# Elza's spaying



## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

So today we went for a check up with Elza to book her in for spaying. I wanted keyhole spaying for a long time but we also knew Elza has a small umbilical hernia so we needed to see the options. The hernia is quite small but the Vet said that with keyhole spaying he would have to do another incision to repaire it so he suggested to do normal full spaying instead of 3 small cuts. 
I'm trying to be rational and not feel so stressed about it. It has to be done, we are living in a busy city (without a garden right now) and we will never breed her. She's going to be almost 19 months old at the time of the surgery and she went through 2 heat cycles, this is as much as we could do for her to grow up to a healthy adult vizsla. 
She also has that wart on her face which she has caught a few times and made it bleed so the Vet will freeze it off. I would have left it if she wouldn't go under but since she is its better be done. 

She's going in next Tuesday (4th) so please wish us luck!

Also those of you who already went through this could reassure me with a few words please? :-[ :-\

A nervous momma...


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

You were close to spot on with growing cells and complete development 

I chase 24 months

You did well 

luck is darts horse shoes and Swedish human lawn darts ;D

She will be swell pick a Finisher Tested 

great job

Mommy


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

It sounds like you are doing the best you can.
That's all a person can do.
I always get nervous anytime one of mine has to be put under, staying busy helps.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Wishing Elza a safe surgery and a speedy recovery!! 

You've done well to keep her intact for so long. Be sure to mention to your Vet that some Vizslas have sensitivity to some anesthetics. The anesthetic of choice for the Vizsla breed is ISOFLURANE gas. I think that nowadays most Vets use it, but it never hurts to mention it. Will be thinking of her on the 4th. Please be sure to keep us posted!! She'll be fine.


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## pippylongstocking (May 21, 2012)

Adrino - hope everything goes ok, and wishing Elza a trouble free, speedy recovery. I know it must be a very worrying time. Ester is currently having her second season, at 15 months. We are hoping to have her spayed later this year, around the same age as Elza. I think I will be a complete bag of nerves on the day! xxx


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

She will do great  Not sure if you read Threefish's blog (she's not on the forum anymore but I think on old posts her blog link is on there) but Riley just had her spay last week and she has blogged about their experiences and she's doing great!


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## SkyyMax (Apr 5, 2012)

Adrino - Sending good thoughts your way!

Elza will be a little tired after the surgery, but she will be back to normal in a couple of days.
Skyy had a blood work before the surgery to check how she will handle the anesthesia, this test was optional, but it gave me a piece of mind.

Wishing Elza a successful surgery and a quick recovery!

Please update when you can.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Thank you all for your kind words and well wishes! I'm already a wreck... :-[ 

Specially since it turned out our regular Vet has given us a worming tablet that doesn't kill lungworms and this Vet that does the surgery said that lungworms cause complications during surgery... It's too late to give her the treatment before surgery since it takes about 3-4 weeks for it to work and we cannot wait any longer with the spaying. Obviously we don't know wether she has lungworms or not but (I doubt she does) its still a risk we had to take. I think we will be changing our regular Vet, there has been a couple of occasions we weren't happy with them. 

Milesmom, I didn't realise threefsh has left the forum too. We are losing great members of the forum recently. It's not good! 

I'm not wishing this week away but I want this surgery to be over now and to be sure everything's going to be fine! :-\


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## Angie NG (Jun 6, 2012)

Hi adrino, we are in the same boat. We've just booked Bella into be spayed and she will be 15 months. She has had 2 seasons and hasn't grown for months so if all goes well she will be having it done the 1st of August. 
With my husband being in the army life can be busy, he is off work 3 weeks in the summer and Bella will be at the 3 month point so the vets will do it then. She is a daddy's girl so the timing has worked out well for us.
I hope Elza makes a quick recovery and it all goes well, keep us posted


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Adrino, Elza will do GREAT. Hang in there. It will be such a relief to be on the other side of it all...


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Today is the day... 8 1/2 hours and we'll be dropping off Elza at the vet for spaying. :-[ :-\
It's the first time I have to do this to a family pet. I feel terrible and scared at the same time. :'(
I hope she won't have any bad effects after this change in her body. 

Can't sleep, have to be up in 6 ours...


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Everything will be all right. However much you worry right now is not beneficial to your health. 
You have to trust the doctor will provide the best care for your little dog. 
I watch happy movies the night before a big meeting or big event. Seems to take the edge off. 

Best wishes.


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Everything will be fine. The hardest part is keeping her down for 10 days and that awful lampshade on her head 

Good luck!


