How Long Should You Wait to Bathe a Dog After Neutering?

When your dog is neutered, he will be given anesthesia. The vet will remove his testicles and then close the small incision with stitches. Most veterinarians use dissolving stitches that will be absorbed in roughly 14 days so that a followup visit to have them removed won't be necessary.

Veterinary clinics usually have preparation instructions printed out that are given to clients whose animals will be undergoing surgery. Typical instructions include withholding food after midnight the night before the surgery. You may want to bathe your dog the day before or in the days leading up to the neuter if you typically bathe him more than once monthly.

Vets usually instruct not to bathe your dog for seven to 10 days after neutering to keep the incision clean and dry and prevent infection. Keeping the stitches clean and dry will include not allowing your dog to lick them. If this becomes a problem, you may have to use an Elizabethan collar to keep your dog from being able to reach his incision. Other recovery instructions typically include limiting strenuous activity like running and jumping, watching the incision site to make sure it's healing properly and possibly administering pain medication within the first 24 to 48 hours.

Your dog should recover fairly well within a few days, although his incision can be sensitive for up to a week. If your dog is refusing to eat or acting lethargic, he may have an infection. Other things to watch for are swelling and bleeding or discharge from the incision, painful urination and fever. If your dog is displaying any of these symptoms you should contact the vet immediately for treatment.