I got my little man neutered and microchipped yesterday at the local humane society. When I brought him home in the evening, he was understandably out of it a bit and trembling. I put him in his crate to rest which he did. I took him out a little bit later and tried holding him on my lap to let him know he hadn't been punished and he was a good boy, but of course when I would go to move him it would hurt and he would yelp. At one point he tried to stretch like he normally would which of course caused him pain. He yelled out then looked at me with those big sad eyes saying "mommy what did I do wrong to cause me this pain?" I put him back in his crate and he curled up in his bed and that's where he spent the night (normally he sleeps with me, but I didn't want him trying to jump off the bed during the night).

This morning he was acting much better, eating well. I left him out of the crate for the day while I was doing yard work, and he stayed quiet (for him anyway) as far as I could tell, though when I would come in he would be up on the couch sleeping. He seemed okay for most of the day. But now tonight, he's acting just like he did last night. He's walking slowly, he's trembling, and when I went to gently pick him up, he yelped. I put him in his crate, but he's just sort of standing there like he doesn't want to move, and he's still shaking. Did he just make himself sore during the day from walking around and getting up on the couch? The incision area is a dark pink and just a little puffy, as would be expected from fresh surgery. Not an angry red or hot to the touch as would indicate infections. I panic very easily these days as I don't have the funds for much of anything let alone the outrageous costs vets charge now just for simple things (like walking in the door). So I always imagine the worse. And its been 8 1/2 years since I last had a dog neutered, and that was my great dane, a breed which is mellow and relaxed anyway. I know my chi is confused as to why it hurts to walk, and its making him afraid. And that's making me afraid too.

When I picked up Lion after his surgery,he slept most of the day and didn't want to walk.. He just looked confused because it hurt him a little. The next day he was still on pain medicine so he was out of it, but the 2nd day after surgery he was back to normal.

It sounds like your little guy might have overdone it. Has your vet given you pain meds? I took both of my dogs to a low cost clinic, and I was given 2 days worth of pain meds. It would definitely help make him more comfortable.

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Thanks LS!

This was done at a local humane society shelter. They give them pain meds after surgery, but they don't give you anything to take home. I've taken many feral cats there to be fixed, but they just go right back outside and I don't see them again for a day or so and by that time they're feeling better. This is the first time I've had a pet done there. People take their pets there for fixing all the time. To have him neutered, microchipped and a rabies shot cost a total of $70. Had I gone to my regular vet for those things it would have cost close to $200, money I don't have right now.

I had mine done at an animal shelter as well, they have a spay/neuter clinic as part of their shelter. Can you go get pain meds from your vet? They aren't very expensive, you probably would only need a days worth.

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Thanks LS!

I can call them and ask, but I have a feeling they're gong to tell me that since they didn't do him, they can't give me any meds without seeing him first, which of course they'll charge me an office visit fee for.

Like Lion, Teddy was pretty much back to normal two days after surgery. Right after the surgery, he was very cold and tired. He was snippy at my Jack Russell (who was just innocently curious but kept trying to get up-close-and-personal, which freaked Teddy out) and seemed confused and sad about why he was in so much pain. My heart broke for him because I felt like *I* had caused him undue suffering! But the next day, he slept a lot, and the day after that he just wanted to play and was back to his old self. I had to try to rein him in after that in order to keep him from injuring himself accidentally, haha.

Don't worry. I know it seems like the pain must be terrible in the very beginning, but they seem to recover pretty quickly. If he's not all better within a week then I would go back and see if there's not something else they can do for you. Until then, just keep checking the incision and don't mess with it unless you have reason to suspect an infection.

I honestly can't remember giving Teddy pain medicine at all.. Maybe I did, but I'm not sure.

EDIT: I forgot to add.. I was lucky enough to be home all week when Teddy was neutered. He kept trying to lick the incision but I was there to stop him. Make sure your boy doesn't irritate the wound by licking at it.

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Thanks to Jan for my siggy!

That's how I feel. Though this is by no means the first dog I've ever had neutered/spayed. But its the first one to show any reaction to it. I've had females spayed who by the following morning acted as though nothing at all had happened to them. The only difference is all the other dogs were bigger breeds. Maybe that has something to do with it.

I work at a wildlife hospital, so I'm used to dealing with sick or injured animals. But when its one's own pet it hits one differently. The wild animals don't look at you with those big sad eyes (they don't want to look at you at all. LOL). And the one thing I want to do...pick him up and cuddle him... contributes to his pain. Even making him sleep in his crate instead of next to me under the sheets I feel makes him think he's being punished. I just hope the same memory lapse that normally makes him react to my being gone for an hour as if I've been gone for a week, will also help him get over all this quickly. And unfortunately, I do worry. Its become one of the things I do best.

It so happens I'm on vacation right now. I made a point to have him done during this time so I'd be home to keep an eye on him. But he really hasn't been licking. Once or twice he acted like he wanted to, but a quick little "no" and he didn't bother. Even the vet at the shelter said he hadn't been licking while he was waiting to be picked up.

The second night after the neuter seems to be a rough one. The meds from surgery have worn off and I usually give them a dose of Metacam I have always around. But before I had it, I usually let them rest in their crate and by the third day post-op they perk up and are close to normal.

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Thank you Jan for the wonderful siggy!