# Constipation after spay?



## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

Poppy was spayed on Thursday so she'd had nothing to eat since Wednesday 8pm.

Thursday evening she did a small poo.
Friday - nothing
Saturday - nothing
Today - nothing

When she's laying down she suddently jumps up and tries to get at her behind. We sat outside for a bit earlier and she was just moving from one place to another, sitting down and staring at me. I tried to get her to move around to see if she would go off on her own and sniff and eventually toilet. We got a couple of wees from her but otherwise nothing. 

First couple of days she was off her food a bit but now eats better but doesn't drink much, could this be the reason or maybe she is scared to go incase it hurts? I feel like she's holding back on wees too there was a couple puddles done earlier when we went out. She's on Metacam.

Do you think she's constipated, what can I do to help?


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## kimthecat (Aug 11, 2009)

I would ring your vet for advice tomorrow .
i used to give my cat lactulose for constipation recommended by my vet but again check with you vet .


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Humans often suffer constipation following a GA so quite possibly.

Maybe mixing her food with some gravy will counteract the lack of water. Jack enjoys the occasional drop of watered down milk. Perhaps she would be more interested in that?


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

I would have a word with your Vet.

Constipation in dogs could be a cause for concern after a couple of days.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Reena was constipated after her spinal op, I gave her a teaspoon of pumpkin mixed with minced trkey - Voila ! It only took a couple of portions.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

I would just check in with your vet in the morning if you are worried, if she still hasn't been then they may be able to give you something to help or suggest something.

It could well be the anaesthetic and meds she has been give though, bowel movements can be impaired for up to 72 hours after.
At least thats what its said on all the numerous recovery sheet info I have been given by my vets over the years. If you couple the fact that she hasn't really eaten on a couple of the days since, been starved for the anaesthetic from the evening before and the affects of anaesthetic and meds aswell it could just be that. If she still hasn't gone in the morning though just check in with the vet.


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

I think I will ring in the morning regardless, I was just hoping to try something this evening but I don't have any pumpkin, we only have them in October here 

Does milk have like a laxative effect, do you think that would work?


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

I have used milk in the past, also cooked green beans. You can get frozen butternut squash in Tesco - i know that might not help you right now but it might be useful in future, being very similar to pumpkin.


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

JoanneF said:


> I have used milk in the past, also cooked green beans. You can get frozen butternut squash in Tesco - i know that might not help you right now but it might be useful in future, being very similar to pumpkin.


Thank you that's a good shout actually, I would go and get some after work tomorrow but if the vets say to go and collect something from them I'll probably do that instead. Though hopefully I remember that should this ever happen again


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

She asked to go outside around 30mins ago, again just ended up sitting about not doing anything. I brought her bowl of food out and she ate it all! Outside, in the rain! So I'll wait a little longer and see if she can go to the toilet. At the same time I'm worried she is eating the food and it's going down but just getting stuck at the other end. Either that or it's going to help her go, I'm not sure.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Bexx said:


> I think I will ring in the morning regardless, I was just hoping to try something this evening but I don't have any pumpkin, we only have them in October here
> 
> Does milk have like a laxative effect, do you think that would work?


Butternut squash works just as well, it's available through the year in Morrisons. In October I buy a few pumpkins and puree and freeze them. 
The girls have a spoonful as a treat with their dinner sometimes, they love it !


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

The vet nurse told me to feed wet food with extra water until her digestion was back to normal, Reena rarely drinks much water.


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

Wet food... I think we might still have some tins of Chappie we had when our other dog was poorly. I'd open one now and see if she eats it but it's a bit late in the day and I don't want to feed her too much now she's been spayed. It's something for my Dad to give her while I'm at work tomorrow though!


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

Wet food with extra water sounds logical.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Bexx said:


> Wet food... I think we might still have some tins of Chappie we had when our other dog was poorly. I'd open one now and see if she eats it but it's a bit late in the day and I don't want to feed her too much now she's been spayed. It's something for my Dad to give her while I'm at work tomorrow though!


I would think Chappie would do the trick , Tango produces elephantine poos when she's on it !


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Reena had her op Friday evening and no poo till the Tuesday , no-one seemed concerned ( except me ! ). She didn't seem uncomfortable so we put it down to the GA, surgery, reduced activity and food. She'd also vomited a few times so there wasn't much to work through.


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

SusieRainbow said:


> Reena had her op Friday evening and no poo till the Tuesday , no-one seemed concerned ( except me ! ). She didn't seem uncomfortable so we put it down to the GA, surgery, reduced activity and food. She'd also vomited a few times so there wasn't much to work through.


