# Acting Strange 1 Week After Spay



## MsDaisy (Feb 12, 2017)

We had Daisy spayed at 11 months old 8 days ago. She has had one heat cycle that ended two months prior to her surgery. The incision is healing fine and looks good. No redness, discharge, etc. However, she still will not eat her food without chicken broth or human food mixed in. She is normally very food oriented. She will eat most of it only with chicken broth mixed in. It just seems strange for over a week after surgery! Also, she has been occasionally whining for what seems like no reason. Again, more than 7 days after surgery. Although she certainly could be in pain, I don't think she is - she has a lot of energy, really wants to run and play, and does not hesitate to jump on the couch, try to do zoomies in the yard, etc. She had a vet check up three days after surgery and they said she looked great and she will snap out of the whining and not eating. Has anyone had a similar experience? How did it resolve? I feel so bad for her / guilty  

Thanks


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

A spay is major surgery, like a hysterectomy for humans. It can take a while for the dog to recover properly. Also, your dog's hormone system has been turned upside down, so she's almost certainly feeling a bit odd. Give her time. We humans tend to regard spaying as just a routine thing, but it's not. It's a big thing for a dog to go through.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

MsDaisy said:


> We had Daisy spayed at 11 months old 8 days ago. She has had one heat cycle that ended two months prior to her surgery. The incision is healing fine and looks good. No redness, discharge, etc. However, she still will not eat her food without chicken broth or human food mixed in. She is normally very food oriented. She will eat most of it only with chicken broth mixed in. It just seems strange for over a week after surgery! Also, she has been occasionally whining for what seems like no reason. Again, more than 7 days after surgery. *Although she certainly could be in pain, I don't think she is - she has a lot of energy, really wants to run and play, and does not hesitate to jump on the couch, try to do zoomies in the yard, etc. *She had a vet check up three days after surgery and they said she looked great and she will snap out of the whining and not eating. Has anyone had a similar experience? How did it resolve? I feel so bad for her / guilty
> 
> Thanks


Yikes. Did your vet not tell you to keep her quiet and restrict running, jumping and playing for at least two weeks? Her wound may look fine, but her insides were cut apart and need to heal. She should not be doing any activity like that. My guess is her insides hurt, and I would be worried that internal stitches may have ripped. I would go back to your vet (or a different one) and have her checked. Normally a dog is restricted to on-leash walks for two weeks after spay. Almost nothing the first few days, then slowly working up to 30 minute walks by the end of week two. They shouldn't be running, or jumping up on couches, or playing or having zoomies.


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## MsDaisy (Feb 12, 2017)

Thanks - understand it's a major surgery. I'm more wondering about others' experiences with off appetites and occasional whining where other times there is energy and her typical happy go lucky personality. It sounds like 14 days is a bertter bench mark. She's not been permitted to do zoomies, that's why I said "try" and that she "wants" to run and play. I used those examples to illustrate that she has energy and is willing to move around. She is restricted to leash walks and wearing her cone for 10 days per the vet's instructions. It sounds like 14 days is a better activity restriction, especially if her behavior is not completely back to normal. She goes up and down the couch on her own while we're not home as she has free range of the house. It's not an exuberant jump. Her couch is her happy place and we were only told to restrict her from there and from any stairs for three days, which we did.

Edited to add - happily, since my post she has not whined. However, her appetite has not returned. Here's hoping it improves over the next couple of days.


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

I would trust your instinct and just call the vet and see what they say. If nothing else, it will alert them to how she is doing so if you do call again, they will know better how to respond. Maybe try slowly reducing the amount of chicken and broth. Perhaps she's just being picky because she wants the good stuff. Maybe see what happens if you just leave it and picking it up if she doesn't eat it after 20 minutes or so. Then see what happens the next meal time. I think missing one meal wouldn't be a problem and I think if she was hungry enough, she would eat it.

The whining could just be because she's bored. My girl had knee surgery two weeks ago and she gives me death stares once in awhile as if she is saying, "Can you please get me out of this room before I lose my mind?" She's like yours too, trying to climb on the couch and getting zoomies.

Anyway, I don't know that what I've said is helpful but that's what I was thinking. I'd give the vet a call and see what they say.


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