Is it normal for my dog to eat less after TPLO surgery?

Yes, it is normal, there are several factors here that could influence the appetite. first of all her physical activity decreased significantly which means she does not burn calories thus needs less calories from the food. the second factor could be pain, this can cause a decrease in appetite. the third factor is depression due to the movement restriction, this can also affect the appetite.

The onesies may be uncomfortable or stressful for her. Try taking them off at feeding time. Watch her closely though so she doesn't get to her incision. You can also warm her food slightly or mix in a teaspoon of plain baby food to stimulate the appetite.

Occasionally after spaying, dogs will have no appetite for the first 12-24 hours. This may be due to the lingering effects of [anesthesia](https://www.petcoach.co/article/pets-and-anesthesia-everything-you-need-to-know) and/or some post operative discomfort. If she still has no appetite two days after spaying, I would be concerned that she may be in [pain](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-measure-your-dogs-pain) or there may be another underlying concern affecting her[ recovery](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-ways-to-rest-your-pet-after-surgery-or-injury). Call your veterinarian to discuss your concerns. He or she may recommend a recheck, and some more [pain medication](https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-pain-relief-solutions-for-dogs). In the meantime, take a look at her incision site. If it is red, swollen and hot to the touch, she needs to see your veterinarian right away as these symptoms may indicate infection. You can also try offering her a bland diet of boiled chicken

It may be a combination of factors. Certainly as you mentioned the e collar may be bothering her, and she may just be recovering. I’m not that concerned about pain as it’s been several days since the surgery and she should no longer be in acute pain. I would take off the e collar when you are watching her, then play with her, brush her or interact with her with playing with toys etc. If she becomes more active she’ll get hungrier and will start back eating. As long as she’s drinking and eating treats you’re fine to give her another day or so to see if she returns to normal. If she still isn’t eating and is lethargic then please take her back for a recheck. She may have an infection from the surgery but that is unlikely. Be patient and I expect her to be better in a day or so. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Dewey.

Poor girl. I would definitely recommend taking her in for a recheck appt since she has gone more than 48 hrs without eating at least 1/2 of her food. They need to check her incision area thoroughly for any signs of infection and potentially get her on an appetite stimulant during her recovery process. Until you can get her seen, you can try mixing her food with some beef or chicken broth to try and entice her to eat. I hope that your fur baby Lupita feels better soon! Take care.

Try feeding her some sloppy soup with rice and white boiled chicken, or canned dog food. You may have to sit next to her and entice her to eat. Be patient, she will start eating . The Tramadol sometimes will not work very well, so she may be in pain.

Poor Lily! Obviously she is in pain if she is limping more, and given that it looks like her knee wings outward when she walks, I would make an appointment with the vet for tomorrow morning to have her seen. It can take up to eight weeks or longer to fully heal from a TPLO, and she had surgery about three weeks ago. Being knocked down could be enough to disturb the healing process and potentially disrupt the plates in her joints. She likely needs an x-ray to make sure everything is ok, but it's not an emergency. Rest her tonight, do not take her for a walk. Only take her into your yard to potty on a leash, and bring her right back in when she's done. Have her seen by the vet who did the surgery tomorrow. Best of luck.

I believe the main difference is that dogs don't understand that they just had surgery. You can't explain to a dog that they need to take it easy, and if their pain is well managed (which is hopefully always the case) they will try to use a leg normally. A TPLO involves cutting the bone and then placing a plate, and a young exuberant dog can easily bend a plate or cause screws to back out of the bone running in the yard for a couple of minutes. Some surgeons will have owners do some physical therapy soon after surgery, but these are usually non-weight bearing passive range of motion type exercises.

I recommend to call Presley’s veterinarian. Only urinating once is unusual and may cause a urinary tract infection. It could be related to pain from the surgery or related to not being able to posture to urinate. Her veterinarian may recommend adjusting the pain medication. Using a towel like a sling can help her support her weight which may make her feel more comfortable so she will go potty. Ask her veterinarian about this option as well. Continue offering her water as it is important to keep her drinking. Some bruising and swelling can be normal and again, let the veterinarian know. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is not normal, so I would be somewhat concerned. I would be more concerned if she was also vomiting, had diarrhea, and/or a decrease in activity. Some pain medications can cause side-effects in the stomach and usually have directions not to give these when they are not eating. Make sure to double-check the medication labels for these warnings. If Diamond goes longer than 24 hours without eating, then I recommend contacting your vet. I hope that helps and Diamond gets better soon.