How Long After Spay Can Dog Get Groomed?

One of the best things you can do for your dog after she undergoes spay surgery is to care for her. Spaying and recovering from a surgical wound is a hectic process. You should avoid grooming or giving your dog a bath after 10 to 14 days after spaying.

How Long After Spay Can Dog Get Groomed?

No matter what type of surgery your dog has, there are certain rules you need to follow. The time after the spay is sensitive for your furry friend. Sometimes, putting restrictions on grooming is a must thing to do for the betterment of the dog.

Maintaining a proper caring routine is vital for a quick recovery from the spay. Several complications can arise if you bathe your dog too early. Therefore, excessive activity and grooming sessions must be paused for at least 10 days.

Why Dog Grooming Is Not Recommended After Spay?

When you think about dog spaying, it is a sensitive procedure and so is the aftercare. The spay surgery is done at the abdomen and the surgical site is closed by sutures or surgical glue. Carrying out a grooming session too soon can lead to surgical complications.

No matter if it’s just brushing the fur or a regular bath, you should avoid it altogether. The bristles of the brush can accidentally damage the surgical wound site. There are many chances that the bristle may tear or damage the incision line or the sutures.

Therefore, even the normal brushing is damaging especially when your dog is hyperactive. The veterinarians recommend seizing the physical activity of dogs for the first 10 days after the spay procedure.

Sometimes, dogs don’t tolerate confinements when they loved to run around all their lives. If you happen to have such a dog, engaging her in grooming and brushing will cause abdominal muscle movement. This will lead to delayed wound healing and disturbance in the incision line.

Risks of Dog Bath After Spay

In my opinion, bathing a dog after spaying is riskier than brushing and simple grooming. One of the biggest risks of dog baths soon after spay is the risk of reduced surgical glue efficacy. That mainly happens when the running water start dissolving glue at the spay incision site.

The dissolved surgical glue results in immediate wound disruption and opening. The incision line will not remain stable anymore and is prone to exposing the underlying sutures. Additionally, your dog will experience pain and inflammation at the surgical site which is hard to deal with.

The healing process of any surgical wound is highly dependent on the wound stability. The opening of the wound will make the sensitive tissue susceptible to catching infections. The running water from the back of the dog toward the surgical site will move all the dust and bacteria toward the wound site.

The retention of moisture in the wound bed will harbor infectious microorganisms. Once the infection is established, the dog will experience pain, redness, and possibly pus formation. That’s why you must always avoid bathing your dog after spaying until the wound heals properly.

The Golden Time to Groom Your Dog After Spay

After the spay procedure, your veterinarian will give you quick guidelines about home care. Generally, the wound healing process will take around 2 weeks to heal properly. But, certain animal factors can fast or delay the healing process.

You must wait for at least 10 to 14 days because, during this time, the wound will be most vulnerable. To carry out the smooth recovery process, avoid giving your dog extracurricular activities and grooming sessions.

Before you proceed to the first bath of your furry angel, inspect the incision site for pain & inflammation or get it checked by a veterinarian. When the vet will confirm that there is no risk at the wound, prepare yourself and your dog for a quick post-recovery bath.

How to Give Dog Bath After Spay Surgery?

So, your dog has successfully recovered from the spay wound and is ready for a refreshing bath? Well, her first bath must be smooth and gentle just like her post-operative recovery. The first step is to invest in a mild & skin-friendly dog shampoo.

Don’t use any kind of sulfur or any medicated shampoo for the first time after spaying. These shampoos contain certain ingredients that can irritate the newly healed skin. Choosing lukewarm water over regular one can provide some extra relief.

Use of a scrubbing brush is not advised in case of the bath after the surgery. The bristles can irritate the fresh skin and cause redness. For the surgical site, gently wash around it and don’t cause too much motion over the wound surface.

After giving the bath, don’t rub violently over the fur with towels. It is best to avoid rubbing the abdomen with various motions. All you need to do is to pat dry the area or choose a pet dryer at a low heat setting.

In case of stitches or staples, don’t try to give a bath to your dog. The suture material can get wet and harbor a lot of infectious bacteria over them. This will result in the spreading of infectious and prolonged healing times.

Talk to your veterinarian and get the stitches or staples removed as soon as the time comes. The removal procedure must be done by a veterinarian in all cases. After 10 to 14 days of surgery, your dog will be ready to resume her grooming and bathing activity.

Conclusion

To make everything smooth and stress-free, always follow the proper grooming routine after spay surgery. It is recommended to wait for at least 10 to 14 days before you give a dog bath. This will ensure that the surgical wound gets healed properly without any complications.