My 6 month old just got spayed and has constant diarrhea since. Is there something wrong or is this normal?

Question

Just had my 6 month old spayed on Friday and brought her home on Saturday. She seemed quite normal. Took her out to potty a few hours after getting home and her poo looked fine but the time after, and ever since then, she's had bad diarrhea. Even diarrhea'ed in the house :( . We have to constantly take her out every few hours and it doesn't appear to be getting any better yet. She also seems to struggle when pooing.

The vet that performed the procedure said that she can have her regular diet, just keep her exercise limited at first so we've been giving her her normal puppy food, just a little less than usual, and have been limiting treats and edible chew-toys.

Also as recommended, we are giving her two 37.5mg doses of Rimadyl twice a day after food.

I am by no means a vet or an expert on animal behavior or health and am starting to worry that this has been going on 3 days now. Is this something that may be typical after surgery or is this a reason of concern?

Thank you in advance

I was going to wait until tomorrow to call the vet to ask since they are closed yesturday and today. We've already spent a good chunk of money after a urinary tract infection 3 days after adopting Lucy and other checkups and expenses of raising a puppy. I know that her health is a major concern, but economically, I can't afford to take her to a vet or emergency hospital with too much frequency. Any advice or answers from people who are knowledgeable in veterinary medine is much appreciated! Thanks!

Besides the diarrhea and sleeping a bit more than she normally does (which I think may be the result of the Rimadyl), she seems to be fine and her normal crazy self. She still tries to run around and gets hyper, and my wife and I calm her down because we're worried too much movement may cause problems with her stitches and other post-op stuff.

Thanks to all of those who replied!

Besides the diarrhea and sleeping a bit more than she normally does (which I think may be the result of the Rimadyl), she seems to be fine and her normal crazy self. She still tries to run around and gets hyper, and my wife and I calm her down because we're worried too much movement may cause problems with her stitches and other post-op stuff.

She's up to date on all of her shots and medications. Her diarrhea still varies from mushy poo to very watery.

Thanks to all of those who replied!

Answer 1

Diarrhea is a common symptom for a lot of different problems. The fact that your dog was recently spayed may be completely unrelated to the problem she is experiencing now.

My biggest concern would probably be intestinal parasites. Even if your puppy has been wormed, regularly, there are so many different types pf parasites out there that it's unlikely she's been treated for them all. I would definitely get her to the vet and have her checked out. Most parasites are fairly harmless if they're found and treated quickly, but many can be deadly if they are not.

Until your vet opens and you can give him of her a call, you can give your dog Kaopectate to help sooth her system a bit. (Up to one ML per pound of body weight) This will not solve the problem, just help with the symptom until you can get the problem solved.

Since diarrhea can severely dehydrate a puppy, it's also important that you keep her well hydrated. You might consider purchasing some Pedialyte from the baby section of your grocery store for her and encouraging her to drink up. Unflavored is best. You should also offer her a bland diet. This can be anything from plain, boiled chicken and plain white rice to chicken or turkey baby food.

Answer 2

Skip a meal, give her tummy a rest. Give her some plain canned pumpkin and a bland diet. Boiled chicken and rice or low fat cottage cheese and rice or chicken or lamb babyfood and rice No dog food for 3 days, blend dog food in gradually over 3 days till back on food. See vet if diarrhea continues or if there is any blood.

Call the vet as soon as they open, they shouldn't charge you much since it may be a reaction to the Rimadyl.

Yes this is a reason for concern. If the diarrhea is allowed to go on they can get an irritated bowel and further issues, including dehydration. Keep clean fresh water available. Feed small meals 2 to 3 times daily.

A bland diet should help til you can talk to your vet. Also take her temp. if you can. A fever may indicate a more serious issue.

Answer 3

Hi, i can understand your worries, vet bills are expensive. However, if this has occurred since her operation then the vet is obliged to do a post op check up free of charge.

Things you can do at home are stopping all puppy food and all treats and putting her on a strict chicken and rice diet until the problem stops, then when it does, gradually mix the chicken and rice in with her puppy food over a ten day period.

The problem could be a reaction to an antibiotic injection she will have had during her op and if so will stop when it works its way out of her system. The rice and chicken will help.

I would also stop the rimadyl, it can often cause these problems in certain dogs and three days after her op she will have had sufficient enough pain relief.

Does she seem happy enough in herself, is her tail wagging, is she eating well? If so, dont worry too much just do what i advised with the food and meds and she will be fine!

If not, you will have to take her to the vet!

Answer 4

It isn't expected for a dog to have diarrhoea after an op, no. She may be a little upset after the op but two days later, she should be back to normal by now.

I certainly think you should ring the vet for their advice. In the mean time, I think a bland diet is in order to help settle her stomach - chicken and rice little and often. You can also pick up bland diet dog food from pet shops that are chicken and rice based.

How bad is the diarrhoea? If it's just soft poo this may be fixable at home with veterinary advice, but if it's really quite liquidy then you should probably take her to the vets. Certainly take her to the vets if blood appears in it.

One last q for you, has puppy been wormed regularly? Always a question to ask of a puppy with diarrhoea!

Chalice

Answer 5

Post Op Diarrhea

Answer 6

The most common cause, if she isn't vomiting along with the diarrhea, is the wrong kind of food. But she should see a vet, because she may be extremely dehydrated and need IV fluids for a while. the IV fluids also give her system time to heal before she goes back on solid food. See what food the vet recommends, & take his advice. There are a lot of products out there, & they aren't all right for all cats.

Answer 7

I have worked in a vet for 10 years now and there are a few things it could be ....now a i read you adopted her if you adopted her with in the last month it colud be a virus she contracted in the shelter but under normal circumstances was able to fight of, but now since she under went surgery her imune system is compromised and is allowing the virus to take over ......also it could be due to the medication you are giving her rimadyl and some other antibiotic cause loose stool and stomach problomes, you can try taking her off the rimadyl for 24 hours and see how that works for you,, try feeding her a bland diet like chicken and rice.. .. .it could also just be from stress ....but you know your dog, usualy your dog is back to almost normal within 24-30 hours after sx , but if your dog is not acting like normal it could be more serious......

Answer 8

Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://biturl.im/aUO6f

A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.

Answer 9

Spaying is a big operation, they go inside. I would take her back, they shouldn't charge you for a office fee, and will give you a medication to get the poop more solid. I would feed something softer like chicken & rice also, it will make her stomach feel better.

Answer 10

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