Mary Allen
Neutering is now a routine procedure. Nevertheless, it is a significant operation for your animal.
Letting him play and romp again right away could disrupt the healing process or even cause the stitches to burst open.
In this article you will find out how long you have to rest your cat after castration.
In a nutshell: How long do I have to rest my dog after neutering?
Your dog has undergone a surgical operation during castration, in which the ovaries or testicles have been removed.
He has to recover from the operation after the operation. So that the surgical wound does not become infected or tear open, you should take it easy with your dog for a while.
The healing period is about 14 days, as long as it runs without problems. This is also when the sutures or staples are removed.
What should I watch out for after castration?
It is important that your dog is allowed to recover after neutering and that the wound is healing optimally by the time the stitches are removed.
In addition to the follow-up care by the veterinarian, you should consider the following points:
1. Let the dog rest and sleep
Your dog needs rest, especially immediately after the operation. The anesthetic will last for some time afterwards. He may also feel pain when the effect wears off.
Your dog will initially feel little urge to run around. Give him the time and give him the rest and sleep he needs. Sleep also promotes wound healing.
2. Careful with food & water
Your dog should be fasting on the day of the surgery. Because of possible after-effects of anesthesia such as vomiting, you should wait until noon the following day before feeding. The first meal should only consist of half a ration.
Fresh water should always be available to your dog.
3. Restrict movement
You should keep your dog indoors for two weeks to prevent the castration wound from tearing open and to ensure optimal wound healing.
Your bitch or your male dog can go for a walk again the day after the castration. You should limit yourself to 3 walks of 15 minutes each during the closed season and keep your dog on a short leash. The wound must not receive a move.
For this reason, your male or female dog should not climb stairs after castration. Your dog should also not jump up or down on sofas or in the trunk.
4. Promote wound healing and avoid infection
The wound must not get wet, dirty, or licked over the two-week period.
A neck brace, abdominal bandage or body is helpful here and should be worn over the entire period.
Follow-up examination at the vet
The castration wound should be checked again by the vet the day after the operation. If you notice secretions on the scar, you should also go to the vet immediately.
Threads or staples are removed after two weeks if the healing process is good.
Conclusion
If there are no problems such as inflammation or the seam coming undone during the two-week rest period, the stitches are removed after 14 days.
From this point on, your and your dog’s usual daily routine is no longer a problem. However, do not overwhelm your dog immediately, but slowly increase the amount of exercise over the past two weeks.