# After the snip -- what's normal?



## Fyfer (Jan 23, 2010)

Nunuk had the snip today. The vet said he did great and was out of the general anesthesia quickly. 
He's a bit wobbly this evening. But he ate a small meal, pooped, peed, and looks ok generally. Except that he is not drinking and is whining on and off. He's usually a very tough dog, so the whining has me feeling a wee bit worried.

He's not licking much at the wound. He is not sleeping but is chilled out, with the occasional whine.

If he's whining again tomorrow, I'll ask the vet for some pain medication.

Does this sound pretty normal? This is my first experience with neutering a dog, so I'm not sure what to expect.


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## kazschow (Oct 23, 2008)

My Benny was much the same, the whining on hs part was a reaction to the anaesthesia, it wore of after about 24 hours. One piece of avice I would offer is... put soft jersey boxers on him backwards with his tail poking out when he's not out for a walk or pee. Benny never looked at his woun because of this, and didn't need the collar. BTW t's about day three the intrest in the stitches really kicks in, I think they're gettng tighter and itchy by then 

Hope your boy has a quick pain free recovery x


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## xxwelshcrazyxx (Jul 3, 2009)

Fyfer said:


> Nunuk had the snip today. The vet said he did great and was out of the general anesthesia quickly.
> He's a bit wobbly this evening. But he ate a small meal, pooped, peed, and looks ok generally. Except that he is not drinking and is whining on and off. He's usually a very tough dog, so the whining has me feeling a wee bit worried.
> 
> He's not licking much at the wound. He is not sleeping but is chilled out, with the occasional whine.
> ...


My mate Debbie had her dog back yesturday afternoon and Harry whined on and off for about 5 hours or so, especially when he moved, but he did settle eventually in the night and is good today, he hates the lampshade lolol. If you are unsure then it is wise to phone your vet for his advice, at least you will know for sure then xx


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## Fyfer (Jan 23, 2010)

kazschow, that's a great piece of advice about the boxers. I'll get him some tomorrow. He doesn't have a lampshade. Apparently the vet only uses those if there's a problem with him gnawing at the wound. Hopefully the boxers will stop that.

Poor boy... still, I'm encouraged that he's doing as well as he is. Just wish he would drink a bit more.

He's curled up against the CD player that is playing the canine lullabies. There's a heartbeat sound that plays along with the music and he seems to find it very comforting.


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## henry (Mar 16, 2009)

Would he eat ice cubes? Henry loves them and it keeps the water intake up. You could also add some warm water to his food.

We had pain killers for about three days after the op and then didn't need them. Think it was Metacam. If he still seems in pain today, maybe you could ask the Vet to leave you some out.


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## crosscairn (May 19, 2010)

My dog (a cairn) was a very quiet boy for the first 24 hours afterwards, he was done on a Friday. He more or less just slept for the rest of that day and most of Saturday. He had a touch of constipation for a day or so but that passed (literally). He was right as rain on the Monday, bar the fact the had the lampshade you wouldnt know there was anything wrong with him


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## Fyfer (Jan 23, 2010)

A quick update here -- the whining stopped within about 24 hours. So apparently it was a reaction to the anesthesia. He started drinking the day after surgery and after 48 hours had his full appetite and thirst back.

He's impossible to keep completely calm. He did the mad racing around like a little puppy yesterday morning. So I've been letting him do tiny runs (10-20 feet) just to keep some energy burned off. Lots of hide and seek and tug sitting with his back against a wall so he can't use his back legs.

The wound is healing fine. I can't figure out how to keep boxers on him, though, and aware that any time he may start really wanting to lick and gnaw at his wound. 

Thanks for everyone's help on this. So far, so good.


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## ploddingon (Jun 15, 2010)

Hope you dont mind me asking a question in this thread. 

Bobby wont be getting neutered for a few months yet. When my last dog was neutered, about 11 years ago, the vet just removed the testicles and he literally had just a couple of sutures in that he never bothered with. It was literally a very minor operation.

The other day on the park though a lady was saying her dog had been neutered and the vet removed not only the testicles but then cut up the penis sheath - I suppose to remove the glands on either side? - and he had loads of stitches.

Is this the normal way for dogs to be neutered now?


