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Post spay requirements?

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Amanda1801

Amanda1801

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So, I'm going to get Cameo spayed in the not too distant future.

I have selected a vet and have no concerns over the operation side of things, that's all under control.

What I'm wondering (having never been a sow-mummy before!), is what kind of aftercare is going to be required. I know all about the clinical side of things, antibiotic cover, wound care, complications etc. but I'm not too sure on the practical side of things after the op. So... a few questions!

Will I have to split Jeff and Cameo during her recovery period? (I'm guessing any time frame for a separation is largely dependent on the kind of closing methods they use - I think I'm going to request intradermal sutures and skin glue...)

Also, should I hospitalise her at the vets post spay? I would be able to get her spayed on a Friday, and hospitalise her initially after overnight Friday/Saturday/Sunday very easily - she would have round the clock nursing care, and I would be there most of the day on those days too, where as if I had her at home, I'd be working those days....

Hmm plan plan plan!
 
c-section pig had a emergency spay...
and as it wasnt planned i never had time to get everything sorted...

as for her after care...
she was very poorly before the op... and afterwards was kept in overnight... where they syringe fed her and injected her with fluids...
when she came home...
she was on 0.2ml of baytril twice a day...
a drop of pain killer and anti-inflamitory on her food... once a day...
and some fibre-plex and bio-lapis just to keep her gut happy...

i also checked her twice a day to check her nails wernt stuck in her stitches... she had nylon ones that had to be removed at 10 days...

be extra vigilent with her eating, drinking, pooing and weeing...

c-section pig also got the runs when she had been home about 24 hours...
and i was given the fabby advice to crumble up a activated charcole tablet on her food... and that helped with her tummy...

i never washed her stitches... but i did wash her bottom if it started to look a little bit grubby...

i apriciate that this isnt that useful...
but its all i know... :))

x
 
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Amanda1801 said:
:)) Thanks! I guess the difference is that I'm doing this through choice!
Click to expand...

c-section pig was poorly when she went thought it... and she did amazingly well...
so if its all planned and shes in good health then i really dont think you have too much to worrie about...
obviously you know the drill... general ani is dangerous... its a majour op... blah blah blah...

i'd judt leave her too it after the op... if she eating and drinking and toileting then theres nothing too worie about... i left c-section pig to it really... other then keeping an eye on her intake and outtake... i didnt really do anything much...

good luck bab....
and i'm sure she'll do well...
x
 
claremw92 said:
c-section pig was poorly when she went thought it... and she did amazingly well...
so if its all planned and shes in good health then i really dont think you have too much to worrie about...
obviously you know the drill... general ani is dangerous... its a majour op... blah blah blah...

i'd judt leave her too it after the op... if she eating and drinking and toileting then theres nothing too worie about... i left c-section pig to it really... other then keeping an eye on her intake and outtake... i didnt really do anything much...

good luck bab....
and i'm sure she'll do well...
x
Click to expand...

Yep - I have every confidence in the surgical team that I have hand picked! lol I guess monitoring input and output is another good reason for separating them in the early days...
 
I've had 2 sows spayed I dont have alot of advice to give because Clare seems to have covered it, the only thing I will say is not to bed her on shavings or hay it can get stuck/irritate the wound. I used paper bedding during the recovery period but I would imagine vet bed or fleece would do very well - good for spotting blood. Oh and plenty of her favourite treats. :))
 
I had Patches spayed and she came home later that day. She seemed to not be in any pain. The vet said she gave her some "oral chicken" and she gave me 4 doses to give her. Patches was syringe fed critical care for a few days till she ate her own food. She ate grass when I took her home. She was away from her cage mate for 2 weeks cause the rough house.

To answer the first question: yes i would sperate them. That way you know how much Cameo is eating pooping peeing drinking etc. Just keep them close to each other so they can see/talk to each other.

To answer question #2: i dont think you have to. Your pig probably would be happier with her buddy.
IHorseCarzzy5
 
IHorseCarzzy5 said:
I had Patches spayed and she came home later that day. She seemed to not be in any pain. The vet said she gave her some "oral chicken" and she gave me 4 doses to give her. Patches was syringe fed critical care for a few days till she ate her own food. She ate grass when I took her home. She was away from her cage mate for 2 weeks cause the rough house.

To answer the first question: yes i would sperate them. That way you know how much Cameo is eating pooping peeing drinking etc. Just keep them close to each other so they can see/talk to each other.

