Getting a new puppy can be a wonderful and happy event for the whole family. But when you add a female puppy to your household, it is highly recommended that you get her spayed at a young age before she reaches sexual maturity and begins having heat cycles. Doing so will prevent accidental pregnancy and unwanted litters of puppies and may also lower the risk of reproductive diseases as she grows older. Spaying female dogs is a very common surgery, but it can have some aftereffects. Continue reading to learn more about what you may experience when your puppy gets home from being spayed:

Confusion and Balance Issues

Dogs are typically monitored at the vet's office for a few hours before going home after being spayed, but when you pick her up, she will most likely still be experiencing the effects of general anesthesia. It is not uncommon for dogs to appear confused or disoriented after surgery, and you may notice that your puppy has problems standing up straight and maintaining proper balance. The best thing you can do is plan carefully carrying you dog to your car, and then transporting her into your home.

Difficulty Eating

When your puppy gets home after being spayed, she may experience nausea or vomiting as the anesthesia is metabolized and removed from her system. You can try offering a small amount of food and water and see how your puppy reacts. If she doesn't want to eat, put the food away and try to feed her again when she shows signs of feeling better.

Excessive Sleepiness

While spaying is a very common veterinary procedure, it is still a major abdominal surgery for your puppy. Between the aftereffects of the anesthesia and the physical need to recover from surgery, your puppy may be very lethargic and tired. The best thing you can do is make a nice soft bed in your puppy's crate and let her spend the night sleeping and getting the rest she needs.

Keep Your Puppy Away from the Incision

As the incision from the spaying surgery is healing, it is very important to keep her from chewing, licking, or trying to scratch the incision area. The last thing you want is for your dog's incision to become infected or opened up, so if your dog won't leave it alone, go to a pet store and buy a cone collar that will prevent your puppy from bothering the area. 

For more information, contact Norwin Veterinary Hospital or a similar location.