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## Fyfer (Jan 23, 2010)

Wow, that sounds extreme. My experience is just with this pup, but it is as you describe with your dog years ago. Testicles gone, small incision stitched up, and that's it. He's feeling 100% fine 3 days on, and the trouble is trying to keep him calm so he doesn't pop any stitches.

I read somewhere that if a vet botches the job, they cut into the penis. But that's an accidental thing. What you describe for the lady in the park's dog doesn't sound like a normal neutering job... maybe somebody's scalpel slipped.


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## Fyfer (Jan 23, 2010)

By the way, I was scheduled to have NUnuk done at 6 months, as per the recommendation of my vet. After posting to this board I changed my mind. Apparently it can impact how they grow. So I decided to wait as long as possible.

For the last 2 weeks, Nunuk has been picking fights with other male dogs, trying to show he's top dog. So I decided to get the job done before that behaviour got too ingrained. He's 10 months now and pretty well near full grown.

I'm glad to have waited. If it hadn't been for the behaviour changes, I would have waited longer. But it was clearly time.


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## emilia1984 (Mar 8, 2010)

Our 10 month old Boxer Zico was 'done' on Friday, and we're having the same fun and games as you - trying to keep him calm!! 'Calm' isn't in a Boxer's vocabulary!

He sounds similar to Nunuk in that he zoomed across the back garden yesterday, me and my partner desperately trying to stop him! That must have been a sight to see 

We were quite similar to you also - when we got Zico at six months, it was something we wanted to have done quite quickly as we have no plans to breed etc, but the vet advised waiting until his weight was back where it should be (he was very underweight when we got him). 

We went back for a vets appointment about a month ago, and the advice was 'wait until there's a problem' before going for the op.

About two/three days later, and like a switch had been flicked, Zico hit his 'teenage' phase, and along with a day at Doggy Day Care (where he was making himself known to the females, shall we say), we made the decision to get him booked in.

We found that we've had so many conflicting opinions on what other people have done with their dogs, and their reasons for doing it.

Oddly, since he's had the op done and we've then told friends and family, the response has been bordering on making us feel like we've been cruel to him by doing it  

We've only tried to do the best for Zico, so we are a little bit confused about some people's reactions.


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## Fyfer (Jan 23, 2010)

Interesting about people's reactions. Here the odd person has made a comment about taking his manhood away and such, but most seem more sympathetic than anything else. 

Folks tend to personalise it. Both men and women, by the way. The manhood comment has come from both genders. But a dog doesn't have 'manhood', does he? 

I find that when I lead with the reason for doing it (picking fights with other dogs) people immediately become pretty accepting because they understand why it was in everybody's best interest.

But as to more pressing matters -- what are you doing to help him burn off energy? The short runs, tug, and hide 'n seek are great but it'd be wonderful to have another idea or two!


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

I only rested mine for 48 hours, and that was mainly because of the after effects of the anaesthetic. I used a long lead/flexi until about day 5, then it was back to normal off lead hooligans.

Running and jumping doesnt really put much pressure on the op site, unlike with a bitch. Both of mine had just 3 external sutures and of course a couple of layers of internal ones.

As for cutting along the penis, the actual incision to remove the testes is made at the base of the penis, rather than directly into the scrotum. If a dog has an undescended testicle then the op will be a bigger one, with a seperate incision made in the groin area in order to find and remove the other testicle. This might be what that womans dog had done. Either that or maybe a newbie vet who tend to make incisions a little bigger through inexperience.

Not sure what glands you mean ploddington. There is the glans penis (what causes a tie when mating) but these cant be removed.


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## emilia1984 (Mar 8, 2010)

We went for a nice lead walk this morning, which took the edge off of this morning's enthusiasm! 

We've also upped the amount of training we've been doing in the house too, basics that he knows, but just re-going over them again. We find that brain training has always tired him out  We'll go for another walk later too, once its cooled down a bit.

As Nonnie says, we think we may look at the situation again mid-week (i.e. Day 5 or 6), and after going to the vets on Monday evening for his stitches check-up, may get him back off lead sooner rather than later.

Has Nunuk had a vet check-up since the op?


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## Fyfer (Jan 23, 2010)

Great idea on the training. We did some clicker training and he is tuckered out now. I was trying to get him to step inside a box. Instead he learned to step inside and out the other, walking through the open-top box. Nice trick, actually, and could come in handy for future agility training..


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