How do you keep a puppy down?

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
easy child's puppy was spayed on Friday. We picked her up yesterday noon and the vet said to 'keep her quiet, keep her from running or stretching or jumping' - FOR TWO WEEKS?? How do you DO that??

She is a puppy. She is little. She is an instigator. She steals our clothes and socks and shoes and drags them around the house. She jumps off the tables and chairs and beds. She zips around from one end of the house to the other. She starts fights with the other dogs. She is not a mellow puppy (what puppy is?)!

She is on pain medications but no downers. God, how I wish we had some doggy downers...seriously. I asked the vet for some but she sort of looked at me in a funny way that made me feel awkward. Maybe it's me, but this dog needs some Qualudes...anyone remember those?? Hahaha.
 

everywoman

Well-Known Member
You may have to crate her to keep her calm. Especially during the day when you will be at work. Poor puppy----can they take melatonin????
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
EW, thanks, she will be crated when we're not home. It's when we are home...lol. She's pitiful in the crate when we're home. I've even cordoned off areas to keep her from running wild. She's just so darned cute! But, of course, we have to keep her stitches safe.
 

Tanyacon

New Member
Try Benedryl. Just 1/2 a tablet at first since she's a puppy, the other half if it doesn't seem to have any effect on her.
Benedryl is totally safe and won't cause her to act drugged and loopy, it will just keep her calm and help her sleep more. I give it to foster dogs who are scared of storms. Works wonders.
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
TWO WEEKS???? I've never heard of two weeks of restricted activities after a routine spay! A few days at most ... Our vet takes the stitches out after a week.

All three of my girls have been spayed. All three had their surgeries early in the morning and were home by noon. The first day they mostly sleep, drink a little water, maybe eat a few bites late in the day. Mostly they just sleep it off in their crate. By the second day they were up walking around the house, eating and drinking normally, and walking down the steps by themselves to get outside to potty. By the third day, they were running through the house, eating like little piggies, and wrestling with each other. They bounce back really quick - if they didn't feel well enough to be up and around, they wouldn't be doing it! I wouldn't let them run wild and I wouldn't allow any REALLY rough stuff, but they don't need to be crated for two weeks! They'll hate you for it!
 
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Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
My girls were always two weeks. Although vet told us they could "light" play after a week.

Mine were kept in solitary. lol Gated into a room with a few stuffies, no excited play at all., I got them chew bones instead to keep them occupied. Crated whenever I couldn't watch them. Or if they were getting too worked up.
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Yes, two weeks. And our vet keeps them for 24 hours too. I dropped her off on Friday at 7:30AM and picked her up at noon on Saturday. When I had my two older dogs spayed, they came home the same day.

I can see the light play for 2 weeks, but like it's been said, if she's up and running, she is likely ready. We just have to slow her down a bit so she doesn't tear anything. Her stitches dissolve!!! How cool is that?
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Thanks for the replies.

I am definitely going to look into getting something to ease her separation anyway, as well as her activity. This little puppy gets so nervous when she sees us getting ready to go out. She starts shivering and tries to make herself real small - as if she will disappear!

Anyway, I put all her favorite toys and some treats in her crate this morning and she seemed okay when I left. I heard her give out one good bark, but I think she will be fine. I go home at lunch time to check on her and then easy child gets home at 1:30-ish, so she should be okay.

Incidentally, does anyone know anything at all about incontinence after surgery? She seems to be peeing very often - I mean OFTEN, as in not quantity. I will take her out and she will squat a few times and then within an hour or so I will find teeny tiny little pee puddles. I mean, the size of a couple tablespoons - not a lot. Just curious - I'm calling the vet anyway.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
2 rocks and a string? I dunno - brought pootie home from the spaying and she was literally OUT running in the yard the next day. I got a large oversized dog cage and had been working with her prior to her surgery so she spent a lot of QUIET time - in there.
 

jal

Member
Our Boston was spayed in Aug and she was kept over night too. It was 14 days for the stitches to come out. She was running up and down the stairs the day we got home. As a matter of fact the cushioned carrier I brought to take her home in was too small so she was not crated in the car and she jumped from the back seat to the front the first stop I made. I was so panicked! She survived like a trooper - no pain medications either. Good luck!
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Obviously, we're talking about some very healthy young dogs - the recovery time is so short and their capacity to bounce back is just amazing! If I didn't have trust issues with our dog Sophie, I wouldn't even crate her - I'd let her loose in the kitchen. But Sophie may decide to eat her because she's just so darned cute!:D
 
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