# Surgery recovery...is this normal?



## fandances (Jul 4, 2013)

I have call in to vet but am going a little crazy here (pup and me!)

Tappers was just neutered (one testicle normal, one undescended in thigh area so more invasive surgery than normal). He is on day three, and i think going nuts over itching in that area. Been giving him tramadol and rimadyl for pain. He is also on clavamox for tonsillitis, which i was disheartened to hear he needed since had just finished round of zeniquin for that leading up to surgery. I think i would have chosen to delay surgery until that had cleared.

He really only scampers and scoots to get around, then jerks and tries to gnaw at area. He seems uncomfortable but i suspect its itching vs pain. Last 3 nights have been rough as he can get collar off within 5 mins and it just makes him miserable. Thank goodness for Lalla's suggestion of onesie because only thing preventing him from getting at stitches, that and me watching him constantly. As his energy is returning, efforts to get at stitches is increasing.

Im asking vet if anything for itching, and is scamper/scoot is normal. Any opinions on any of this?? I also am unsure that he needs both pain meds today, and he gets a little wacky on them too.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

fandances said:


> I have call in to vet but am going a little crazy here (pup and me!)
> 
> Tappers was just neutered (one testicle normal, one undescended in thigh area so more invasive surgery than normal). He is on day three, and i think going nuts over itching in that area. Been giving him tramadol and rimadyl for pain. He is also on clavamox for tonsillitis, which i was disheartened to hear he needed since had just finished round of zeniquin for that leading up to surgery. I think i would have chosen to delay surgery until that had cleared.
> 
> ...


He had much more invasive surgery than the average neutering, so I'm not surprised to hear it's taking him a little longer. There are a lot of girls still having some trouble 3 days post-spay, and I think this is more comparable to that.

I have to say that Kodi acted very weird on the pain killers, so after the first couple of days, I weaned him off them, and found that he acted much more normal without them. We also had some itching problems after his neutering, not from the incision, itself, but because they shaved him so close that he had quite a case of "razor burn"&#8230; to the extent that the sheath of his penis (WAY away from the incision) was all swollen. He wasn't licking his incision at all, but all this irritated skin. The vet had me put Lanacaine on it to stop the itching. That definitely helped, but I kept the Onesie on him the whole time I used the Lanacaine, because I was afraid it wouldn't be good for him to ingest that stuff!


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## fandances (Jul 4, 2013)

Thanks Karen. I just got back from vet but on the way there, i went through drive-through pharmacy (thank goodness for those) and picked up some Lanacane to have on hand. I think Tappers is going through similar exoerience as Kodi. The vet wasnt there but he had told the tech on duty I was coming in, and she took him back, cleaned his incision and applied a topical numbing/anti itch to area around incision. She also mentioned it did look "tight" so she wasnt surprised he was uncomfortable. Sure hope he gets some itching relief now. He got a different style cone collar that he shouldnt be able to shake off. I feel relieved I can leave him a few minutes now. But Im wondering about tight comment. Is that normal in healing or could incision have been made too tight? He doesnt walk normally yet post surgery, but of course, one incision is in thigh crease. Stitches dont come out until 2 weeks from today.


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

When my big girl was spayed she developed a lot of swelling in her incision and ice packs wrapped in a soft towel held against the incision for 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a day really helped at day 3-5.


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## fandances (Jul 4, 2013)

Ooh, that sounds worth a try tomorrow....thank you Tuss!


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## tra_po (Aug 14, 2013)

Thinking of you and your baby... Hope things take a good turn today.


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## fandances (Jul 4, 2013)

Thanks Traci.

Overall, he is improving but this scampering and scooting thing is concerning me. Its been 5 full days now, shouldnt he be able to walk at least a little more normally yet? I know he has thigh incision too but thought hed be further along.


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

Hi, Fandances - poor you and Tappers, how wretched for you both; Tycho, my Coton (male) had a terrible time when he was neutered and his was a normal, non invasive op. He too scampered and scooted, it was all incredibly distressing and went on for days and days - certainly more than five, over a week as I remember it. He only had Metacam in the way of painkiller (may be a proprietary UK name, not sure). He was in misery but we just waited it out and in the end he was ok. The onesie at least made the scooting less potentially damaging. I do hope you get through this soon, we are thinking of you and Tappers.


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## fandances (Jul 4, 2013)

You had a scooter too! Yes, following after a scamperer / scooter is not fun amd the worst is when it is raining outside during potty breaks. I think he is a little better today (day 7) and i have tapered down his pain meds to almost nothing now. Still obsessed with area though, scampering, and wearing onesie, and cone occasionally....always at night as he cant be trusted.

Vet said his stitches should come out at 14 day point, but he is on vacation then so i have to wait until day 17! That seems so long to me. Wondering if i need to call back and request a tech do it on 14th day. Any opiniions out there on waiting 17 days?


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

This is a pretty comprehensive article on the whole thing, fandances;

http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/male-dog-neutering.html

if you scroll down towards the end you'll get to the bit about post-operative care and removal of stitches, which they suggest happens at 10-14 days; Tappers has had a more complicated operation due to the undescended testicle, so that might account for the longer time till the stitches come out, but I really can't see why you should wait on your vet's vacation!! Surely there must be other vets in the practice who can do the relatively simple procedure of stitch-removal?


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## fandances (Jul 4, 2013)

Hi everyone, happy update: On about 9 days in, Tappers showed improvement, didn't scoot as much, and seemed much happier. Turned into a wild man a few days later. Stitches out on day 17 and incision areas looked great. Now about day 23 or so and he's completely back to normal.   

Well...actually, still tonillitis issue. He was put on 3rd antibiotic for it a few days after his neutering surgery and it's a 20 day course! I may have to post separately about that one after his checkup next week. But he's happy and his normal silly self anyway.


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## Eddie (Feb 11, 2012)

Nice to hear,:hug:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Glad to hear he's doing so much better!


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