• The last time I had a dog neutered was my Max over 16 yrs ago. Back then, They kept them overnight. I remember thinking my poor little boy was just going to be moping around and listless and was shocked that he came roaring out into the reception area like nothing had happened!! He had regular stiches and had to wear a cone. I'm sure Keoki will be just fine–especially with such a good mom looking out for him 🙂


  • When I had my first basenji neutered, he was still a little groggy when I brought him home. I felt sorry for him and laid down on the couch to take a nap with him on top of me (sort of "oh poor doggie" move). Understand that up to this point, he had never been on any furniture. I thought he was pretty groggy and I would only take a quick nap, he'd never notice. Silly me - that couch became his favorite place from then on. 🙂


  • I would never ever leave my dog overnite UNLESS I was totally sure that the office had overnite care. You all would be surprise how many offices do not…
    Unless it is a Vet clinic with 24hr ER care, 90% do not have anyone there overnite and it is something if they are telling you to leave the dog that you need to find out. Also, I believe that 99% of the time they are better off at home in a place they know....
    Also, I have never had to keep a cone on them... I made my own e-collar that consists of a piece of step tread (hard rubber) cut to fit from the throat to the beginning of the shoulders, wrapped in a towel and then duck taped around... works as good as a cone and still gives them movement without as much restriction...


  • @tanza:

    I would never ever leave my dog overnite UNLESS I was totally sure that the office had overnite care. You all would be surprise how many offices do not…

    My Vet usually keeps them overnight and when I asked about night time staffing they verified that no one would be there. I told them that I wouldn't have the surgery done unless they would agree to release her to me. They were agreeable and just put her down to be the first case. Funny side note: When I took her in for the surgery, the head tech announced to the others: "Cory has to go home this evening. She's a basenji." She said "basenji" in such a solemn and drawn out way that it sounded as if she was announcing that I was bringing in a Bengal Tiger to be spayed. You could almost imagine the theme from "Jaws" playing in the background. Cory is doing well. My not quite 2 year old grandson came over this morning and when he saw Cory in her tee shirt and cone, he got so tickled. I think he thought we dressed her that way for his amusement.

    Pat


  • My vet feels animals do best recovering at home when ever possible. The normal routine is for the dog to be dropped off at 8am for bloodwork, if everything checks out then surgery is at noon and they are supposed to be picked up at 4-5pm so that they can be monitored after coming out of anesthesia.

    When we had Nicky neutered 2 years ago, I told the vet's office that Nicky would probably scream and howl if they left him unattended. He has been banned from kennel we took him to for the weekend when my husband and I got married because he screamed for 2 days straight. I asked if after they did the blood draw for the bloodwork if they would like me to take him home until surgery time. They said "No, we can always check on him and make sure he is comfortable and quiet." At about 12:30, I get a call asking if I want his teeth cleaned while he was under and to let me know to stay by the phone because once they were ready to bring him around they would want me there to pick him up immediately. It turns out that they did try to put Nicky in one of the cages in the back to wait for surgery and as I warned them he screamed and howled. In fact, he screamed and howled so loud that every store in the shopping center called to complain about the noise. The only way they made it through the morning with him was to have him with one of the doctors while they were doing charts that morning. So I arrived promptly as he was waking up and took him home. He was quite happy to be able to curl up in his own bed with his own girls to keep him company for the day.

    Nicky is Cory's great uncle.


  • And when it come to the cone, Nicky has another story for those. When he was almost 2 years old he caught a flu that was going around. It caused diarreah and vomiting and the vet I had at the time was very concerned about dehydration. They decided that they wanted to keep him overnight to recieve IV fluids. 3 hours after we took him we get a phone call asking us to come pick up our dog. We come in and are told he ripped out 5 IVs and ate 2 Elizabethan collars. The poor tech had no idea how he had done it. She never left him alone for more than 30 seconds since he would howl and scream so much but every time she walked away he would eat through the cone rip out the IV and begin to scream. They decided that sub-Q fluids were a much better option for him.


  • @lvoss:

    And when it come to the cone, Nicky has another story for those. When he was almost 2 years old he caught a flu that was going around. It caused diarreah and vomiting and the vet I had at the time was very concerned about dehydration. They decided that they wanted to keep him overnight to recieve IV fluids. 3 hours after we took him we get a phone call asking us to come pick up our dog. We come in and are told he ripped out 5 IVs and ate 2 Elizabethan collars. The poor tech had no idea how he had done it. She never left him alone for more than 30 seconds since he would howl and scream so much but every time she walked away he would eat through the cone rip out the IV and begin to scream. They decided that sub-Q fluids were a much better option for him.

    I can relate to that too, when Kristii has surgery for the liver tumor, she ate 1
    E-collar and 6 IV lines…. and they would send her home with the IV hookup closed off and Vet Wrapped and they kept telling me that I need to "hog tie" her to stop her from ripping out the IV needle... I told them she will not touch it and that I don't have to put the cone one, crate her, nothing... of course they didn't believe me until she went back the next day for her check up after surgery and to have the line removed... there was not a mark on the Vet Wrap... she couldn't have cared less about that since she was home and comfy in her own house...


