The main purpose of spaying a dog is to prevent its reproduction. After the surgical process, how long will the animal be able to remove the cone? To answer that question, this blog post will talk about the benefits of castration and how to recover from the spay surgical procedure.
How long should my dog wear the cone after spaying?
The dog must wear the cone throughout the healing period after surgery. Female dog surgery is a little more aggressive so it takes longer to heal compared to male surgery.
Normally, 10 to 15 days after the surgery, the surgical wound must be evaluated, if everything is healed, the stitches are removed and only on that day the dog will no longer need to use the cone.
Why is it important to spay a dog?
Castration is a very widespread surgical practice among veterinary clinicians, but with few discussions about the benefits and the real recommendations, disadvantages, and contraindications.
Below are some of the benefits and harms of castration.
Benefits of Castration:
- Population control;
- Prevention of breast tumor cases;
- Prevention of reproductive system pathologies such as pyometra, endometritis, among others.
Harms of castration:
- Increased occurrence of tumors such as osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma and others;
- Increased incidence of orthopedic diseases;
- It helps the animal’s weight gain.
Castration can be a useful tool in reducing the incidence of some tumors of the female reproductive tract, such as breast tumors. Through castration we can prevent the development of reproductive system pathologies such as pyometra. And the most common benefit of castration is population control.
However, recent studies show some point against castration, such as the possibility of increased risk of orthopedic problems, obesity, increased incidence of some tumors such as hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, among others, in addition to the risks of surgery itself, including problems with anesthetics.
Even knowing the benefits of castration for dogs, its harm must be considered. Owners and veterinarians must agree on the animal’s general health status, owner’s breeding intent, breed, age and location. Thus, the veterinarian can help the tutor in the decision to spay or not and when will be the right moment to spay a dog, avoiding health problems for the animal.
How is the castration procedure performed in female dogs?
In bitches, the surgery is called an ovariohysterectomy, where the ovary and uterus are removed. In this way, the production of sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone will be suppressed, preventing the animal from going into heat.
How is the post-surgery in female dogs?
The post-surgery period in females is usually easy, but the bitch should avoid physical activities in the first few days. Complete healing of the region can occur between 10 and 15 days after castration.
Every day, tutors must remove the bandage to clean the suture with the help of a product indicated by the veterinarian. In some cases, the dressing will need to be redone.
While the animal is with the sutures, it is recommended that it remain as a cone. The cone prevents the dog from removing the stitches prematurely, and prevents the dog from coming into contact with the surgical wound that can become contaminated and infected.
After 10 to 15 days of surgery, the dog should visit the veterinarian for clinical evaluation of the wound and removal of the stitches. Only after removing the stitches can the dog be without the cone.
Conclusion
With this post we were able to understand the duration of the spayed female dogs post-surgical. Finally, we discussed a little about the benefits and harms of castration and how important it is to decide to castrate with veterinary help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): How long should my dog wear the cone after spay?
How long until the complete healing of the wound of the dog castration?
The postoperative period in females is usually easy, but the bitch should avoid physical activities in the first few days. Complete healing of the region can occur between 10 and 15 days after castration.
How does the female castration procedure work?
In female dogs, the surgery is called an ovariohysterectomy, where the ovary and uterus are removed. In this way, the production of sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone will be suppressed, preventing the animal from going into heat.
What are the benefits of spaying a female dog?
The benefits of neutering a female dog are:
- Population control;
- Prevention of breast tumor cases;
- Prevention of reproductive system pathologies such as pyometra, endometritis, among others.
References
de la Riva, G. T., Hart, B. L., Farver, T. B., Oberbauer, A. M., Messam, L. L. M., Willits, N., & Hart, L. A. (2013). Neutering dogs: effects on joint disorders and cancers in golden retrievers. PloS one, 8(2), e55937.
Hart, B. L., Hart, L. A., Thigpen, A. P., & Willits, N. H. (2016). Neutering of German Shepherd Dogs: associated joint disorders, cancers and urinary incontinence. Veterinary Medicine and Science, 2(3), 191-19
McGreevy, P. D., Wilson, B., Starling, M. J., & Serpell, J. A. (2018). Behavioural risks in male dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones may complicate population-control benefits of desexing. PLoS One, 13(5), e0196284.
McGuire, B. (2019). Effects of gonadectomy on scent-marking behavior of shelter dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 30, 16-24.
Reichler, I. M. (2009). Gonadectomy in cats and dogs: a review of risks and benefits. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 44, 29-35.
Vanderstichel, R., Forzan, M. J., Perez, G. E., Serpell, J. A., & Garde, E. (2015). Changes in blood testosterone concentrations after surgical and chemical sterilization of male free-roaming dogs in southern Chile. Theriogenology, 83(6), 1021-1027.
Witsberger, T. H., Villamil, J. A., Schultz, L. G., Hahn, A. W., & Cook, J. L. (2008). Prevalence of and risk factors for hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament deficiency in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 232(12), 1818-1824.
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