Post-Op Care at Home After Spaying or Neutering: Day-by-Day Guide for Dogs and Cats

By Gavin Levenstein Updated 24 April 2025 Medically reviewed by Dr Tessa Naidoo, BVSc Dr Naidoo is a small-animal veterinarian with a special interest in soft tissue surgery, pain management, and stress-free recovery at home.

Spaying or neutering is one of the most common veterinary procedures. With a little planning and a lot of love, you can help your pet heal smoothly and avoid common pitfalls like licking, jumping, or overdoing it too soon. This vet-reviewed guide walks you through the first two weeks at home, day by day, for both dogs and cats. We will cover incision care, what is normal versus not, cones versus recovery suits, safe activity, and when to call your vet.

Sterilisation terms you may see: spay or spey for females, neuter or desex for males.

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Overview: what spay and neuter mean for recovery

• Spay (ovariohysterectomy) removes the ovaries and usually the uterus.
• Neuter (castration) removes the testicles.

Both are routine but still surgery. Your pet has an incision that needs protection for around 10 to 14 days while tissues knit and skin seals.

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Quick look: the first 48 hours

Normal

• Sleepy or wobbly after anaesthesia
• Smaller appetite the first evening
• Mild redness and swelling at the incision
• Quiet, short bathroom breaks only

Not normal

• Continuous vomiting, diarrhoea, or collapse
• Large swelling that grows rapidly
• Bleeding, thick yellow or green discharge, or foul smell
• Extreme pain or persistent lethargy past 48 hours

Call your vet if you are unsure. Trust your gut.

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Dog recovery timeline: days 1 to 14

Day 0 to 2

• Set up a calm recovery area with a crate or playpen and a non-slip bed.
• Offer small amounts of water, then a light meal once fully alert.
• Leashed potty breaks only. No stairs, running, or jumping onto furniture.
• Keep the cone or recovery suit on at all times.

Day 3 to 5

• Energy usually picks up. Keep activity restricted to 5 to 10 minute leashed bathroom walks.
• Check the incision twice daily. Mild redness or a thin scab can be normal.
• If your dog tries to lick or nibble, switch to a sturdier cone or add a recovery suit.

Day 6 to 7

• Continue calm enrichment like licking mats or puzzle feeders to prevent zoomies.
• Watch for a soft, squishy swelling near the incision after activity. This could be a seroma. See the seroma section below.

Day 8 to 10

• If the incision looks dry and closed, you can extend leashed walks slightly, still avoiding running and stairs.
• Some stitches dissolve on their own. If your dog has external sutures, confirm the removal date with your vet.

Day 11 to 14

• Most incisions are sealed by day 10 to 14. Keep protection on until your vet confirms healing.
• Gradually reintroduce normal walks after the all clear. Jumping and rough play should wait until your vet says it is safe.

When can my dog jump again

• Usually not until after your vet checks the incision around day 10 to 14. Even then, ramp up gradually.

Leash walks after spay or neuter

• Days 1 to 7: short, calm potty breaks only.
• Days 8 to 14: short, controlled walks if healing looks normal.
• Off-leash play waits until your vet’s recheck.

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Cat recovery timeline: days 1 to 14

Set up a single-room recovery zone

• Use a quiet room with litter, food, water, and a low, soft bed.
• Block access to high shelves and use low-sided litter trays.

Male cat neuter (castration) notes

• Mild scrotal swelling and a small amount of spotting can be normal for 24 to 48 hours.
• The scrotum may look empty but puffy. It should not be hot, very painful, or draining pus.

Female cat spay notes

• Abdominal incision requires strict rest and no jumping.

Day 0 to 2

• Many cats hide. Keep the room quiet and dim. Offer food and water nearby.
• Cone or recovery suit stays on, even overnight.

Day 3 to 5

• Energy improves. Prevent zooms by using a large crate, playpen, or keeping to one room.
• Provide low, covered litter boxes and cut high perches from the environment.

Day 6 to 7

• Continue room restriction. Offer brief, gentle play on the floor to release energy without jumping.

Day 8 to 10

• If the incision is dry and closed, you can allow short supervised time outside the crate in the same room.
• Keep the cone or suit on until your vet confirms full healing.

Day 11 to 14

• Most cats can resume normal life after the recheck, but keep jumping limited for a few more days if advised.

How to keep a cat from jumping in a small apartment

• Confine to one room with no tall furniture.
• Use floor-level enrichment like food puzzles and scent games.
• Create cozy hideaways on the floor.
• Feed smaller, more frequent meals to curb zoomies.

Litter box guidance

• Use a low-entry, non-clumping litter for the first week if your vet recommends it.
• Scoop often to encourage regular use.

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Incision care: what is normal vs what is not

Normal healing signs

• Mild redness or bruising for 2 to 3 days
• A thin, dry scab line
• Minimal, clear staining on the first day only
• Skin edges are closed and not gaping

Call the vet if you see

• Thick yellow or green discharge, foul odour, or active bleeding
• Heat, marked swelling, or skin that is very red and spreads
• An opening or gaping wound
• Your pet seems painful, lethargic, or feverish

Bathing and grooming

• Keep the incision clean and dry. No baths or swimming for 10 to 14 days or until cleared by your vet. Do not apply peroxide, alcohol, or ointments unless your vet instructs you to.

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Preventing licking: cone vs soft cone vs recovery suit

Why protection matters

• Most complications come from licking or chewing. Protect the incision 24 or 7 until your vet clears you.

