The 24 Hour period after surgery is an especially important time. Some pets will appear sleepy from the lingering effects of the anesthesia. Some pets may experience drooling. Each pet will rid its system of these drugs and gases at different rates. Most will be back to normal within 24-36 hours. 

Do not allow your pet to roam around the house alone. He/she should be kept in a quiet, warm, and familiar place for the first night, away from other pets and small children. 

Do not offer food until after 7 PM. Your pet may or may not want to eat or drink the first night. Offer a very small amount of food and water, and let your pet decide. Lack of appetite, vomiting, and feeling sluggish is normal after surgery and anesthesia.

All sutures are dissolvable for your convenience. Most of the time sutures will go away within one month. In some cases, they take several months to dissolve. You may notice a small amount of black color in the incision- this is tattoo ink and will help identify your animal and prove that she is spayed. 

Discourage your pet from running, jumping, and rough play for 7-10 days. Leash walks only! Check your pet's incision daily. A little lump or redness is normal.

Do Not let your pet lick or chew at the incision. It irritates the incision and could cause an infection! You may need to purchase a surgical collar at Petsmart or Petco.

Absolutely No swimming, baths, or playing in water or mud is allowed for 7 days.

Some pets will have a cough following surgery, this is normal and will pass on its own. This cough is due to the throat being irritated from having a tube placed to help them breathe. Never give your pet over-the-counter cough suppressants. They can cause severe health problems and even death. 

Hormones in mature male dogs and cats will remain in their system for 2-3 weeks after surgery. Due to this, behavior changes will be gradual, if any. 

Female dogs spayed while in heat or pregnant may continue to have vaginal discharge. This means if your dog was in heat, she may continue to attract males for 2-3 weeks.