Having a Post Spay Issue - Advice Please
 

I wanted to start a new thread because this is really about Mandie's post spaying issue (not the bees from before).

Okay, here is the set up and I need some tips/advice of anything I can try tonight - otherwise I'll take her to the emergency vet tomorrow (I'm broke but I'll do it)...

She was spayed on Thursday. Thursday night, she didn't eat much but a little and I made sure she drank water by using a big dropper. She pee'd fine. No poop.

Friday - she pooped about 3 almond sized poops. And pee'd normally. She ate really good Friday and drank from her bowl some but not enough for my liking so I still gave her some with the dropper (a pretty good amount several times from morning to night).

Friday night - she pee'd fine and she pooped but only one small piece that didn't even drop off (I had to pull it off her bum).

Saturday morning - she ate a really good amount of food and I, again, supplemented her water with the dropper (I am just wanting to make sure she drinks drinks drinks). First time out, she pee'd and pooped one poo that was about an 1 1/2 to 2 inches long - looked like it had a "glisten to it" so it wasn't hard and dry or anything.

Skip to about 10am Saturday morning - She squated like she wanted to poo (which made sense because she ate a lot fri night and earlier that morning). When she squatted, she yelped and ran back to me. Ever since then, she's had her tail pulled as far down as it will go (like covering that "bad" booty that's hurting) and she sometimes even walks with a walk like she's pulling her hips under her.

Since 10am this morning, she just looked like she was wanting to poo but scared (just me knowing what she acts and looks like). Someone in my other thread asked if she was pee'ing ok. She is for sure. I took her out at about 4pm and watched and it was a good, normal puddle.

Tonight - about an hour ago, she "tried" to poo again - she didn't yelp or cry but she only got one tiny (maybe almond size) poo out, which again needed to be pulled off of her - it didn't drop. She didn't cry but she did cower back to me and is still acting like she's scared to try to poop. She did pee again and it was a very good size puddle.

Is she constipated (even with that good pooh this morning)? Should I try canned pumpkin and/or mineral oil? Any and all advice is wanted and needed! Thanks!

Well, I went and got her some pumpkin and some mineral oil. I'm giving it until the morning unless something else happens. She's sleeping right now.

I've had 2 girl dogs spayed before and I've never seen this issue before. I sure hope it is just constipation but I know I won't be getting any sleep tonight. It's freaking me out!

The fact that she is pooping is good... maybe some fiber would help. It can take up to 5 days for them to return to normal. String beans are good to encourage pooping too. If she's eating just dry kibble, try adding some canned for a few days, and you can add a bit of water to her food too. If she continues, I'd call the vet. Could be a problem with her anal glands. And a little Mineral oil on her butt might help.

Thank you so much for the advice. I didn't think of string beans. I'll try those, too. And, I got the mineral oil tonight so I will definitely try rubbing some on her bum.

She did pee again about an hour ago so I feel good about that. She's sleeping (a little restless it seems) right now. Maybe "mom" will get a nap anyway...

I hope your little girl feels better. You can also try putting her butt under some warm water. It relaxes the muscles, and it might stimulate her to go to poop more.

Is she taking any pain meds? In particular Tramadol as it can cause constipation....we went thru this with one of our girls after her spay.

Well, she had a pretty good poop this morning and another little one about 15 mins ago. Her pee is normal. She walks about 3 or 4 steps every time and stops to reach for her booty.

When I rubbed the mineral oil on her butt, I noticed it felt like she had some swelling/puffy area there. I would call it a hemaroid but from reading everything here on YT and the advice above, I believe her anal glands are swollen. I'm taking her to the vet as soon as they open in the morning to see. She is obviously very uncomfortable. After she pooped this last time she immediately sat back on one of her hips and held the opposite leg up off the ground.

To answer the pain med question above. She is on Rimadyl. They gave her a dosage of 1/2 tablet 1 time a day.

Mandie's at the vet right now. He tried expressing her anal glands even though he said he didn't think they needed it. He got a little bit of stuff out he said..not much. He's giving her an enema right now and told me he wanted to keep her for about an hour.

I just want my little girl to quit feeling so bad down "there"! :(

All pups are different about their anal glands. With one of mine, they can be almost bursting and the pup acts fine. My other one, if she gets the slightest bit of fullness, she won't eat and just lays about looking totally miserable. So it really depends on the dog.

Also, after the surgery, all the drugs/anesthesia, fasting, lack of exercise, etc. can play havoc with the anal glands, as the poop moving through is what causes them to empty on their own. After surgery of any kind, I put mine on a bland diet for a few days, just to make it easier on their system. I don't know if your vet suggested this for her or not. It won't hurt to do chicken and rice till she's feeling a bit better.

I hope mandie feels better.

Aww best wishes for Mandie. I'm sure she'll be right as rain real soon.

Let us know how she is after the vet stay.

Ok, so no call from the vet after almost 2 hours - I called them. The nurse said that "she's being stubborn" (I'm sure she was teasing but it made me mad...she's not being stubborn - she's scared to try because it hurts). Anyway, she said they gave her the enema and took her outside and she ran around straight for the fence (like trying to get out). They brought her back in and she pooped 2 grape-size poops on her towel in her cage. They wanted her to do more than that (and so do I!! geesh).

No call still, so I just called again. Nothing new - she still won't go. They want me to wait it out thru lunch, when the place is more calm and quiet and maybe she'll relax and go. If not, the vet will decide if she needs another enema or if something else is causing her the discomfort.

I mean, she hasn't pooped as much as she's eaten over the last 2 days..not even close, but she HAS pooped. Something is hurting her down there when she does - she poops a little and shakes and shivers and will sit back on one hip and raise the other leg up off the ground.

I'm going nuts here at work. I just know she's scared and uncomfortable and Mommy isn't there. :(

Just wanted to post an update on Mandie's situation:

They kept her all afternoon and she wouldn't "go" so they sent her home because they thought she was just too anxious there. As soon as she got home, my hubby took her out and he said she pooped a good poop right away.

She only pooped a couple of peices with me this morning but around noon I was informed she pooped a lot and it was dark at first and then regular color..not hard or runny. So that's good.

My concern is that she is STILL doing the thing where she sits on her back hip and raises her leg up in the air. And when she walks, she'll look back at her butt a couple of times and then sit (as described above). So, to me, her butt is still bothering her. I hope it gradually gets better and it really was just constipation. (this is why I'm not the Dr...cuz I feel like it is something else).

I'm giving it another day or two for her to quit looking like it's bothering her. She was sent home with stool softners to take 2 a day for a few days.

Also, other than her obvious butt-bothering-me issues, she seems perfectly spunky and happy (to the point we are having to separate her from her brother because she wants to play too rough). She eats really well and drinks really well. I'm sure I'm being over dramatic and the Vet knows what he's talking about.... lol

So far, so good. I'll still keep my fingers crossed for a little while longer. :luvu:

Hoping she's feeling better soon...