Newly sterilized dog care

What is castration?

Castration is the removal of gonads male (testicles) or female (ovarian ovaries, or only ovaries).The surgery in which the testicles are removed is called " orchiectomy, "or" orchidectomy."The removal of the ovaries is" ovariectomy, "and if the elute is also removed, it will be called" ovariohysterectomy "

Isn't it the same to castrate as to sterilize?

We refer to castration and sterilization interchangeably, but is not the same .Sterilization implies leaving the animal without the possibility of procreating, but that can be achieved with the techniques used in human medicine called "tubal ligation" in females, or with "vasectomy" in males.

The gonadas would continue there and if these techniques were used in dogs they would continue to produce hormones and do to the animal respond to its instinct to reproduce.And that is precisely what we want to avoid, as well as the action of sex hormones that eventually cause many diseases in female dogs (breast tumors, deutero infections...), and in dogs (prostate hyperplasia), in addition to marking, aggressiveness or tendency to escape.

so much, even if we talk about care in newly sterilized dogs, and use that term as a synonym for neuters on a regular basis, we must remember that it is not the same, and that what brings benefits for our dog is castration.

Care in recently sterilized bitches

To remove the ovaries and elutero you must access the abdominal cavity, so our dog will return home with one or several incisions in the abdomen .Surgery can be performed:

• By laparoscopy : We will see two small incisions above and below the umbilicus, which we must monitor the days after the intervention.We will be instructed to clean the incisions every day with serum, until the points are removed.Sometimes the points will be reabsorbed alone without the need to remove them.
• Conventional midline approach of abdomen : We will observe a small incision a few centimeters below of the navel.The size will depend on the size of the dog, whether or not she has been jealous, whether she is thin or obese...
• Approach on the flank : We will observe the incisions behind the ribs.

In any case, regardless of the technique, we will be asked that our dog do not access the points the following days, using Elizabethan collar or cotton shirts to avoid licking.They will also guide us postoperative analgesics (meloxicam, carprofen...), and according to the veterinarian's criteria, they can Tell us an antibiotic for the following days.

The dogs should recover in a quiet, warm and comfortable place for a few days, where the appearance of the incisions can be checked daily (if there is suppuration, if inflammation appears , redness, heat...) and where we can observe the possible appearance of abnormalities after surgery.If it is a dog that lives on a farm, they will ask us to take it to our house for at least a week.

If the incision has been very large, despite analgesics, it can cost you to have a bowel movement, so sometimes they can indicate a soft diet and some oral lubricant, such as olive oil in the food.They will emphasize the need for report any er adverse reaction to the drugs that will guide us (vomiting, diarrhea...), and avoid too abrupt games, jumps or uncontrolled runs for at least a week, since no matter how small the incision, it can always appear a hernia.

Won't the males chase her anymore?

Be careful the first few days, if the dog was close to her next heat, or in the days after it, It will continue to officially smell a "female available" for some time and the males will continue to harass her.It is best to give her a 7-10 days before joining her with the rest of canine friends in the park or areas of recess.

Sometimes, the special hormonal cycle of bitches plays tricks and breast milk may appear after surgery, and/or maternal behavior, known as pseudogestacion or psychological pregnancy.Our veterinarian will tell us how to proceed in both cases, although infrequent, they can be quite annoying for our dog.

Care in newly sterilized dogs

In the case of males the testicles are removed by means of a incision in front of the scrotum (leather bag that covers them).Other veterinarians choose to perform it on the scrotum, but It is not such a popular technique.Given that it is not necessary to access the abdominal cavity, dogs generally recover faster, but the recommendation to recover in a warm and calm environment and control physical activity about days, it is the same for males and females.

We will be prescribed a post-surgical analgesic type meloxicam a few days (some less than in females), and monitor the incision for at least a week.Oral antibiotics are not usually rewritten to take at home, but it depends on each specific case.The points can be removed after 7-9 days, or can be absorbed (they disappear by themselves after a more or less long period of time).

Surveillance of Appearance of vomiting and/or diarrhea in the days after surgery, are equal p For both sexes, in the case of the male, the surgery is shorter and usually takes less post-surgical medication, so the risks of these symptoms diminish, but do not disappear.

We will be recommended monitor the appearance of bruises in the scrotum, by the pressure exerted on it to extract the testicles, as well as the appearance of rashes or irritation in the area of ​​the scrotum and surroundings (it is the most sensitive skin of our dog's body, and you need to shave it for surgery).

Do males have to wear an Elizabethan collar?

Of course, it is necessary for the dog to wear an Elizabethan collar the days after the surgery, or the itching that arises after shaving the hair and being born again, will impel them to lick by taking the stitches.And by "drying", the points may pull the skin slightly and be somewhat annoying.

And if bruises or irritations appear?

Creams for irritations if In addition to those of the babies, they can help us if the irritation appears in the scrotum, but they should never be applied to the points or near the area of ​​the incision.Some ointments for bruises that contain some product that undoes clots (pentosan), can be advisable if a scrotal hematoma appears.

No longer chase females after castration?

The days after surgery, male dogs remain fertile , so it is recommended to exercise caution and avoid going to areas with females without neutering the week after the intervention.In addition, it will take a few weeks to remove all the hormones from the blood, and it should not be stirred after a general anesthetic When smelling females in heat.

As always, each dog is a world.This basic care that we propose from Animals and Pets Online can complement those that your veterinarian indicates, do not hesitate to consult with the specialist any situation on abnormal that happens after the sterilization of your dog.

This article is purely informative, at Animals and Pets Online we have no power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis.We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in the event that he presents any type of condition or discomfort.

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