Recovering from surgery

[Kananga]

Well it's been a week since Kananga's neutering and I have a few questions…

1. His incision seems to be healing fairly well, although yesterday I noticed the area that had a scab was no longer covered. He hasn't licked at that area at all really and am concerned that was in result of him licking lately. The wound seemed slightly exposed but was not bleeding at all. It's a very small spot by now, probably half an inch in length and very narrow. For safe measure I put a small dab of neosporin on the incision spot and some tea tree oil around the area to deter licking. The area around the incision is not red at all. It's looking very healthy. The change of the scab just had me concerned.

2. I've noticed a change in how he's been urinating. His stream seems weaker and he's had a couple accidents leading to go outside, which he has never done. Twice this week has has started to go while we're walking to go outside. I have to pick him up so he'll stop, but he'll be doing it as we're walking and I won't notice right away. Both times he had been probably holding it no more than 6 hours. He has never done this in the morning when he has held it for a solid 10 hours. Actually, he has never, in the 7 months I've had him done this in general. Not sure if this is a mental or physical issue with him, but it's very odd behavior none the less.

3. He doesn't act like he's in pain or has any discomfort, nor have I ever witnessed him licking this incision spot. I've been trying to keep him from doing too much jumping and the usual B-500. About how long must he be at reduced activity? It's been about 7-8 days now and I have only taken him on mild walks.

Thanks ahead of time.

[nobarkus]

Give it more time. Was he wearing an E collar after surgery? Any doubts call the vet.

[lvoss]

This is when the scabs start to itch and they are much more likely to lick or to just pull scabs off. I have a scab puller, and she will pull everyone's scabs off if I don't take measures to keep her away from them.

I don't think a change in urination behavior is normal for a neuter but how reduced has his daily walks been? Maybe he is not emptying his bladder as much on his walks because they are shorter than normal. Boy dogs, especially, always hold back some urine for marking.

At 7-8 days I think that even long walks on leash are fine. My vet likes us to keep activity to leashed walks until 10-14 days but has no problems with on leash walks. Nicky got several long walks during his surgery recovery it was the only way to keep him from being too active with the girls.

[tanza]

I don't remember any of mine with any change to urination after a neuter, except for maybe the first day or two if they were still sort of out of it on pain meds… (other then the fact that they will "squat" instead of lifting their leg).... Is he leaking any urine in his sleep? or any other time?

[Kananga]

His activity during the week hasn't changed a whole lot, especially considering we haven't had the best weather lately, so I don't think there is a huge difference between how much he is walked.

No, he's not leaking urine in his sleep or any other time. It just seems very abnormal for him to start urinating before we even get outside, especially while walking. What's also strange, this morning he would not eat. He appears 100% healthy so it seems like a mental issue and perhaps not physical. I can't pinpoint what exactly is going on with him though.

I did give the vet a call this morning in regards to the urination thing and they said it could be from him still being sore. I was told to give it another week. I still wonder if something is up. He didn't act like this right after surgery. The fact that this behavior started 5 days after had me concerned. I guess I'll see how he does over the next few days.

[Basenjimamma]

Keep us posted, I would be very curious as to what the vet says.

[lvoss]

Is there any swelling or other sign that he may have an infection? Maybe separate from the neuter, maybe he has a UTI?

[Kananga]

@lvoss:

Is there any swelling or other sign that he may have an infection? Maybe separate from the neuter, maybe he has a UTI?

I checked for swelling and came up with nothing. He appears healthy. I thought about a UTI but I'm just not certain his symptoms would correlate. Wouldn't accidents be consistent with a UTI? He stays home all day for 8-10 hours with zero accidents. The 2 minor accidents he has had (only while on leash walking to go outside) were from 4-6 hour periods of holding his bladder. I would imagine if he had a lower UTI he would be waking up in the middle of the night or I'd come home to accidents. I haven't noticed much of a change with the water he drinks either.

He has been acting funny outside and seems anxious about something. Perhaps that is related, I'm not sure. Or perhaps I'm simply worried over nothing.

[lvoss]

UTIs don't always means accidents. With my girls the earliest symptom of a UTI is not being able to quite make it outside before peeing.

[lvoss]

You have mentioned anxiety behaviors before. I wonder if there is some trigger that may not be obvious to you that he is cuing off of. I know that I have a girl who is very anxious around tones like in a smoke detector. She also has very good hearing so even though the tone may not be very loud, she will still get very anxious.

[Kananga]

Hmm.. .good points. Should I still be concerned with a lower UTI? I know sometimes there aren't any clear symptoms until it progresses.

The anxiety is of course still present. It happens every now and then. Lately when he's outside, he keeps looking back in a specific direction, of which there is nothing present. He's been refusing to walk with me as well. I've thought about the hearing thing and can't think of anything that would be triggering such anxiety. Especially outdoors.

