has this happened to anybody elses bitch? I had my staffie bitch ellie spayed on friday. She is 8 months old and had her first season at the end of september. The vet said to wait 8 weeks before spaying which I did. I picked her up on Sat morning and she was fine. She was ok on Sunday but when I got up this morning she started acting weird. She sleeps in a crate and usually cant wait to get out in the morning but this am she just stayed put when I opened the door all curled up and looking miserable. I put her breakfast in the crate which she ate but still wouldnt move. I thought maybe she was in pain from the spay but 10 mins later the cat came down for breakfast and Ellie went ballistic. She was barking but its a high pitched almost hysterical sound which I have heard my other staff make but only when she is reallywound up about something. She would not stop this noise even when the cat went. I noticed that she seemed to be guarding her crate and when my other bitch Kizzi came near she was very snappy with her. I was worried about this because I dont want them fighting as Ellie has got stitches. She calmed down eventually but she only had to see a cat at the end of the garden and would start again. I rang the vet as I thought her behaviour may mean she is having a phantom and they said this can happen in some cases. After speaking to the vet I had a look at her teats and sure enough she has milk so is obviously having a phantom. How can this happen after she had been spayed? She is still in her crate and I am trying to keep the cat out of her sight but if it comes in I have to lock the crate door as when she starts the awful noise it winds Kizzi up and she will come running to see whats up and then they are either going to fight or both attack the poor cat. I think my nerves will be in shreds if this continues much longer.

Hi Phone your vets and tell them how she is behaving and also tell them regards the milk...i had a bitch spayed in july and she was very miserable in fact very very depressed..my vet perscribed galostop and she has been fine ever since...

Can't help about the phantom, but the fact that she looks miserable & is reluctant to move could just be because the stitches are pulling. I had a bitch who was a complete wimp & she decided, after moving once, that it hurt to move, so she was staying put until the stitches were removed! I had to encourage her out of her bed & to go outside. Once the stitches were out she was fine.