Gettin' her spade

[wormfood]

We've got an appt. at the vet for this upcoming Monday to get my 6 mo. old choc lab spade. Going to drop her off in the morning and pick her up that same evening. Any advice or fore warning as to what to expect.

Doc says no running, jumping or acting like a pup for a week!

[Finfinder]

We got our yellow lab spayed in July when she was about 5 months old. She didn't act any different then the day we brought her in. I've been told they lay around and are sore, but I think when they are young it is much easier on them. The vet did tell us to keep her from running and jumping, we did the best we could, she had no complications.

[Dano2]

I had both my labs spayed, and its unreal how they are up and about the next day .
I would say to watch out for the puke.
I let one of mine ride with me in the truck on the way home, and she let it go about half way home all over my center console and floor.
the second one, I had to keep an eye on her, and clean her kennel a few different times so she wouldn't be laying in it. I think its from the anestetic (spelling?)

[wormfood]

Thanks for all the tips. I'll be sure to bring a barf bag along for the ride home.

[TundraKing]

The only thing I can recommend is to take them out to go to the bathroom more than you usually would for the first day. With that soreness sometimes they can't exactly tell if they have to go or not, and they may inadvertantly start going right where they stand.

[woodman]

Our 14mth yellow lab is there right now. I pick her up this evening.

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Keep the lines wet!

Woodman

Today's Tackle
Air Plugs

[LMITOUT]

Had my GSP spayed at 6mo old in June. She was obviously groggy and not very active when I brought her home. Slept most of the evening and by the next day she was pretty much back to normal (full throttle). Hard to keep them from jumping around though and it made me cringe everytime she did. Everything went fine.

[First Ice-Mike]

I would ask for some taste deterrant right away - especially with a lab. When I got my lab spayed she would not leave the stitches alone for anything. We watched her as much as we could, but it was impossible to watch her all the time. Woke up one morning to go to work and she had a couple pulled out. I had to take her back in and get staples put in - then the vet gave me the spray stuff to put on the incision. My question was why didn't he give me the spray stuff the first time? - then we would have never had this problem and it wouldn't have cost me the $60 to get the staples put in. Thats an extra $60 in his pocket I suppose. So I'd say get the spray stuff and watch for the dog licking the stitches.

FI

[LMITOUT]

My vet used internal stitches and I was happy that he did knowing my GSP's activity. She would lick the area a little, but knowing there were no stitches to pull on gave me peace of mind.

[Dano2]

Hey first ice, I know what you mean.
My older lab had her side ripped open, and had to wear one of those lamp shade things for about a month. every once in awhile I fealt sorry for her so I would take it off, while superviseing ofcourse, and her face would go for them stitches faster than I can count to one. She almost got one of the drain things out once.
Then after the vet took some of the stitches out and said she didn't have to wear the head gear anymore, she just wouldn't leave it alone, and actually made it bleed a little again, so i took it upon myself to make her wear it a little longer.
off spade topic, but just fealt like shooten the ****

[wormfood]

Well, she's home and she's not enjoying life too much. Turned out she had a slight hernia so the cut was an extra couple inches long and she pretty wiped out when we picked her up. She yacked after we got her home and she was very lethargic. Then she started licking the stitches last night so she was fitted for her lamp shade and wow, talk about sucking the life out of a pup... poor gal was looking pretty humiliated.

This morning she was a bit better and now she's wandering around the house knocking everything over with the lamp shade - including our kids! Now she's got 3 weeks to heal up before I take her out to chase some birds... we'll see.

[Swamp Scooter]

Hey wormfood,

Just a suggestion on her recovery. When you get her healed up again I would be very cautious on hitting the fields and woods too hard at first. Just because she has the stiches out does not mean all the muscles are back full strength.

Imagine if you had your appendix out and then you had only 3 weeks to heal up before having to go to a physical all day job.

Water conditioning will support her body weight and allow her to stretch out a little more for the first few weeks. They do recover faster than we do but you do not want to aggrevate a hernia healing either.

good luck and know the lamp shade comes off soon.

[Dano2]

The old lampshade, heh.
I fealt sorry for mine when she had to wear it, but it was abit humerous at times.
She has to find that perfect spot in the yard for going to the can, and she would be walking around lifting her head up and down trying to sniff for that perfect spot, scooping snow in the air with that lamp shade.
wish I would have video taped it.

[wormfood]

Scooter - yep, I'll only be taking her out for a couple walks that next weekend. She may even get to stay in the truck depending on how the cut looks once the stitches are out.

The timing of the surgery kinda stinks since re-coup time will be a while for her to be 100%.

It is also fun to watch her walk around the house and get stuck on a wall with the lamp shade opening up against it. Poor pooch, doesn't realize the fun she's having... I'll have to break out the video camera just to save the memories.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

I did my golden at the same age. Didn't affect her behavior at all. She ended up getting a fluid filled cyst around the incision probably from me not holding her back enough but that healed without incident.
Try to limit her activitiy because she won't.

[wormfood]

It's been a week and she's doing really well. The incision is staying nice and clean and she's graduated from wearing the lamp shade most of the day to just at night - I could probably trust her without it at night but I just don't want to risk it.

The one big change I have seen is that since we're not throwing frisbee's and getting her out to run she is becoming a big lazy pup! No problems there though, we'll get her running soon.