  • And can anyone explain "why" you would leave a dog who just had surgery in a place with no one there? And how in the world can any Vet think that is a better option??? Really is beyond me…


  • @tanza:

    And can anyone explain "why" you would leave a dog who just had surgery in a place with no one there? And how in the world can any Vet think that is a better option??? Really is beyond me…

    My thoughts exactly!! And it seems to me that the Vet wouldn't want the liability of having newly post op animals un-tended. I think people watch the animal vet programs on Animal Planet and think that is what it is like at their local Vet's office. Not hardly!!

    Pat


  • @BasenjiDiva:

    My thoughts exactly!! And it seems to me that the Vet wouldn't want the liability of having newly post op animals un-tended. I think people watch the animal vet programs on Animal Planet and think that is what it is like at their local Vet's office. Not hardly!!

    Pat

    Remember however, 90% of them don't even tell anyone that no one is there… which to me is just wrong to begin with.... and if I ever had a Vet tell me they "must" keep overnight with no one there, you can rest assure I would be finding another Vet and quick
    And you are totally right about AP.. and what people think... My Vets if they think that the "human" can't handle what is going on with a dog will refer them to a 24 hour care for the overnight hours.... they never keep one over night....


  • @tanza:

    Remember however, 90% of them don't even tell anyone that no one is there… which to me is just wrong to begin with.... and if I ever had a Vet tell me they "must" keep overnight with no one there, you can rest assure I would be finding another Vet and quick
    And you are totally right about AP.. and what people think... My Vets if they think that the "human" can't handle what is going on with a dog will refer them to a 24 hour care for the overnight hours.... they never keep one over night....

    Well, yeah – and dont' they usually say they want them kept overnight "for observation"? How can that happen if no one is there.

    Of course, I feel the same about hospitals for humans. The staffing is limited and.....not as diligent at night. I'd never leave a kid of mine in the hospital overnight w/out sleeping in a chair next to them.

    Anyway, our vet also prefers to have the animals at home, so I should be getting Keoki back by 5:30 or so.
    Am dying to know how he handles the crate there 😞 AND how many of them he tries to remove fingers from when they mess with him in there, LOL> :
    He's a dream for me {not the other family members} at home, but if anyone else mucks with him when he doesn't want to be mucked with, that is a whole different story. :eek:


  • @JazzysMom:

    Well, yeah – and dont' they usually say they want them kept overnight "for observation"? How can that happen if no one is there.

    Of course, I feel the same about hospitals for humans. The staffing is limited and.....not as diligent at night. I'd never leave a kid of mine in the hospital overnight w/out sleeping in a chair next to them.

    Anyway, our vet also prefers to have the animals at home, so I should be getting Keoki back by 5:30 or so.
    Am dying to know how he handles the crate there 😞 AND how many of them he tries to remove fingers from when they mess with him in there, LOL> :
    He's a dream for me {not the other family members} at home, but if anyone else mucks with him when he doesn't want to be mucked with, that is a whole different story. :eek:

    Honestly, if he is that bad when messed with (and also add the stress of the Vets office).. they will muzzle him…. typically they do not risk anyone getting bit....


  • Okay, we're home. Keoki sailed through – as you all said he would! -- and we are trying to figure out how the heck to keep him down. He is acting as if nothing happened. Jumping up, running, etc.
    I can't crate him because he still wigs out in there.

    Any ideas? Or how important is it, really, that he remain calm?


  • @JazzysMom:

    Okay, we're home. Keoki sailed through – as you all said he would! -- and we are trying to figure out how the heck to keep him down. He is acting as if nothing happened. Jumping up, running, etc.
    I can't crate him because he still wigs out in there.

    Any ideas? Or how important is it, really, that he remain calm?

    Personally, I don't think it is that vital. It is more important after a spay, obviously. But I definitely wouldn't crate him…he would be more likely to hurt himself in that situation. I doubt he will push it if he starts to have a little pain. Is he glued?


  • @Quercus:

    Personally, I don't think it is that vital. It is more important after a spay, obviously. But I definitely wouldn't crate him…he would be more likely to hurt himself in that situation. I doubt he will push it if he starts to have a little pain. Is he glued?

    I totally agree with Andrea… I would not worry too much about it... just keep an eye on him... and while they are pretty silly, doubt he will really do something if it starts to hurt. Did they give him pain meds?


  • His sutures are internal, so there's nothing to chew. He is leaving the site completely alone.

    We did get Rimadyl – 25 mg tablets - but I haven't given him one yet. They are for pain and inflammation, so I thought I'd give him one tonight before bed to help prevent any swelling.


  • @JazzysMom:

    His sutures are internal, so there's nothing to chew. He is leaving the site completely alone.

    We did get Rimadyl – 25 mg tablets - but I haven't given him one yet. They are for pain and inflammation, so I thought I'd give him one tonight before bed to help prevent any swelling.

    I doubt there will be much swelling… and I would not use the Rimadyl unless you really need to.... of course I am not a fan of Rimadyl


  • Glad to hear he's back and doing fine. Be sure to give us a status report today…


  • @tanza:

    I doubt there will be much swelling… and I would not use the Rimadyl unless you really need to.... of course I am not a fan of Rimadyl

    The site looks good this morning. I did give him a Rimadyl last night, since I wanted him to sleep well and not bother the site.
    I think now that may have been a mistake.

    Maybe a little pain would be a good thing. He's behaving perfectly normally, actually a little more nutsy, I think, after being contained all day yesterday.
    I hope he knows what he's doing…....:)

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