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Elza will be back to herself in no time at all. I had to go through it with my last dog. (the hardest was having to put down a very sick 14 year old dog many years later). Just continue to monitor the incision and give her lots of extra love and attention. Oh wait we are talking about a vizsla! it's not possible to find any more love or attention unless you scrape every last inch of your soul. I know it's hard to say don't worry. She is in good hands and it's kind of a necessity....... but I have to go through it again in the future with Dharma and all the other female vizsla owners who have to get it done too.... We're here for you.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

I share your worry adrino, although I'm sure there's nothing to worry about . Ruby is booked in for her spaying on 26th of this month, it's her 2nd birthday on 21st, what a meany birthday present lol!


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## SkyyMax (Apr 5, 2012)

Adrino - 

Today is the big day for both of you - I am not worried about Elza, she will be fine (it's her Mom I am more concern about).

Best wishes!!!!

Think positive and give your baby hugs and kisses!


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Thank you for the kind words, we just called the vet and can go and pick her up! :

Apparently everything went well, I was so worried... :-[ :'(

Will update you on her once we got her back.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Yes, please keep us posted about Elza's recovery!!


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Ooookaaay! 

Elza's back. She was very good in the car, didn't move at all but as my other half tried to put her in the car she managed to jump up!!! 😱
Not a good start!!! 😳

Anyway she's till quite dizzy after the anaesthetics and was trying to fight it but now she seems to sleep. Bit shaky though and seems like she's in a bit of pain. She cries a bit every once in a while. 
They gave us some special food just for tonight and tomorrow she can have her usual diet. I only fed her a small amount which she ate well. But she didn't drink at all. I wet my hand which she has licked but its still not enough. Took her out twice but she only poopooed then just stood there staring into space. It's quite heart wrenching. 😔

So far the cone is off, she barely moves around. I will use it all night though. 

She had quite a lot of things done along spaying, freezing off the wart on her face, cleaning and stitching up the gash on her face, cutting her nails and repair her umbilical hernia. 

My poor little lady, she's just laying there crying again... Don't know what to do.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Aw, poor little thing... Probably what she needs most right now is rest. Sleep is a good thing. Keep trying with the water, though. She will heal, but tonight and tomorrow will be the most difficult for her. Maybe you could offer her a little water spiked with low sodium chicken broth, just to encourage her to have a drink. Did the Vet give you any pain meds for Elza? 

_p.s. I know what they say... the pain will keep her from overdoing it right now. But still... I guess I am just a real softy._


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## lilyloo (Jun 20, 2012)

She looks quite pitiful! Glad everything went well, hope she feels better but doesn't give you too hard of a time with trying to run around too soon.


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Make sure you get pain meds or some sort of sedative for her. My vet sent me home with none and called back and demanded them after I saw Ruby. She was lethargic the first day and then she was bouncing off the walls the next (thus the sedatives).

Elza went through a lot in one day. Some rest and cuddles will help and I'm sure she will be better tomorrow.


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## KB87 (Jan 30, 2012)

Poor thing! It's probably best that she's a little out of it as opposed to being wild and crazy. 6 hours post surgery our boy hurdled the back of the couch and then fought his sedatives when we would give them to him. After a good nights rest she'll be feeling MUCH better- such a rough day for a little lady!

I second the sedatives 100%. Once she gets feeling like herself again she'll be acting like nothing happened. It's definitely better to keep them calm and sedated than to have to go under again for more stitches. Our vet send us home with sedatives the day of his surgery and then offered a refill the next day when we had to take him in to have his stitches checked on after he hurdled the couch and bolted up the stairs :

There's no keeping a good V down!


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## SkyyMax (Apr 5, 2012)

mswhipple said:


> Aw, poor little thing... Probably what she needs most right now is rest. Sleep is a good thing.
> Did the Vet give you any pain meds for Elza? [/i]


Skyy came home after the surgery with 3 pain pills (1/ day), I wanted to keep her comfortable, but only gave her pain medication for 2 days, she was back to normal by the 3rd day. 

It could take 24 hours for the after-effect of anesthesia to disappear. By tomorrow Elza will regain her balance and will not be staring into space.

Wishing all 3 of you a good night sleep!


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

I managed to make her drink from my hand so that's better now.
She ate the rest of her food and I topped that up with water too and she had it all. 
Finally she peed too, just little things that worry me the most now. 
After standing around for 5 minutes and staring into space again... ...she went into her basket and rests ever since. Not really sleeping though...
No crying in the last 15 minutes which is better. 

She's got antibiotics and painkillers too, just decided if she cries a lot again I will give her one. She's meant to take 1,5 tabletsx2 a day and there's plenty in the box so that should be ok. 

