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Spaying and neutering are routine surgeries that around 80% of the U.S. pet dog population will undergo. While it’s natural to feel anxious when dropping your dog at your veterinarian for any procedure, reassuringly, complications during or post-spay or neuter surgery are rare. Dogs also typically bounce back quickly following these procedures.
Carefully following the post-surgical care instructions will help set your dog up for success, speeding up neuter and spay surgery recovery times and minimizing the risk of setbacks.
In This Article
Recovery Times for Spay and Neuter Surgeries
Regardless of whether your dog has been spayed or neutered, it’s important to recognize that they were anesthetized and underwent a surgical procedure. They need to heal inside and out, with a recovery period that generally lasts 10 to 14 days.
Male dogs typically feel better faster after a neuter surgery than females who have been spayed because neutering involves a smaller incision that doesn’t go into the abdomen, with the exception of dogs that are cryptorchids, meaning dogs having one or both undescended testicles. Those male dogs do require an abdominal incision to remove the retained testicle(s). However, Dr. Laurence Sawyer, director of the Luke and Lily Lerner Spay/Neuter Clinic and assistant teaching professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, explains that incisions take the same time to heal regardless of their size.
Spay surgeries can be standard or laparoscopic (keyhole). Pet owners may assume that keyhole surgery results in a shorter recovery time, but that isn’t always the case. “Some of the reasons some surgeons prefer a smaller spay incision include reduced surgical closure time, the potential for decreasing pain from a larger incision, and the potential for fewer complications such as incisional dehiscence or infection,” Dr. Sawyer says. “However, the same interior anatomical parts are removed during a canine spay procedure regardless of the size of the incision.”
Post-Operative Care Instructions
By closely following your veterinarian’s spay or neuter aftercare instructions, you can significantly reduce the risk of complications. The general guidance below will help you understand what to expect.
The First 24 Hours Post-Surgery
Your dog could be disoriented, lethargic, vocal (whining or barking), nauseous, and dull-eyed for the first 24 hours. Providing the following will help to keep them comfortable.
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A safe, quiet space: Take your pet straight home and allow them to rest and recuperate away from energetic pets and kids
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Food and water: When it comes to feeding your dog, be sure to follow your veterinarian’s discharge order. While your dog should have access to small amounts of water initially, feeding smaller meals during the first 24 hours post-surgery reduces the risk of nausea, vomiting, and stomach upsets. It’s also not unusual for your dog not to want to eat in those first 12 hours while recovering from the anesthetic.
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Appropriate medications: Your veterinarian may prescribe pain relief or sedatives. Only administer medications as per their instructions. Never give your dog human medicines, like ibuprofen, paracetamol, or aspirin.
For 10 to 14 Days Post-Surgery
After the first 24 hours, your pet may bounce back quickly and be behaving like they always do. Don’t be tempted to jump straight back into your typical schedule. “If the owner allows a dog to be too active, it can disrupt ideal healing and cause incisional dehiscence [opening] or seroma [fluid] formation,” Dr. Sawyer says.
Typically, recommended restrictions and care guidance include:
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Restrict access to the incision: Be sure to keep your dog’s incision area dry and clean. “If the dog licks or chews at the incision, it can open up or become infected, and both have significant negative consequences for incisional healing,” Dr. Sawyer says.
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Restrict indoor activity: Avoid letting your dog jump up on the sofa or run up and down stairs. Exaggerated movements increase the chance of the wound site opening up. “Consider gating off a smaller area of the house or restricting your dog to a crate when you are unable to supervise,” Dr. Sawyer says.
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On-leash walks only: Short leash walks for bathroom breaks and a quick sniff, initially just five or ten minutes, promote rapid incision recovery. You can gradually increase the length of walks over the recovery period, but avoid letting your dog run off-leash or participate in other strenuous activities.
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Incision care: Check the incision site daily and avoid letting it get wet or dirty. Don’t bathe your dog, let them swim, or walk in heavy rain or snow during recovery.
Products That Can Help Support Post-Surgery Recovery
Some tools that can help support your dog’s recovery following spay or neuter surgery include:
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Elizabethan collar: Your dog wears this cone-shaped plastic or fabric device around their neck to prevent them from licking, biting, or chewing the incision site. These collars, if prescribed for your dog, should be left on at all times until the wound is completely healed. Remember, a dog can do a lot of damage in just a couple of minutes.
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Recovery suits: These form-fitting items of clothing form a barrier to help prevent your dog from accessing the incision site, especially if they won’t tolerate Elizabethan collars
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Treat toys: Stock up on stuffable toys, like KONGs, which you can put in the freezer. Lick mats or other brain games can also distract your dog from their wound and help keep them stimulated while they’re on a restricted exercise regime.
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Medications: Your veterinarian may consider prescribing other medications for energetic dogs that struggle with the lack of activity during this period. “Gabapentin is routinely used at lower doses postoperatively for pain, but can also reduce anxiety and keep pets quieter at higher doses,” says Dr. Samantha O’Gorman, a Fear Free-certified veterinarian at Thrive Pet Healthcare in Natick, Massachusetts.
When to Contact a Vet With Concerns Post Surgery
If you follow the post-surgical care instructions, most spay and neuter recoveries occur without a hitch. However, it’s still important to carefully monitor your dog’s wound site and behavior during the post-surgery recovery period.
Dr. O’Gorman recommends taking a photo of the incision site daily to help you spot subtle changes. “If an owner ever feels uncomfortable with how the incision site looks or how their dog is feeling, I always recommend they reach out as soon as they can,” she says.
Dr. Sawyer explains that your veterinarian’s discharge instructions should clearly outline when to call them. “This usually involves changes to the incision (such as increased redness, pain, swelling, or discharge), decreased appetite or vomiting and diarrhea, no defecation after 3–5 days, increased lethargy or difficulty breathing,” she says.
The guidance below can also help you decide when to follow up with your veterinarian.
When to Seek Urgent Assistance
If you spot any of the following, don’t delay in calling your veterinarian or getting straight to an emergency clinic:
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Breathing difficulties
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Extreme lethargy
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Significant bleeding from the incision site or, in the case of females recovering from a spay, the vulva
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Sudden swelling under the incision. Dr. Sawyer explains that your veterinarian may want to rule out abdominal wall dehiscence (separation)
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Noteworthy changes to the incision, which could include excessive redness, bleeding, swelling, or any discharge, new pain, or signs that it’s opening
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Sustained vomiting or diarrhea
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Significant decrease in appetite or not drinking beyond the first 24 hours
When to Call With Concerns
Dr. Sawyer says it is also worth checking in with your veterinarian to ensure there is no cause for concern if you notice:
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A slight swelling under the skin incision that slowly enlarges but isn’t painful to your dog.
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New vomiting or soft stool, but your dog is bright, alert, and eating
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Your dog is coughing, but isn’t lethargic and is still eating
If you have any concerns, it is always better to call to your veterinarian for get more information or clarification.
Are Follow-Up Appointments Necessary After a Spay or Neuter?
Follow-up appointments aren’t typically necessary for spay and neuter surgeries in dogs. Dr. Sawyer says these procedures are performed so regularly that recovery is generally predictable and smooth, provided you carefully follow post-surgical care instructions.
“There could be a few exceptions, including when dogs have external sutures or staples, which are typically removed 10–14 days later, or if there are any complications postoperatively that need more routine follow-up,” Dr. O’Gorman says. “That said, if owners feel more comfortable with an in-person recheck post-op, we would be happy to take a look.”
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.