I would agree that it's all of those things too, but at the same time I still worry! She shakes sometimes, but not all the time so I don't think she's in pain. And her weird behaviour when I take her for toilet the way she just sits there looking round then sometimes she might whine. Such a shame they can't talk, at least a toddler could tell me their belly hurts!


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Did they send her home with pain relief ? Apparently shivering can be a sign of pain.
If you're really worried you could ring the Out of Hours vet service for advice.
Does her wound look ok ?
Poor little love, if we had the equivalent surery we'd be off work for 6 weeks and on strong pain relief !
Would she let you rub her tummy at all ? Maybe some circular massage and warmth would help.
Please let us know what happens. Thinking about you, I was a wreck after Reena's op and she was so brave.


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

SusieRainbow said:


> Did they send her home with pain relief ? Apparently shivering can be a sign of pain.
> If you're really worried you could ring the Out of Hours vet service for advice.
> Does her wound look ok ?
> Poor little love, if we had the equivalent surery we'd be off work for 6 weeks and on strong pain relief !
> ...


They did, they gave her metacam, she has one dose in the morning and that's meant to last 24hrs. That was my first thought, but she will shiver and then stop and then she's fine. So I'm not sure if she's in pain or chilly maybe she had a lot shaved off and she's pretty flat coated anyway.

I'm going to ring them in the morning before work, maybe they can suggest something I can buy at our nearby shops and take it home at dinner or I can pop to the vets after work and maybe it's something quick acting possibly.

Her wound looks okay to me, here's an awkward picture I took just as she was about to roll back over:










You can see the bottom stitch is just a bit red with a teeny bit of I think dried blood. I woke up this morning to find her without her collar on and it looks like maybe I caught her just in time or she couldn't really reach properly but that's all she'd managed to get to.

She does let me rub her tummy, but I don't like to go that far just for fear of germs and such like I don't want it to get infected or anything.

Aw bless Reena, they are all so brave aren't they! I think Poppys more bothered about the collar she's already chewed through it on Saturday, removed it completely during the night and then tried to chew it again!


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Her wound looks ok to me, not inflamed at all. 
What size/ breed is she? I bought Reena a surgical recovery suit from Amazon as I hate putting those collars on, she was fine in it and it kept her warmer. If you want to look at them it's 'Suitical' from Amazon, very cute and worth every penny in my opinion.


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

SusieRainbow said:


> Her wound looks ok to me, not inflamed at all.
> What size/ breed is she? I bought Reena a surgical recovery suit from Amazon as I hate putting those collars on, she was fine in it and it kept her warmer. If you want to look at them it's 'Suitical' from Amazon, very cute and worth every penny in my opinion.


Suitical, what a fab name!

I don't know her measurements exactly but she's half Labrador half Spaniel (mostly English Springer, some Cocker) and weighs 16kg she's quite small really. The vet suggested that because she is SO exciteable and lively that this collar would be better. I'd buy one of those suits in a heartbeat but if she's managed to get out of this collar I'd only have to blink and she'd be out of that suit and probably washed and ironed it too!


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

We just had our Staffy girl spayed and we used this bodysuit.

It has double poppers either side of the tail, a space for the tail and didn't seem to bother Rudi at all.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

This is the one Reena had, she was very comfy in it,


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

My Dad text me while I was at work, she'd poo'd!

I managed to snag an appointment this evening after work and took her anyway. Vet said her wound looks great and just to see how she goes as it's probably still affecting her and everyone is affected differently.

Brought her home, went into the back garden, she did another poo! And ate all of her tea!

Just feel a lot better now and I think she does too, Dad said she was different after she'd been this morning.


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## CuddleMonster (Mar 9, 2016)

Bexx said:


> My Dad text me while I was at work, she'd poo'd!


You know you're a batty dog owner when reading this sentence puts a huge smile on your face :Woot So pleased everything is now in full working order - must be huge relief for you. Congratulations


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## Bexx (Oct 26, 2013)

CuddleMonster said:


> You know you're a batty dog owner when reading this sentence puts a huge smile on your face :Woot So pleased everything is now in full working order - must be huge relief for you. Congratulations


Haha I know right! Yes very relieved and hopefully it continues and we have no other hiccups.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

probably more relieved than she is !


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

I know - it's crazy isn't it - but I've been waiting for an update! So glad she is doing better ...


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