A dog castrate is a routine procedure in veterinary practice, but I think it’s always a good idea to know about the aftercare for this procedure before you book in, so you know what to expect and how long your dog’s recovery is going to take. Although we refer to the operation as “routine” or “minor”, it still involves the surgical removal of his testicles – and it’s not routine for him! So in this article, let’s have a look at some key points of the recovery that we need to know.
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What to expect when you collect
Each dog recovers differently. Some younger dogs go back home bouncing around whilst some others – especially older ones – take a bit longer to recover, just meaning they’re still looking a bit sleepy when going home. In fact, even the enthusiastic bouncy pups will often crash out when they get home and be sleepy that night. That’s not abnormal, and isn’t usually anything to be worried about. When you collect him from the practice, a nurse will discuss the post operative advice with you if they haven’t already. This is the time to ask questions.
The wound
There is going to be a surgical wound, usually on the skin between the penis and scrotum. And remember that in most cases, his scrotum will still be there, as an empty pouch of skin. Normally it is just the one wound, but this depends on the situation. Some dogs have retained testicles which means the other testicle isn’t present outside the body cavity with the other. This then requires another wound to be able to remove it. The important thing to remember is that, in terms of healing, all wounds are the same and they all heal in the same way. It doesn’t really matter about how big the wound is or how many stitches they have, it all heals the same.
So, with the wound, he may have gone home with stitches that we can see on the outside. If so, these skin sutures will need removing around 10-14 days. Alternatively, he might have received what we call intradermal sutures – which means the sutures are under the skin so do not need to be removed. Either way we still look after wounds in the same way. The wound needs to be monitored until fully healed.
We don’t give instructions on cleaning the wound as we don’t need to do that, and we don’t cover wounds as they are usually better to be aired. In addition, we can see what is going on. Before leaving the veterinary practice it’s good to check the wound before you leave so you know what it should look like.
Wound interference.
It is very important that dogs aren’t allowed to lick their surgical wounds. Some people think “oh one lick won’t hurt” – but a dog’s mouth is full of bacteria and that one lick could lead to infection. Also, once they do begin to lick then they keep wanting too. Licking can lead to infection which then means wound breakdown. Then wound breakdown means an open, infected wound which will take longer to heal.
To prevent patients licking at wounds buster collars are given, also known as the cone of shame! These are a great way to stop them licking, probably the most effective method. Your dog might protest at first but he can still eat and drink with them on. The only thing you need to watch for is the back of your legs!
However, if he really struggles with a cone, other methods to prevent wound licking are medical pet t-shirts. Quite a few practices have these now and they are very popular. They are basically like a babygrow which fastens around the dog’s tail. They need to be fitted nice and snug so no noses or tongues can sneak under for a lick. The only downside is they cannot go to the toilet with them on! They usually cause a lot less stress than the buster collar. I find a lot of owners opt for pet medical t-shirts these days. We do always advise that buster collars and/or t-shirts are kept on until the wound has fully healed, which again in around 10-14 days. It may seem a long time from now but in the long run it’s a short time compared to the time taken to manage a badly infected wound!
Pain relief
Pain relief is always given after this procedure. Dogs normally go home with what we call a NSAID, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, to reduce pain and swelling. This can be in the form of a tablet or liquid – which product is given depends on the veterinary practice’s preference and the suitability of your dog as an individual. Pain relief tablets or syrup is normally started the next day as they will have been given an injection during the procedure that lasts 24 hours. The medication given for home is normally given for 5 days, again though this can vary if needed. And if you think he;s still sore, despite medication, always give your vet a call – there are always extra drugs we can give to top-up his pain relief if needed.
Exercise
As a nurse I always find this the hard bit to tell owners about, because we know it’s hard not letting your lively, very healthy dog not exercise. I also find that the next day after the surgery most dogs act like nothing has happened and are back to their normal selves, which is the hardest part! It’s great to see them well but at the same time really difficult to keep them quiet while they heal.
Exercise is a very important thing to control in recovery. My normal protocol for exercise is to keep restricted for the first 3 days, so no walks, toilet breaks only and if they’re going to run around the garden then they must be on a lead. Once they have had their post operative check, normally at day 3, then if everything is OK I’ll say you can begin short lead walks until the next check-up.
We find that doing too much exercise (e.g. running around the house like a crazy dog!) will cause problems with the wound and its healing process. This is also the same with running up the stairs and jumping on furniture, always keep them down, don’t encourage them to jump as it could lead to wound breakdown. Some people have always crated their dogs, so if your dog is used to a crate then I would use this for resting them in. If you don’t have a crate, then confining them to a room where they can’t jump up and down on anything is handy.
Feeding
After any anaesthetic dogs will be drowsy, they will have been starved prior so they will also be rather hungry. I always recommend feeding a bland diet on the night they go home. Feeding them something nice and rich when they could already be feeling a bit of nausea might make them feel even worse and even vomit. Nice small bland meals will do the trick for recovery. Alternatively, your practice may supply a nice bland diet in the form of a tin of meat. Always ask them to see what they have got.
Follow up appointments
Post Operative appointments are normally around 3-5 days and then 10-14 days. These are appointments made with a nurse to make sure your dog is recovering well and to check their wound. If there are any concerns before this then I always say to see sooner, never delay.
Complications
Complications do not happen every time, or even most cases – in fact, I would say they are quite rare/ However, we must be aware of what can happen and what to look for.
The more common complication is wound breakdown
This is when the wound is just not healing as it should. There are various reasons for a wound breakdown. One reason could be a suture reaction. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t know if a dog is going to react to the suture material until it does. The sutures are in effect a foreign body, but the body will naturally break them down. Wound breakdown can also be caused by wound interference, which we have already discussed.
The other common complications are clipper rashes
The scrotal and penile skin is a sensitive area to be clipped – but at the same time we must clip this area to prevent any hair going into the wound, and to keep the site sterile. Bruising around the wound isn’t uncommon, always make a note and keep an eye on this to make sure it doesn’t progress. Fortunately, a clipper rash will usually resolve on its own, although if it seems very sore or you’re at all concerned, give your vet a call and they can prescribe a cream or other medication to help speed up the process.
Another complication is scrotal swelling
Sometimes the scrotum does swell and it does look like the testicles haven’t been removed. We promise that they have – it’s swelling inside that empty sac that gives this appearance. It isn’t normal but at the same time it is pretty common. This swelling does normally go down with ice packs, rest and the NSAIDs.
Occasionally, swelling is caused by a haematoma, which is often due to a bleed in the scrotum. In these cases, the scrotum tends to swell more and more, and become very bruised and painful. If you notice this happening, then get him seen by a vet as soon as possible. Usually, the bleeding is a minor trickle and can be stopped with pressure bandages, but very rarely the vets may have to operate again. This can be caused by them doing too much or can happen before they are discharged.
Serious complications are very rare – we do a lot of these ops and we do know what we’re doing!
However, if you ever have any concerns about any complications, then always speak to your vet.
Conclusion.
Dog castration is routine, and many practices do a lot of these daily. That said, I think it’s always good to read up and be prepared. Some people like to book a few days off work, so they are with their dog for the first few days which I often think is a great idea. Don’t rush into this procedure, it is an elective procedure and doesn’t need to be done immediately. If you have any questions or concerns, always speak to your vet or nurse.
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