone on the two weeks my vet instructed.

[saultgirl]

She’s home now; sleeping with the cone on. We got home around 3:45pm or so… she drank a little bit of water but she didn’t pee before coming inside and she didn’t want to go out to pee when I offered around 5pm. How often should I be trying to get her up to go outside? I also offered her a few kibbles which she did eat.