# I'm not sure about Millie's recovery



## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Hi All
Just looking for a bit of support and advice if poss. As you know Millie had her operation on Monday and she's still out of sorts. I'm not sure if it is normal or not.

I've only seen one poo and I can find no evidence of any more in the garden (or in the house !!). I haven't seen her do a wee.

I've tried to walk her on the lead in garden to encourage toileting, but she just pulls ahead and lies down.

But on top of that, she is either quiet, or suddenly she goes quite skittish as if something has bitten her behind and she is trying to get away from it. She will dart off and just crash down on to the floor. She does try to nibble the area, but I think she is just fed up with the plaster on her tummy.

Is her behaviour normal post spaying and I'm just being neurotic.

I spoke to the vets, she's going back at 3pm to have the plaster taken off. But apart from that they don't seem to concerned. I'm wondering if I've chosen the wrong vet !


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## Cockapoodledoo (Feb 8, 2011)

Julie, I've no experience of pets being spayed I'm afraid. The good thing is you are back to the vets at 3pm today anyway so they can take a good look for you. Is it possible that the plaster is somehow pulling on her so hurts when she tries to toilet or even walk? 

Karen and Rufus x


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Hi, its the first I have heard about a plaster being put over a spay wound, as normally and uncovered but stitched wound will have air to it which helps healing! This plaster could well be what is annoying her so much as I can imagine it is pulling if not on stitches then on her hair???
Weller was incredibly scatchy and itchy where he had been shaved too so perhaps its a combo of all 3 things ie. a little pain, plaster pulling and itchiness. Good thing the paster coming off today I have a feeling this will help  good luck x


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

Be very assertive with the vet. If you are concerned then make sure they listen to your concerns. That skittish behaviour is the way they behave when something is hurting or bothering them - Dylan has done that on a few occasions. Is she eating and drinking? I would definitely get some reassurance from them on the toileting issue. Sorry I don't have too much experience of spaying, but suggest you keep on at the vet until you are completely happy with their answers.


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

I'm no help I'm afraid Julie, but hope Millie is ok :hug:


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Oh poor Millie

Lolly didn't have a plaster on so can't help with that. Lolly is definately quieter than normal but I think that has a lot to do with her ear infection. Lolly is eating and toileting normally (maybe not as many poos as usual but they are large and solid). She has her skittish moments when she is obviously a bit itchy but again I think that is more her ear than her spay wound. She is fine on her lead and bounded into the vets both times we have been back. 

I hope Millie is feeling more like herself soon xxx


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## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

do mention it to your vet but this is exactly how betty behaved. betty was spayed on a thursday and the following wednesday was the first time she seemed vaguely normal. i had to feed her sat on my knee holding her bowl at first or while she was sat in her bed. if i tried to walk her she would try and hide under plants or just want to be picked up. eventually on the tuesday i took her for a walk by running down the drive with me and she followed and once we were out she was ok. but as soon as we got home she went back to exactly how she had been. she also didn't seem to want to poo in the garden and would only poo when out walking. not sure if this is cos toileting would leave a scent and she didn't want to?? i think it was 24 hours after i got betty home from being spayed that she first went to the toilet as i was getting very worried too.

fingers crossed it all goes well at the vets.

xx


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## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

as for the skittish moments, betty would suddenly jump up, fly round in circles about 5 times and them thump herself back down. am sure its the itching from the healing as that completely stopped after 5 days or so. x


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks guys, really helpful comments 

The vet just phoned me back and was great. Listened to all my concerns. Said the skittish behaviour sounded odd and will give her a really thorough examination this afternoon.

Millie was shaved completely in that area including her girlie bits and I do wonder if that combined with the plaster is the problem - just as Karen was thinking too.

And like Betty, is behaving in exactly the same way 

Millie is eating normally, and drinking water, but not quite as much as usual.

But this lack of toileting is adding to my worries.

I don't quite understand, will see when the plaster comes off. But Millie has stitches inside that dissolve and no stitches on the outside.

I'll let you know how the vets visit goes.


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## badgerbunny (Jul 27, 2011)

Just to add, Waldo was recently neutered (granted, he's a boy so it was a MUCH less invasive procedure) and he was a little off eating and toileting, but I think part of it was his not having breakfast the day of the op, and then having a smaller than usual supper. His system took a little while to get back on track. And he had the skittish behavior, which I agree with JulesB -- it's itchy and feels "weird" to him! Good luck at the vet!


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

Gypsy was out of sorts for a good couple of days probably almost a week, just didn't want to do anything. 


Delta was very skittish, flinching and itching, darting off then lying down doing weird leg kicks.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

I guess they all react in different ways. Its interesting Kendal, that Gypsy & Delta had completely different reactions.

Right - back from the vets, there for nearly an hour.

Plaster removed, wound examined - a slight soreness, more due to plaster than anything else. Millie was fully checked over, temperature normal, heart rate normal. Bowel full and constipated, bladder empty - 

They offered a full blood test to make sure the kidneys were functioning. Poor Millie had another bald patch, on her neck this time!. Had to wait 20 mins for it. Whilst waiting took Millie outside for a little walk round. She did an enormous poo 

Well thats the constipation out the way now.

The blood test came back and everything is normal. We have had to come to the conclusion that Millie must be going to wee somewhere and discretely. 

