# Any advice for keeping puppy calm after surgery?



## Ken Clean-Air System (Feb 27, 2012)

Our 21 week old puppy, Jasmine, had her spay surgery yesterday. She came home yesterday afternoon groggy, tired, and uncomfortable so, other than feeling bad for her and being concerned about her mood and recovery last night was pretty easy. 

Today, however, despite the pain meds she was prescribed, she is back to 90+% her crazy self. She's eating like a horse, drinking plenty of fluids and when not dozing, she is raring to go. She wants to play, chase cats, run around, all the things she normally does. 

While I am thrilled that her mood, energy and disposition has returned so quickly, I am concerned that she is going to damage her stitches and/or slow the healing process. Her appointment to have the stitches removed isn't for two weeks, and I have no idea how we are going to keep her relatively calm until then. 

Anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance for any suggestions and/or insight.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Crate rest if she's very rambunctious. We didn't have a problem with any of ours though.


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## Bismarck (Oct 10, 2009)

yeah crate rest.
give her a kong stuffed with peanut butter and kibble to occupy her mind.
work on obedience, sit, down, stay etc...


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Ken Clean-Air System said:


> Our 21 week old puppy, Jasmine, had her spay surgery yesterday. She came home yesterday afternoon groggy, tired, and uncomfortable so, other than feeling bad for her and being concerned about her mood and recovery last night was pretty easy.
> 
> Today, however, despite the pain meds she was prescribed, she is back to 90+% her crazy self. She's eating like a horse, drinking plenty of fluids and when not dozing, she is raring to go. She wants to play, chase cats, run around, all the things she normally does.
> 
> ...



And I thought is was crazy when mine acted the same way They gave me pain meds for three days, I stopped after 2 days. The dog never acknowledged the incision and it was so small that I had to really look. We didn't have the stitches that had to be removed. I let her play and if it got to crazy I did put her in her crate-much to her dismay I think we should consider ourselves lucky...I didn't even have to use a collar I did limit jumping for about 5 days, then I inspected the incision to make sure she wasn't doing any damage.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Sometimes a snug t-shirt will calm them down. Don't know why but it seems to help.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Agree with all of the above and I typically phase out the meds more quickly because lets face it, they have way different pain receptors than we do to play the way they do. If someone roughed us up like that, we'd be put up for weeks!

I do leash potties, leash walks, no running (the one puppy I could not contain - GoodKharma's Rosa - got a seroma, so I've learned that yeah, you do have to be strict), leash tethering and crate rest with goodies. 

XOXO to that beautiful girl - I absolutely love her!


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## Ken Clean-Air System (Feb 27, 2012)

Thanks to everyone for the advice. It should be easier in a couple more days when we can actually take her for leash walks again. Our vet recommended against any walks, other than around the yard and for potty trips for the first few days. She has been pretty good so far, but it's tough sometimes to stop her chasing the cats around the house and stuff like that. The e-collar seems to mellow her out a bit, since she absolutely despises it, and we will try the t-shirt idea as well. 

Thanks for the kind words Jean. As much as I hope Lily finds her forever home soon, I secretly hope she is still with you next time Jasmine is healed from the surgery and able to come visit at Pet Supplies Plus on Saturdays again. She does so enjoy shoplifting with Lily! 

Might as well attach a couple pics of Jazz and the dreaded e-collar.


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