Thanks for all the support, it's really hard and I'm a very emotional person which doesn't help in these situations.


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## pippylongstocking (May 21, 2012)

Bless her. She is so beautiful.  Glad to hear all went well. Chin up, and keep us posted. Well done you, for getting through the day! xxxx


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Hang in there, Adrino! With Gracie's surgery they kept her overnight, which certainly spared *us* the worst of it...but I hate thinking of how she must have felt, disoriented and in a strange place without us. At least Elza is home safe with her family. 

She will be sprinting through the woods in no time. 

Take care & keep us posted--


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Dog will be fine, but someone seems to have a headache from what I see in the second picture :'( ...


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

Hang in there! I know it's hard to see your baby in pain. We gave Miles the pain killers for a few days, he only needed them for 3 days but we wished he had sedatives because he was still trying to be a wild man. Hope she feels better soon.


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

Aww! Poor girl. Hang in there--you'll get through it! My vet said the crying that occurs after the surgery isn't actually pain, but them just being confused and feeling not themselves because of the anesthesia wearing off. If you've ever come out of general anesthesia you probably recognize it. She doesn't really understand why she feels funny, so she's just crying a little. I don't know if that helps, but it's less pain and more just a reaction to coming out of the anesthesia.

Jasper was back to normal by mid-to-late morning the next day.


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## lonestar (Jun 2, 2013)

Awww....whenever someone's V gets medical treatment I always ask how the person is doing.....they'll be fine, it's us I worry about!

Pain meds..she had a lot done there and will be sore in multiple spots for a while....and TLC, they dont know what happened, they just feel it. Poor thing. (P.S. V's Loooooove sliced roast beef from the deli counter....)


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Last night was tiring...
Took her out for last potty but she only pooed, put the cone on before bed and she just started to cry continuously. Brought her into the bedroom (she never sleeps there) but she just wouldn't stop. She wouldn't listen to any command I guess the cone just totally freaked her out. Eventually she just laid down on the carpet in front of the door and fell asleep... ...for about 10 minutes then started to cry again. Couldn't carry on listening to it so I put her back out to her regular sleeping spot. No luck, crying for 20-30 minutes then eventually stopped. Yay, but no yay. 5:30am she's crying again. Got up and took her out for a pee which she did after sniffing around for 5 minutes. Cheeky bugger!
Went back to sleep and she laid down and didn't cry at all till I got up. 
Hopefully tonight she'll be used to the cone and won't cry again. 
She ate her breakfast, took her tablets and drink too so its all good. 
So far I only had to stop her sniffing at her stitches a few times and she didn't touch them at all. Good dog! 
She's pretty calm, doesn't want to run around just yet which is good too. 

Again all of you have been great supporting me, thank you so much.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Update on Elza,

It's been 6 days since the surgery and she's doing quite well. It was pretty easy to keep her quiet for a few days but in the last 2 days she's going crazy! ???  
I had to put all her toys away and I really mean all. Doesn't matter what it is she would start to run around with it like a maniac while trying to kill it. She improvises and drags her cushions around instead. We left the rug rolled up since she loves to roll around on it but also rubs her face on it which she's not allowed to due to her stitched up wound on her face. It's tough! She seems absolutely fine now but the vet said on Friday to keep her on non vigorous exercise for another 10 days... 8 more days to go! :-[
It's fortunate that I'm home with my sprained knee so i can keep an eye on her but its unfortunate that I barely can walk her still. A 4 miles on leash walk with my other half just not enough for her... She gets a carrot every other day and can chew her antler but eventually she stops chewing on it and starts to throw it around damaging our floor... 
Wherever I go around the house she comes too so I don't have to put the cone on her. Luckily she doesn't make a fuss now sleeping in it during the night. 

Oh just one thing I wanted to ask did your girls bled a bit from her lady bit after spaying? It's barely anything but every once in a while she starts to lick herself like a maniac and turns out that's when she has some discharge. It's not fresh blood but rather darkish so it makes me wonder that its just some effect of the uterus being taken out and the canal has to sort of disappear. :-\ any idea?


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## SkyyMax (Apr 5, 2012)

Good news on Elza's recovery! It's very challenging to keep a Vizsla from exercising for 2 weeks, but it's doable.

You can keep her busy by playing "thinking games", here are a few ideas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr3q82tcM30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjX2oVE_sB0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJxG--4t3SU

Skyy did not have any discharge after spaying.
Did you ask the vet about Elza spotting blood? Could it be that a small amount of blood accumulated after the surgery and is now passing through?


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## lilyloo (Jun 20, 2012)

Adrino, I would ask your vet about the discharge. Not to stress you but I think it can be signs of an infection.


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