"My Silkie, "Precious" is unable to sit" said the Dog Owner. "He was castrated 2 days ago.  He was licking his private part which became red on the first day after surgery." 

The Dog Owner elaborated, "The area of redness became widespread on the second day.  The vet receptionist had said that there was no vet and therefore we contacted you."

It was Sunday 5 p.m. Such cases would best be handled by the vet who had done the operation. The Owner could not wait till the next day.

A 3-year-old gentle  Silkie Terrier had a big swollen scrotum and swelling in the lower part of his penile area.  There was some bleeding inside the scrotal sac.


A call to the vet clinic confirmed that the operating vet was unavailable.  The receptionist enquired  whether the dog had been running around after surgery. "Yes," the Dog Owner said.

Most Dog Owners do not confine the dog after surgery.

The Silkie had no fever and was eating well.  The stitches were bitten off but the wound had almost closed.  

An Elizabeth collar was put on his neck to prevent further trauma to the sore area.   An antibiotic injection was given.  The dog was to be confined to a small area. 

"The vet should have used the collar after castration?" the Dog Owner asked. 

"It would be unethical to comment about another practitioner," I replied.  "Not every case of castration requires the collar. There is inflammation and swelling after castration, if the dog licks the surgical wound or if there is an infection.  As the dog is still active and has no fever, infection is unlikely at the time of examination. "

It was a stifling hot Sunday evening and I had closed for consultations.

It looked as if the Dog Owner was blaming the other veterinary surgeon for a botched up surgery, but the fault was his dog's.    

"Do you want to go back to your operating vet?" I asked. "A message had been left with his receptionist that his case was at another clinic."
    
"Would the after-surgical service be free if I go back to the original  vet?" asked the Dog Owner.

Car workshops may do repairs free if the car is not functional after repairs.   Therefore the veterinarian should rectify problems free of charge?

"Unlikely be free" I replied. "Your dog caused the redness and pain due to continual licking of the wound."  

However, the Dog Owner was given the option to return to his operating vet. without payment of any consulting fee to me.

"The vet should have told me that Precious would lick his private parts after castration," chipped in the wife.  I had no comment.
 

"The castration was properly done, and as you can see, the dog is in good health and eating well." I explained.
"It is the Dog Owner's responsibility to check with the vet when the dog first licked its surgical wound."

No veterinarian can guarantee that the dog will not lick its surgical area after castration. 

Therefore, Dog Owners must report the first episode of  self-inflicted trauma and seek veterinary advice.  


Swelling and redness in  the scrotum and penile area after castration in a dog.  He took about 20 days to recover.

The high cost of private housing and cars and the increasing cost of living in a modern Singapore has made many Singaporeans cost conscious and potentially litigious. 

Even a simple castration can become a potential litigation.  To prevent litigation, some American vets have much paperwork on anaesthesia risk and post-surgical complications for the Dog Owner to sign before any castration is done. 

Owners must report any unusual behavior after surgery.  It may be better to make appointments for castration to be done during the early part of the week so that the Dog Owner can contact the operating vet during the week days.

Why was the dog castrated?

The dog was castrated because he was gripping onto every human leg and the vet had advised castration as a solution to this problem. 

Lady visitors screamed when the dog suddenly pounced on them and gripped their leg with his paws.

The veterinary medical condition may be known as hypersexuality.  Dog trainers call this mounting of other people or dog as a natural behaviour. The dog is trying to be the pack leader and wants to dominate the other party.  This bad behaviour may be resolved via castration.  

 

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   Last updated: 23 Oct 2005
 

Educational Be Kind To Pets story on post-surgical care after castration was written in Oct 9, 2000 and reproduced here for Toa Payoh Vets in Jul 14, 2005 to educate dog owners via narratives.


Pictures are courtesy of Toa Payoh Vets and copyright sinpets.com