[nobarkus]

Bladder infection?

[lvoss]

If he continues to have incidents where he is peeing before he gets outside, then I would definately check for a UTI just to be sure.

[renaultf1]

Regarding the anxiety…someone on here a while ago mentioned CFL lightbulbs as being the cause of her dog's anxiety (and that there were other cases of the same issue that could be found on the internet)...you know, the high pitched noise they give off. It could be something as small as that. You said you live in a condo...is it possible that the outdoor lights are CFLs? Or is there any sort of high pitched industrial noise that is just background noise to you, but he might hear really loudly?

[Kananga]

@renaultf1:

Regarding the anxiety…someone on here a while ago mentioned CFL lightbulbs as being the cause of her dog's anxiety (and that there were other cases of the same issue that could be found on the internet)...you know, the high pitched noise they give off. It could be something as small as that. You said you live in a condo...is it possible that the outdoor lights are CFLs? Or is there any sort of high pitched industrial noise that is just background noise to you, but he might hear really loudly?

Yikes. Our hallways all have CFLs (newer construction, of course it has CFLs :rolleyes:).

In my unit I use halogen floods. Outdoors I believe they are mercury vapor or metal halide. Not sure of any other background noise that he could hear that would be loud (to him).

The weird thing is it's not consistent. Every now and then he has these episodes.

[Kananga]

@lvoss:

If he continues to have incidents where he is peeing before he gets outside, then I would definately check for a UTI just to be sure.

Fair enough, I'll monitor anything else that comes up. Thanks.

[Kananga]

In regards to the CFL noise, if that is indeed a factor with anxiety, would a white noise machine help combat that problem?

Curious to know of possible solutions. I have always wondered about a noise-related factor causing anxiety. Never thought about CFLs.

[renaultf1]

It doesn't mean that CFLs are causing the problem…but I'm just thinking it could be a noise as small as that that seems big to your boy. So listen for small noises, buzzes, hums.

At our house we have CFL recessed lighting (and it makes a lot more noise than just the simple small ones in our lamps). It is like a soft high pitched buzz...but when you have multiples on at the same time, the noise is louder. I will also say that the noise changes based on the ambient temperature...colder - more noise, warmer - less noise. My b's don't seem to be bothered by it because they act no different if the lights are off or on.

Does the anxiety start in the hallways...or does it really seem to start once outdoors? Is he anxious in your apartment itself? And when you say he is anxious, can you describe the behaviour.

[Kananga]

@renaultf1:

It doesn't mean that CFLs are causing the problem…but I'm just thinking it could be a noise as small as that that seems big to your boy. So listen for small noises, buzzes, hums.

At our house we have CFL recessed lighting (and it makes a lot more noise than just the simple small ones in our lamps). It is like a soft high pitched buzz...but when you have multiples on at the same time, the noise is louder. I will also say that the noise changes based on the ambient temperature...colder - more noise, warmer - less noise. My b's don't seem to be bothered by it because they act no different if the lights are off or on.

Does the anxiety start in the hallways...or does it really seem to start once outdoors? Is he anxious in your apartment itself? And when you say he is anxious, can you describe the behaviour.

Well it does explain how he is hesitant to go to the door when it's time to go outside (the door to the hallway). He will always pause for a second before coming to me to put his leash on. I always wait by the door when it's time to go out. Sometimes he has refused to go to the door. He will peak around the corner in my foyer and then run back to the living room. It's not a playful hesitation either. It's without a doubt some sort of anxiety. There are probably a dozen overhead CFL bulbs on my floor.

He is sometimes anxious in my unit. The behavior is probably best described as him acting distracted, very concerned, etc. He won't be playful and usually just looks around. It's not common for him to be anxious inside my unit when I'm not leaving. Outdoors when he is anxious, it's the same behavior. Distracted, concerned, hesitant, etc. Sometimes he will jump up and back on his back legs trying to get out of his leash but that is not common.

I should note that I have been using a DAP diffuser in my unit for the last couple months. That has without a doubt helped, but it's not 100%.

[renaultf1]

Boy…this is interesting.

Are the hall lights overhead flood lights? Is he at least a little better once he is outside? The only way you could truly test the CFL theory is if you could somehow switch the hall lights off - I'm sure there is some sort of requirement in a condo building about lights being always on in hallways. Maybe ask your maintenance company if they would be willing to do it for a few minutes during a day you are home, just so you could possibly get your answer.

Another thought...is there carpeting in the hallway? If so, I'm wondering if there might be a scent issue with the carpet cleaning solution. Something that could permeate into your condo and that the dap defuser could be helping to mask a bit. The scent would change according to how often it was done which might explain why you don't have the problem all the time. Is there a plug in the hallway to outdoors that you could put another DAP defuser in to see if that makes a difference.

When you taken him away from the condo and is he less anxious when off the property all together?