Options

• Plastic e-collar cone

– Most reliable option for determined pets – Ensure the edge extends past the nose

• Soft or padded cone

– More comfortable – May not stop flexible pets. Test while you watch.

• Recovery suit or body suit

– Covers the incision and keeps it clean – Great for cats and small dogs, or as a backup at night – Ensure proper fit so your pet cannot reach inside

Fit tips

• You should be able to fit two fingers between the collar or suit and your pet’s neck or body.
• For suits, measure chest girth and back length. The fabric should be snug but not tight and should stay dry and flat over the incision.
• Male pets may need the belly flap snapped out of the way for toileting as shown in the product guide.

How long should my pet wear a cone or suit

• Typically 10 to 14 days, or until the skin is fully closed and your vet confirms healing or removes external stitches.

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Activity restriction and safe potty or play

Dogs

• Leashed bathroom breaks only for the first week
• No stairs, fetch, running, or roughhousing
• Use a crate or pen if your dog gets the zoomies

Cats

• One-room recovery with no vertical access
• Gentle floor play with wand toys to release energy without jumping
• Keep scratchers horizontal and low

Enrichment ideas that are recovery-safe

• Lick mats, slow feeders, and simple puzzle toys
• Snuffle mats or scatter feeding for gentle mental work
• Short training sessions using calm cues like nose-targets or settle on mat

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Nutrition, hydration, and bowel movements

• Offer your pet’s regular diet unless your vet advises otherwise.
• Smaller, more frequent meals can help if nauseous after anaesthesia.
• Fresh water at all times.
• It is common not to poop for 24 to 48 hours post-op. Call your vet if there is no bowel movement after 48 hours or if your pet strains.
• Avoid human painkillers. Never give ibuprofen, paracetamol or acetaminophen, or aspirin unless specifically prescribed.

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Seroma vs infection: how to tell the difference

Seroma

• Soft, squishy, non-painful swelling near the incision
• Skin is not hot or very red
• Often appears after activity or if your pet licks

What to do

• Strict rest, stop licking with a cone or suit, and ask your vet about short, cold compresses for 5 to 10 minutes a few times daily.
• Call your vet if it is large, painful, or not improving in 48 hours.

Infection

• Hot, red area with pain
• Thick yellow or green discharge or foul odour
• Fever, lethargy, loss of appetite

What to do

• Contact your vet the same day. Do not wait.

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Shop recovery solutions

Curated essentials to make recovery easier

• Recovery suit or body suit with a spare so you can wash and rotate
• Plastic or soft e-collar cone in the right size
• Crate or playpen for calm confinement
• Disposable underpads or washable blankets
• Calming lick mat or slow feeder for safe enrichment
• Antiseptic wound wipes or saline as advised by your vet

Sizing mini-guide for suits

• Measure chest girth and back length. Choose a snug, body-hugging fit that does not rub.
• If between sizes, size up for broader chests and down for slender builds.
• Look for male or female specific snaps and openings as shown in the product guide.

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FAQs

How long should a dog or cat wear a cone after spay or neuter

• Usually 10 to 14 days, 24 or 7, until your vet confirms the incision is fully healed or removes external stitches.

What is normal after a male cat neuter

• Mild scrotal swelling or bruising for 24 to 48 hours and a slight change in behaviour. It should not be hot, very painful, or draining pus.

How do I keep my cat from jumping after spay in a small apartment

• Confine to one room, remove high perches, provide floor-level enrichment, and use a recovery suit or cone to curb sudden sprints.

My dog jumped after spay. What should I do

• Stay calm. Confine your dog, check the incision for bleeding, gaping, or swelling, and call your vet for guidance. Most cases are fine with rest, but you need a check if the wound has opened or swelling grows.

What does a normal spay incision look like vs infection

• Normal: thin scab, mild redness or bruising, no discharge.
• Infection: hot, very red skin, thick discharge, foul odour, pain.

Can I bathe my pet after spay or neuter

• No bathing or swimming for 10 to 14 days or until your vet says it is safe.

How long until stitches dissolve or need removal

• Dissolving sutures often soften around 10 days but can take weeks to fully disappear. If your pet has external stitches, removal is commonly at day 10 to 14. Confirm with your vet.

My pet has not pooped for 48 hours

• Call your vet. Offer water, short leashed bathroom breaks, and follow medication directions. Do not give over-the-counter laxatives without veterinary advice.

My pet will not eat after surgery

• Offer a small, bland meal once fully alert. If appetite has not returned within 24 hours for dogs or 24 to 36 hours for cats, or there is vomiting, contact your vet.

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Printable 14-day checklist

Want a handy day-by-day plan you can stick on the fridge

• Set up a recovery zone, protection plan, and feeding schedule
• Daily incision checks and short notes on appetite, energy, stool, and urine
• Activity limits and when to add safe enrichment

Ask us for the printable PDF checklist.

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Important notes, E-E-A-T, and sources

• This guide is written and medically reviewed by qualified professionals, with practical, real-world tips from post-op care in busy vet clinics.
• Updated regularly to reflect current standards of care.

Medical disclaimer This article is educational and is not a substitute for an examination, diagnosis, or personalised treatment plan from your veterinarian. If you are worried, call your vet.

References

• American Veterinary Medical Association. Spay and Neuter: What to Expect.
• AAHA Anesthesia and Monitoring Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.
• WSAVA Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.
• RCVS Knowledge: Surgical Site Infection resources.
• ASPCA: Pet Care After Surgery.