Lets hope that now the plaster is off, the vest is off, the fur begins to grow and the wound heals, that she will bounce back soon. 

Thanks again for all the support, much appreciated. :wave:


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Glad Millie feeling better after toileting!!!!! What a relief that must be for you as much as her!!
She will be much happier without plaster.....sounded like it was causing more problems than doing good, Millie will probably bounce back so quickley now....YAY!!!!


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## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

glad to hear she is doing ok now and she sounds much like my betty was after spaying as i was worried as she hardly seemed to be going to the toilet compared to normal but after 5 days she was certainly a lot better. 

they do worry you don't they!!!


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Glad the vets were thorough Julie, Im sure she'll be fine now, where the plaster has been and the shaving will probably still irritate her but not as much and if her temp is ok then theres no infection anywhere. Mable was quite and out of sorts for about a week before she slowly got back to normal.... you feel so mean cos you've put them through it. x


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## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

what panicked me a bit was so many people told me their dogs were fine the day after spaying that i just expected betty to bounce straight back and when she didn't i did feel very guilty that i had put her through this operation even though i knew it was for the best. if you'd seen her out 7 days after the op you would never have known she'd even had an op!!!


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

Glad to hear Millie's feeling better


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

That's a relief Julie. Hopefully she'll be back to her lovely bouncy self in no time. At least it's over and done with now.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

JulesB said:


> what panicked me a bit was so many people told me their dogs were fine the day after spaying that i just expected betty to bounce straight back and when she didn't i did feel very guilty that i had put her through this operation even though i knew it was for the best. if you'd seen her out 7 days after the op you would never have known she'd even had an op!!!


I think that was why I was so concerned. I had the impression they bounced back within a day or two. If I'd been better prepared I might not have fretted so much.

Oh on a funny note, I had a client turn up and Millie was soooo pleased to see her she tiddled herself, just like when she was a puppy. My client was all, oh dear, oh dear, naughty Millie. I was, great how lovely a wee at last, first one in 4 days  Its working again


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

MillieDog said:


> I think that was why I was so concerned. I had the impression they bounced back within a day or two. If I'd been better prepared I might not have fretted so much.
> 
> Oh on a funny note, I had a client turn up and Millie was soooo pleased to see her she tiddled herself, just like when she was a puppy. My client was all, oh dear, oh dear, naughty Millie. I was, great how lovely a wee at last, first one in 4 days  Its working again


nope Gypsy and Delta both reacted badly to the anasthetic Delta was kept the longest she was kept till about 6 the others were out for atleat 4 Inca 3 because she wouldnt shut up. , where as Echo and Inca were bouncing about the place.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Julie and I have been following your thread .. and I am really please Milllie was all ok at the vet, I have no experience of spaying yet, when I do, I will be on here begging you for advice. 

Her coat will grow back quite fast, when my Honey was optigen tested the vet shaved her neck to take the blood tests .. I looked at my hubby... as if to say 'I am not happy about that', but it really does grow back soon enough, I just hated seeing her little pink chicken neck ... 

Give Millie a gentle JoJo hug please xxx


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## Salfordnurse (May 4, 2011)

So glad that it looks like she's getting better. I don't know about dogs, but if humans are badly constipated then it can press against the bladder and make the flow of urine difficult, a few days would not make any difference to U&E's (bloods for kidney functions) and it would explain why she had a wee after the large bowel movement. (this is from 4 years as an ICU nurse) As I said, thats how it is in humans so I'm guessing it's the same in dogs, I'm sure some one will be able to say yay or nay


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

How's Millie doing now Julie? Lolly is back to her bouncy, cheeky self :twothumbs: I was just wondering if you had let Millie off the lead yet? Our vet adviced lead only walks for 10 days following the op along with no stair climbing unless controlled . Well Lolly has been bounding up the stairs for days now  and I feel really mean keeping her on the lead.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Millie is way, way better. Took her vest off 2 days ago, she's finally stopped trying to lick the wound.

Wee's & Poo's all back to normal. Only a mother could be proud of this 

Up and down the stairs at her usual pace, from quite early on. And has since learnt to jump on the bed, oops 

I did try and take her for a lead walk on Friday, but it was a bit of a disaster. She kept pulling and being quite naught. It didn't help that I had no treats, but you'd have thought we'd never walked to heal before 

But went out over the weekend, just around the block and this time I used the flexi lead. So much better. Went to Verulam Park this morning and walked on Flexi to the end and back. It was simply lovely   

How's Lolly's ear too?


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Yes we've been using the flexi lead too but Lolly can get carried away and charge to the end of it and get a shock when she runs out of lead  i've been avoiding the park as I don't think she'll think its fair being at the park and having to stay on her lead! lol
Just took Lolly out on a road side walk and she walked beautifully to heal (well most of the time ), the frankfurter treats helped! lol
Her ear is looking cleaner but all oily and dirty because of the drops. She's also quite smelly as well  Because of the ear I think and the other ear is quite messy inside too so trying to keep on top of the cleaning of it to avoid it getting infected but she is getting wise to that and not keen on me doing it. 
Not sure when she's allowed a bath following the op. Any ideas? Definately bathing her at the weekend but really want to do it sooner.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

I'd leave the bathing until the skin wound had healed as it really needs to be kept dry x


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

Glad to hear the girls and getting back to normal again


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