Hi there. My girl is going in to be spayed on the 16th, and I am very nervous about it, as although I know it is a very routine proceedure there is always the risk of complications and so I am a bit worried about it. She is my first dog, and I am of course always fussing around her like a mother hen, and I do worry about the worse case senario. The thing I would like to know is how best to prepare when she comes home? I know she will only be allowed gentle lead exercise for a week afterwards, and I know I need to keep her calm until the incision heals to stop any risk of her bursting her stitches, but I was also wondering about more practical considerations.
To get out into the garden, she has to go down two steps from the living room into the kitchen, and then three more steps from the kitchen to the back garden. When she was a puppy was made ramps for her, and I know this probably sounds like I am being an amazing fuss-pot, but do I have to limit her use of steps after the operation? Also, a friend of mine recently had her retriever spayed, and her bitch was apparently still so groggy from the anasthetic that she went out to pee in the garden and then just laid down and fell asleep and they couldn't wake her or move her so they ended up carrying her in, and she didn't wake until the next morning. Is this an extreme reaction to anasthetic or are they really this groggy, and how long does it last for? My bitch has been sedated before so her throat could be checked by a camera, and she was groggy after that for about 24 hours, so should I expect that kind of reaction after the spaying too? Also, do they go on painkillers or antibiotics after the operation, or anything like that?
I was also thinking that it might be a bit uncomfortable for her in this hot weather, especially if she is feeling sore, so I was going to make up some batches of ice cubes so I could make sure she had something to do (she LOVES ice cubes) and would be getting plenty of fluids, but do I need to put her onto a softer food or anything like that? We do keep in the Royal Canin Senstivity Control canned formula for cases of the runs, so I was wondering whether I should put her on that so she is having a soft food, easy to digest.
Also, should I sleep downstairs with her for a few nights to make sure she isn't going to go at her stitches? I know she will have to go back to have them out, as the vet said dissolvable ones sometimes dissolve sooner than he likes, so he would rather she came in to have stitches out and then he can also check her over for that.

Any comments, ideas, advice?

And yes, I do love her to bits, and she does get fussed a lot, and I am a fuss-pot with her!

Aawww Bless.

When Phoebe was spayed we dropped her off, picked her up and she was fine to walk to the car and jumped in the boot before we had chance to wonder how we were going to get her in (Great Dane). She came home, slept for a few hours (on the sofa), growled at Willis, and was literally back to normal that evening. She actually escaped and carted off round the field the next morning at great speed. She only had one stitch and a tiny cut. As has been mentioned on here beore - if I ever need that Op I am booking in at the vets! :D :D :D

We always worry about these things even knowing how routine they are :)  In my experience you can expect any dog to be groggy and want to pretty much sleep for 24 hours but I do think having to be carried in from the garden is an extreme.  We don't really know if another owner might have just offered more encouragement to get up and walk it though do we? ;)  Your dog will probably be uninteresting in food at all on her op day but some do show a little interest by that evening.  Light, easy to digest food as you say is best and not much of it.  If it suits you to use something prepared in the form of a convelscent food that is fine, personally I tend to use white fish and rice.  I have never had a dog that was not eating their usual food by teatime the following day so you should not need to much of this. 
I don't think it is necessary to sleep with your dog if they seem to be recovering normally but I do think you need to take precautions regarding the sutures.  Even when the dog is showing no interest in them.  My friends dog unpicked his sutures after castration when they had gone to bed thinking he was showing no interest presumably he became less sleepy or perhaps they started to itch during the night.  An elizabethan collar would do or some people fashion a t-shirt over the body stitched together under the tail to secure.
I think you will have to see how she goes with the steps mine have all managed ones that they cope with easily normally I don't think they will be attempting them any more than they have to.

My Newfie was spayed 3 weeks ago and I was full of all the same concerns :)

This particular vet insists on keeping the larger breeds overnight so we got her home the morning after her surgery. OH went to pick her up, armed with the car ramp to get her in but she hopped in by herself whilst he was setting the ramp up. She was a little bit quiet that day but ate her meals (we gave her a little less than usual) and lay about and slept for most of it (it was a warm day anyway and she would usually sleep a lot in the heat). I was able to take her for a short lead walk that evening. After that, she was her normal bouncy self and had no problems at all :)

Luckily Lola didn't pick at her stitches but she is a very clean dog (almost cat-like) and she gave them a bit of a gentle wash herself when needed. i didn't want to interfere with them so just kept an eye on them in case they started to look infected but they were fine. The only concern I did have was with her bruising as it looked awful 2 days post op but a quick call to the vet reassured me that it was normal (and I was just being a panicky Mum :rolleyes:) 3 weeks later, ths scar is fading and the hair is growing back where she was shaved.

Try not to worry yourself too much...easy for me to say now!! :D You know your dog best so you'll be able to judge how well she's recovering and what level of on-lead exercise she needs. Don't be afraid to phone your vet if you have any concerns at all.

We have had Hattie speyed and can understand your worries as I was the same beforehand.
Hattie was fine when she came home and our problem was keeping her rested as she still wanted to run around like a loon- you wouldnt even think she'd had an operation

I had Thai spayed on Monday and I was worried about how groggy she would feel as she recently had x-rays and I could barely get her to the car let alone try get her in it she was that sleepy and she practically collapsed when we got home for ages, I was very worried about her.  This time I used different vets and explained my concerns to him, he advised me that the other vets may have used an older version of aesthetic as the one they now use is the same as humans and is really just a get you under drug as the gas keeps them asleep during the op.

I was please to see my Thai come strolling out wearing a pink bandage (she also had a rear dew removed) and a cute bandanna scarf type thing that had the vets details on LOL!  She was happy to steadily get in her crate in the van and got out when we got home, she did immediately go on to her bed with big red droopy eyes but was still alert unlike last time.  She ate some scrambled egg for dinner and the next day she was up and about no problems.  She does wear a busta collar at night to stop her biting herself which she is fine with and I separate her from Bali so he does not squash her etc and she is only going in to the garden or very steady lead walks. 

Try not to threat too much, it is very routine and I would definitely explain your concerns with your vet initially to put your mind at rest.....I also always call the vet ASAP in order to see how she is :D

I was vey nervous with Freya as she doesn't like the vets particularly to the extent that i cancelled the op a few days before at christmas. :rolleyes: But we had her done last week and she's making amazing progress. The day after she was pelting rpund the garden like her usual self. We made a ramp to get in an out of the house and carried her up to bed every night and down again in the morning. I actually think she loved the extra attention :) The vet gave us a recovery pack of the royal canin food which helped. As it was hot and when the bandage come off she got quite itchy so we used flanneels well rung out of cold water to help (on suggestion of my nurse sister). Its now just over a week and she's great.
Good luck with the op let us know how she gets on.

Thank you all so much for the responses. It is good to know I am not being a complete idiot by worrying so much. I am glad to hear other people felt the same way. I feel so much better for having heard other people's experiences.

Thanks to you all again. I can see my girl fussing her stitches actually. I have a great vet though (it is a different vet doing the surgery, but purely because under the recommendation of my vet, he is far more experienced, and apparently uses a very small incision). They have said they will see how things go with her before making a decision on whether she will need a collar to stop her going at stitches or not, but I might fashion a t shirt for her just for my own piece of mind!

Thanks to you all. It is times like this you realise how invaluable this site can be!

If you have a fervent 'licker' I would strongly suggest that you do have one of those big plastic collars to hand just in case - maybe just for use at night when you can't keep an eye on her :).  Fingers crossed that everything goes well - you'll probably be amazed at how quickly she'll bounce back.