The crate will be your best friend. Otherwise, I find it helpful to block off any access to any stairs and such, so pup is forced to stay down and quiet. They're generally slow and quiet the first few days on their own, anyways.

I also find a cone helps, even if they aren't licking, because they can't see/move around as well, so it stops them from doing everything full tilt.

As for recovery, if I am not mistaken, they want you to keep them some what quiet for 7-10 days as long as everything goes well.

As far as the dog park - I'm pretty sure they recommend only allowing them in the yard for the first week - and then leashed walks until the incision is completely healed. Helps avoid infection and the rough and tumble.

Atleast this is what was recommended when my beagle had her bladder surger two months ago - and recovery time and such is very simmilar to a spay, except a bit longer (we had to keep her quiet for 10-14 days)

Thanks for the fast reply! And is 16 weeks too young? Gosh, I've been reading about this online and there's a plethora of stories about "spay incontinence" with young dogs.

I had planned to wait until five months (she's four months now), but during the last two visits to dog parks, she was assaulted by male dogs! I wonder if she's coming into heat early...and that's why I'm having her spayed NOW.

Anyone here ever heard of "Spay incontinence"? Is it a big problem?

There are several different schools of thought on when is the right time to spay. However, with smaller dogs, you probably want to have them done before 6 months because they do tend to go into heat sooner than a large dog.

I don't think 4 months is all that young. Unfortunately spaying may not stop the assault of male dogs, they don't always seem to care if what they're doing is productive or not. BUT I think if you are at all worried about her coming into an early heat, you're doing the right thing.

If I remember right, we had our beagle done at just 5 months old. Generally the guideline is 5-6 months, before first heat.

As for spay incontinence, it's always a risk, despite people thinking it only happens during early spays. It may be slightly more likely - but it's still extremely uncommon and spaying before a first heat helps prevents problems that are much worse than spay incontinence.

I had my Sheltie spayed at just over 6 months. My big concern was the urinary tract infections possibly caused by inverted vulva's. Hers is iffy and I was considering waiting until she actually came in to heat. Anyway, I decided to go ahead since there is no guarantee that it will stay protruded after the heat cycle. And dealing with a dog in heat is a PITA. I've not heard of the incontinence.

With mine I just restricted her to the kitchen/family room. I didn't want her going up/down the stairs. Also, when I took her outside I would always leash her. And the first three days I carried her up and down the stairs of the deck. I kept her on a leash for the first week. I didn't want her running around and chasing the squirrels.

I had her spayed at a clinic. Spaying is such a run of the mill procedure, I wasn't going to pay some outlandish fee for the operation. Your pup should be fine. The clinic did call and check on her.

I would wait a full two weeks before going to the dog park. You don't want her going at full speed. Though it's hard, try to limit the bouncing.

One thing, if this is your first Sheltie you should be aware of various drugs that affect this breed (and Collies) in a detrimental way. There is a certain heart worm medication that is a no-no. I'm always questioning the vets since my last Sheltie was overdosed and then they tried to pass it off as vestibular disease. That one in particular was always very sensitive to all medications.

I think you'll be surprised at how fast she recovers. I've fostered many spayed/neutered dogs in the past and never had to keep them contained. I didn't allow them to go bouncing up and down stairs but after 24 hrs they were usually doing what they wanted around the house.
All my dogs seemed to know their limit and slowed down the first couple of days home (drugs also played a part!). They were all back to normal in less than a week.

I would avoid the dog park until she's completely healed.

Well, she was spayed yesterday (Sunday morning) and keeping her quiet is well nigh impossible. We tried walking but she doesn't walk - she boings and bounces and jumps and goes crazy.

As I write this, she's in her crate, madder than a wet hen. I let her out every two or three hours and tether her to me and try to keep her calm. After about an hour (when she finishes the current bone she's chewing on), she goes back to being nuts and back in the crate.

Tell me again all this crate time won't make her crazy as a bed-bug? I don't know what else to do. The vet said she had to be quiet - and NO jumping - for seven days.

Rose

I had a hard time keeping our puppy restricted, too. The first thing my pup did upon arriving home was to jump up on the couch - I had her on a leash, but didn't see it coming.

To keep her good in the house, I normally run her a lot. During the time her activity was restricted she got into a lot of trouble in the house (kept trying to chew up stuff that wasn't hers). Stock up on new chew toys, and keep an eye on everything that isn't nailed down.

My vet said we could leash-walk as much as we wanted, as long as we were keeping an eye on the incision. So we did that a lot, but I ended up letting her run around the yard after a few days.

The only restrictions I really followed for the entire 10 days was keeping the e-collar on, and not letting her play with other dogs. Once the stitches were out, my vet said it was fine to resume normal activity, which she did immediately, with no problems.

Good luck!

Take her for slow walks on level ground. The idea is if you are going up and down hills you are more likely to stress the incision. Maybe do short five minute walks every hour. Will give her something to occupy her mind. As the week progresses you can add more time to her walks. Just keep an eye on her incision.

Then I would just corral her in the area you are in, but place chairs or something around the furniture so she's not jumping up. Give her a kong and toys and just let her be. Unless you have kids running around she should calm down. Heck I'd be mad too, if you locked me in a crate! They do have an enormous amount of energy.

Good luck with your pup.

The younger they are, the faster they recover. Usually within 10 days they can be allowed back to their normal rough and tumble behavior.

I couldn't keep my 6 month old shepherd-hound mix calm. I even tried 3 different "calming" drugs that had little to no effect. Her incision was fine, but she did develop a seroma, which is a pocket of fluid around/behind the incision. It wasn't dangerous, but not ideal. It had to be drained twice.

Your pup might benefit from a doggie downer. Ask your vet about ACE or benadryl to make her drowsy and calm. Even though they had no effect on my dog, they might help yours. Generic benadryl would be my first choice because it is inexpensive and any leftovers can be used by the humans in the house.

Well, it's been a rough few days. She's a sheltie and I guess they're super high strung and she would not be quiet, even with being on a leash. Between that and licking the surgical incision, she developed an infection.

So, on day four it was back to the vet and now she's in the crate 20+ hours a day which she just hates but I don't know what else I can do. She's on antibiotics and doggy downers but the doggy downers only work for three or four hours and then she's back to the "puppy on crack" routine.

As I type this, she's miserable, sitting in her crate, whining most of the time and wearing an e-collar.

We have another vet appointment next week to check on the healing process. I thought puppies healed faster???? She's only 17 weeks old (now).

Rose