To answer question #2: i dont think you have to. Your pig probably would be happier with her buddy.
IHorseCarzzy5
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I would be able to hospitalise them both so they could be near each other, but Cam could still have round the clock care - perks of the job ;) I'm thinking hospitalising would be the best idea, because then if she does have issues eating post op, she can be syringe fed throughout the day/night, where as I'd be working several hours per day and unable to do it (but would be able to do it when shes hospitalised, because that's where I work!)

They're already bedded on fleece and suchlike, so that's not a problem!
 
Amanda1801 said:
I would be able to hospitalise them both so they could be near each other, but Cam could still have round the clock care - perks of the job ;) I'm thinking hospitalising would be the best idea, because then if she does have issues eating post op, she can be syringe fed throughout the day/night, where as I'd be working several hours per day and unable to do it (but would be able to do it when shes hospitalised, because that's where I work!)

They're already bedded on fleece and suchlike, so that's not a problem!
Click to expand...

that spun me out then...
i was like how can she keep a better eye on her at work...?!?!?@)

lmao...
dont confuse me like that...!... its been a long day... :))

i'd have her in with you for a day then... why not... :))
gives you peace of mind and on the off chance something goes down hill shes in the right place...
x
 
Amanda1801 said:
I would be able to hospitalise them both so they could be near each other, but Cam could still have round the clock care - perks of the job ;) I'm thinking hospitalising would be the best idea, because then if she does have issues eating post op, she can be syringe fed throughout the day/night, where as I'd be working several hours per day and unable to do it (but would be able to do it when shes hospitalised, because that's where I work!)

They're already bedded on fleece and suchlike, so that's not a problem!
Click to expand...


Cause you work there that makes more sense then :)
 
claremw92 said:
that spun me out then...
i was like how can she keep a better eye on her at work...?!?!?@)

lmao...
dont confuse me like that...!... its been a long day... :))

i'd have her in with you for a day then... why not... :))
gives you peace of mind and on the off chance something goes down hill shes in the right place...
x
Click to expand...

sorry, wasn't very good at explaining myself! lol
 
The most important facet of post-op care is observation and appropriate feeding to stop gut stasis.

In my experience (and granted your own profession Amanda and no offence).....but, YOU know your piggie best....and YOUR care IS always best....because you know your piggie's behaviour patterns.

I personally have had (unfortunately) very poor observational care at the vets post-op on numerous occasions. You can lose the "chain of command", especially if you get locum vets in overnight....I actually "lost " a piggie because the vets on call that night refused point blank to feed her the only stuff she would eat (lettuce)....and unfortunately she then went into total gut stasis the following day and had to be PTS.

IF you are unable to observe over the weekend (and believe me, I completely understand why you may want to book them in for the weekend - I have sometimes booked my pigs into the vets with their agreement when needing full attention/obs/cc feeding because I just ran out of strength or wasn;t able to be around to support them owing to work etc etc)...then that's fine.....as long as you completely trust the people on call then everyting should be fine.

..to answer your questions:

Separate after a spay and confine to a small cage to stop the risk of exercise/adhesions...keep the partner in contact via a divider if you can to enable rebonding

Bedding wise....newspaper changed three times daily is best...fleece changed twice daily is also good. No hay/straw/bits on the floor that could come in contact with/infect the wound.

Feed extra Vit C and critical care as a boost......I've also fed immune-boosting echincaea and arnica drops to neutered pigs with post op abcess complicatons.....

Funnily enough..I've never had a post-op spay problem..-c......but my post-op neutering complications would fill a volume of encylopaedia brittanica:(

Hope all goes well and if you need an "extra eye" please contact me as i know how worrying it can be....


x
 
My main reason for hospitalising her would be that I wouldn't be around during the days post op - the vet that I want to do the operation is now semi retired and only operates on a Friday! I then work all day Saturday & Sunday. I guess I could speak to him about maybe doing it on a Monday or Tuesday, he's in those days but normally only consulting - he's one of those vets though where people specifically ask to see him and only him, so changing his consult day might be difficult.

Another reason for me wanting to hositalise her, overnight at least, is that I wouldn't want to put her through travelling to and from work with me so I could keep an eye on her.

The out of hours service where I work is good, its always a permanent vet, never a locum, and if they live more than 15 mins away by car, they have to stay there over night on the premises. There's 2 night nurses on duty, and obs on patients are carried out as often as necessary - no wonder the fees are so high! :))

There is a 2nd vet I could ask to do the op that I'd be happy to leave my Cameo with, so I'll speak to her next week too.
 
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