How Long After Getting Spayed Can a Dog Play?

The vet would have told you this already but it’s important to restrict your dog’s physical activity for a period of time after they get a spay procedure done. How long do you need to wait though until your dog (most likely frustrated by the lack of movement) recovers and is able to play? Here’s the answer.

Two weeks is a general rule of thumb

Generally speaking, you should give it about two weeks after a spay surgery before you let your dog play as she pleases. This, however, can be longer or shorter depending on how well your dog recovers from the surgery. The two week period coincides with the time when the stitches or staples need to be removed from the dog’s skin.

What happens if a dog is too active after getting spayed?

If you allow your dog to play too early then it’s possible for a number of complications to occur. First, it’s likely for the stitches to tear and this opens up the risk of serious infections. Second, acute hernia can also occur as a result of the improper healing process. Hernia is when the contents inside the body protrude outwards due to a gap along the muscular wall.

For the above reasons, it’s important to make sure that not only is the dog not playing before she fully recovers, but it’s also important to limit other overly-active body movements like running and jumping. The last thing you would want is for the dog to go through another surgery not long after the spay procedure because the area of incision didn’t heal properly.

In the ideal case, a veterinary clinic would ask you to schedule a follow-up appointment when a vet or a nurse will check the dog and give you a thumbs up or down for allowing the dog to start playing after a spay procedure.