So my 9 year old girl was spayed and had the tiny lumps removed last Thursday. All well and vet was pleased at 2 day post-op check, just a little redness at one of the lump sites which has now faded, and all healing very well. However since Saturday night she's been whining a bit, which I put down to just being a bit uncomfortable. But then last night she's starting collecting my young dog's toys from all over the house and bringing them onto the sofa with us, and she never usually shows any interest in toys, and when I checked she does have some milk. She's not depressed and she's not guarding the toys or anything, just carrying them around. Do I need to do anything or just wait for the hormones to settle? I'm a little reluctant to take all Brindley's toys away so he can't play with them! And I can't increase exercise as the vet said to keep her quiet and just have short gentle walks for 2 weeks. This is only the third dog I've had spayed and I don't remember the other two reacting like this.

When was she in season? A phantom sometimes happens if there was hormone activity when the surgery is done, which is why it's always advised to wait at least 3 months after the end of the season before operating. However mammary tumours are also hormone-related and their removal can cause a brief hormone upheaval, resulting in a phantom. Reduce her food a bit - especially the carbohydrate, which she doesn't need much of anyway being on reduced exercise - and ideally prevent her adopting toys. She might need some galastop from the vet if it carries on.

She was in season in August, the mammary tumours were pea sized if that and the vet didn't seem too bothered about them, but I thought better off now. :-)