# spay concerns



## louise (Dec 5, 2008)

Ellie is due to be spayed next week - she will be about 6 months or just over.

The vet will keep her overnight and they do have staff there all night.

I've seen posts here about using something called a "onesie" and I gather it's a kind of shirt/diaper that covers the stitches? I would like to get some in advance because I know this extremely active dog will have trouble staying still and trouble not going after the stitches.

If I used a onesie would I be able to avoid using a collar?

I also read here about inflatable collars but I don't know where one gets them.

So, where do I get a onesie and if they are sized, what size would be correct for Hav between 9 and 10 lbs? And where might I get some kind of collar that is kinder than the cones but would still protect her from herself?

Thanks. - I wish I didn't have to do this .....

Louise


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*I think it is harder on us than them...*

I hesitated to do it to my little Daisy. I felt very sad that so much had to be removed...and I fretted over it so.

Her surgery was done at seven months, she came home sleepy but more than fine and you could hardly believe she had any surgery at all. I had a heck of a time keeping her from jumping off or up on furniture!

I know it sounds sort of silly, but getting Riki neutered was easier. My concern is that he would mark in the house...for Daisy, I just fretted so...and for no real reason.

I don't have answers to where to get the softer cone, we used a regular one and it was sort of pathetic. So I am glad they have newer easy ones to use. Daisy went to the bathroom outside as she usually did, just on the sidewalk and not in the grass.

She healed beautifully. All I can do is reassure you that it isn't awful. They heal fast, and then you don't have to worry so much about other boy dogs bothering her...they will leave her alone and she will feel safer.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

I was a nervous wreck before Smarty’s spay at 18 months in the fall. She had no problems at all. I bought baby oneses at Wal-Mart but she would not wear them, did more damage trying to get them off. The hard collar was a disaster. By the time I found out about inflatable collar she was just about well and keeping her wound clean by licking, so I let her do it and all is fine. In fact my vet says unless they are trying to tear out the stitches leave them alone. Warning: the stitches can get very red & angry looking for a while and still be fine. Un-natural swelling in the abdomen would be of concern.

My Petco had the inflatable collars. 

Good luck, she should be fine, but I understand your worry.


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## deejay (Aug 19, 2008)

I bought a bunch of onsies at a childrens consignment store. They cost 25 cents so i bought lots.I though my little female poodles looked lovely in them.


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

You can get the blow-up collars at Petco or Petsmart.
She really should do fine with her spay. But I know how unnerving it can be!
She will be sleepy for the first day. She will get better each day. With one of my girls, she did this hunched up shuffle thing when she would walk for a couple days. But she ended up just fine.
Hang in there and use this time to spoil her to death! *grin*


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

Louise~ A onesie is the baby shirts that snap in the crotch. Here's pix of Tori in her newborn size (she weighed only about 6 lbs. at that time) It is unsnapped in the pix because I was able to watch her at that time. I was fortunate, she didn't have any external stitches. Her vet used glue. But, I used the onesie to keep her from licking and irritating the incision anyway.


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

Don't worry! She'll do fine. I used a cone with Dusty--didn't know there were other options. It was hard. She would not leave her stitches alone for a minute and had to wear the cone for the entire 10 days. I don't think a onesie would have done any good with her, but the inflatable collar would have helped. Indie did fine with a onesie when she was spayed. I got them at Goodwill in the 9 month size. Indie is about 9.5 lb and kind of long in the body. They fit her just right.
Here's a onesie photo link:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3125457
You will probably have to wait and see what your girl will need, but I'd have the onesies and an inflatable collar on hand just to be prepared.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

I've had several girls spayed and have used all the options except for the blow-up collar. They are all beneficial, but my favorite was when I used a satin belly band (which is normally used to keep males from marking). It covered the incision loosely, but we didn't have to remove it to go outside to go potty and it didn't hinder her movement (which was unfortunate after a couple of days because I caught her breaking into a run).

Here is a photo of Cookie:


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Oh, Kimberly, that is a clever idea! I like that belly band idea!


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

The Onesie baby clothes worked great for Lola - except for an accident or two when I wasn't watching her. She also got some matting under her arms from the onesie.

I bought a blow up collar at Petco, but didn't need it and returned it. There is also a collar called Bite Not that several forum members have used. It is the same idea as the inflatable. I'd have one on hand in case.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Bite-Not-Collar-Each/dp/B000FUMI82/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1233768092&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: Bite Not Collar 5" #3 Each: Home & Garden[/ame]

Many of us have been told to not let our dogs leap or jump for fear of opening the incision, but nearly everyone who has a quickly recovering dog has had trouble restraining their happy puppies on day 2 or 3. You'll need to make that decision when the time comes. I let Lola go and she did just fine. She was completely stoned for 2 days, though. And then had trouble lying down. They are tough, these kids.


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