Dog Neuter Recovery: How To Care For Your Dog After Surgery

What Is Dog Neutering?

Dog neutering, also known as castration, is the surgical removal of testicles (the male reproductive organs) in dogs. An incision is made above the scrotum and the testicles are tied off and removed.

The scrotum is left intact in many dogs, especially young ones, and the tissue decreases in size over time.

Neutering is a common procedure, but it requires anesthesia and a certain level of post-operative care and monitoring, which typically lasts 14 days.

Neutering is a beneficial procedure because it reduces the risk for several conditions, such as:

• Testicular cancer

• Hernias

• Anal tumors

• Prostate enlargement, which can cause discomfort or interfere with normal defecation and urination.

In addition, neutering lessens prostatic infection risk and decreases excessive discharge from the tissue (smegma) around the dog’s penis.

Neutering also helps with pet overpopulation and decreases the likelihood of a dog developing unwanted behaviors such as urine marking, roaming, fighting, and inappropriate mounting.

What To Expect After Your Dog Is Neutered

General anesthesia and pain control are used throughout the surgery to keep your pet comfortable.

Your vet will send your pet home with additional pain control and anti-inflammatory medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs).

Ensure you give the medication as directed by your veterinarian.

Even though your dog may act like nothing happened, pain is always easier to prevent than treat, and NSAIDs help control inflammation and benefit the healing process. 

If you think your dog is in pain or if they are chewing or licking the incision site, contact your veterinarian right away.

Never give your pup any human or over-the-counter pain medications without your vet’s advice.

Don’t leave your dog unattended for at least the first 24 hours after neutering. Your dog will probably be groggy after surgery and will likely spend the first night resting.

He may be nauseated after the procedure, so offer only a small amount of water when you return home.

At dinner time, offer a quarter to half his normal amount of food to help prevent stomach upset.

Bruising around the incision site is normal, but if you notice excessive bruising or seeping from the incision, contact your veterinarian.

Your dog may be sent home with a small bandage on one of his front legs where the IV catheter was placed. This bandage can usually be removed within a few hours after your dog returns home. 

Your veterinarian may also place a tattoo adjacent to the incision site, indicating that your dog has been neutered.

Your dog’s scrotum is typically left intact.

If they are young, the scrotum tissue will shrink with age, but in older dogs, the tissue may not decrease in size.

If post-operative complications occur, a procedure to remove the scrotum (scrotal ablation) may be necessary.

How To Care For Your Dog After Neutering

Proper post-operative care aids in the healing process, decreases recovery time, and lessens the chance of your dog needing additional surgeries or medications.

After the first day of feeding a smaller amount (a quarter to half of the regular amount given), keep your dog’s diet consistent as he recovers from surgery, and avoid adding supplements or giving him people food.

If you are using Pill Pockets™ or other edible treats to disguise your dog’s medications, lower his meal portions to allow for these extra calories. He is more susceptible to weight gain while he is resting and recovering.

Restrict your dog’s activity for the first two weeks, allowing him to go outside only for brief periods to urinate and defecate.

Ensure your dog doesn’t run, jump, or play rough. That helps prevent wound opening, bleeding, infection, or bruising, which could require additional surgeries, medications, or wound care.

Use a harness during bathroom breaks so your pup is less likely to pull.

When you can’t directly supervise your dog, use a crate or confined area, like a small bathroom, to restrict his movement.

You can also use a baby gate to block access to furniture and stairs.

Your dog may smell unfamiliar, causing other pets in your home to become anxious, so you may want to keep your neutered dog separated from other pets for the first few days.

You can let them interact through doors, and use calming pheromones to help everyone reacclimate.

Switching your pet’s bedding can also help your pets refamiliarize themselves with each other.

In addition, isolate your neutered dog from unspayed female dogs for the first month after surgery, since residual stored sperm could lead to unintentional pregnancy. 

Consider offering mental alternatives to physical activity, such as food puzzles or a treat-stuffed KONG®.

Freezing a KONG® with peanut butter (if it is cleared with your vet) can provide hours of entertainment. 

During the recovery period, while the incision is healing, don’t bathe your dog or allow him to swim.

Incisional care typically requires regular monitoring and keeping the area clean and dry.

Don’t apply topical ointments, sprays, or salves without consulting your veterinarian. 

Note any changes in appearance that could indicate infection, such as:

• Changes to the skin's appearance such as redness or bruising

• Any type of fluid leaking from the incision (red, clear, white)

• Smell

• Pain when touched

• Opening of the incision

External sutures and bandaging typically aren’t necessary for neutering.

However, if sutures are present, they are usually removed in about two weeks.

If a bandage is present, keep it clean and dry, and use a Comfy Cone™ to prevent your dog from chewing the bandage.

In addition, check the bandage for slippage, soiling, and swelling. The bandage should be changed or removed according to your veterinarian’s guidelines.

Although a recovery collar can be a bit uncomfortable, wearing one can ensure that the incision is protected and allowed to heal properly.

Don’t let your dog lick or chew the incision site—it only takes a few seconds for infection or self-trauma to occur.

When properly fitted, the collar should be snug enough to fit only a couple of your fingers through at the base, and it should extend past your pup’s nose.

Soft recovery collars or inflatable doughnuts may be suitable if they don’t allow your dog to reach the incision with his mouth.

Doggie underwear or other clothes to protect the incision are also options, but they may not be as effective.

Don’t remove the recovery cone unless you can closely supervise your dog.

When To Call Your Vet

Fortunately, dog neuter surgery is routine and has minimal risks.

However, if you notice any of the following in your dog, contact your veterinarian immediately, as life-threatening complications can occur:

• Difficult to rouse easily

• Pain when the belly is touched

• Bruising at the incision that progressively worsens

• Whining or crying intermittently

• Foul odor

• Difficulty urinating or not urinating altogether

• Uncontrollable pain

• Breathing difficulty

• Any color fluid seepage from the wound

• Worsening cough, often accompanied with mucus

• Opening of the incision, called a seroma formation (swelling at the incision site)

• Inability to pass stool or lack of feces less than 24 hours after surgery

• Scrotal enlargement/swelling or a scrotum that is firm and painful to the touch—this may indicate a scrotal hematoma or abscess and may require additional surgery

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

• Lack of thirst or appetite less than 24 hours after surgery