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My dog is shaky and crying after spay surgery. Should I be worried?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 3 years and 3 months old | 44 lbs

So nala and my other female got spayed today. Nala is super shaky and still crying . We took her cone off while we have her supervised cause she was just freaking out ten times more with it , she drank water but I’m just worried . Is she alright.? Bella isn’t shaking or crying like her

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on June 25th, 2018

Hi there. Different individuals can respond to anesthesia differently, just like humans. In my experience, it's not uncommon for some pets to be wobbly, confused, or otherwise "out of it" for up to 24 hours or so after an anesthetic event. As long as she's responsive and doesn't seem to be getting worse, this is likely normal. If she's still shaky and crying by tomorrow morning, I would recommend giving your vet a call as she may be painful and need some additional medication to help with this. For tonight, you can sit and snuggle with her if she seems to want this, or leave her alone if she doesn't want to be touched. Make sure she has food and water available if she wants it. Monitor for any bleeding from the incision site, pale gums, or increased weakness or acting less responsive, as these could indicate a more serious problem that needs an ER visit.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

    Published on February 14th, 2018

    Certainly, dogs can be uncomfortable after surgery, but often the shaking and whining is due to the effects of anesthesia. Depending on the type of anesthesia used, the side effects of anesthesia can last for 6-24 hours. In order to help a dog recover from anesthesia, I always recommend keeping them in a warm and quiet location. Most dogs prefer to stay in a kennel or confined area and just rest. That allows them to recover from the anesthesia and the pain medication to start working. By tomorrow, Aubree should be acting more normal. If she is still shaking tomorrow, I would recommend contacting your veterinarian. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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