If your dog isn’t eating or drinking after being spayed, it can be extremely stressful for any pet parent. You expect some drowsiness after surgery, but skipping meals or avoiding water can quickly become worrying.
We outline the common reasons why a dog may not eat or drink after a spay surgery, what you can do at home, and when to seek veterinary help.
Dog Not Eating or Drinking After Spay: Why It Happens
A dog not eating or drinking after spay surgery may be experiencing pain, nausea from anesthesia, fear or stress, medication side effects, surgical discomfort, inflammation, or early complications. While mild appetite loss is normal, refusing both food and water requires careful monitoring.
Dog Not Eating or Drinking After Spay: Common Causes
After-Effects of Anesthesia
Anesthesia is one of the most common reasons dogs don’t eat or drink after a spay. The drugs used during surgery affect the nervous system and digestive tract, often causing nausea, dizziness, or general stomach upset.
Many dogs feel disoriented for 12–24 hours afterward, and this disorientation can make the idea of eating or drinking unappealing.
Some dogs may attempt to eat but turn away because they feel queasy. Others simply lie down and sleep through the nausea. Anesthesia can also slow gut movement, making the stomach feel unsettled.
For up to 24 hours, it’s normal for dogs to eat very little, but when water intake also drops, dehydration becomes a real concern.
Read more: Dog Throwing Up After Spay (Why it happens)
Pain or Abdominal Discomfort After Surgery
Although spays are routine procedures, they are major abdominal surgeries. Internal tissues are cut, handled, and sutured, and the incision can be sensitive for several days.
Pain can make a dog reluctant to move, lower their head, or stretch enough to eat or drink comfortably.
A painful dog may appear shut down or avoidant near the food bowl. Some dogs freeze when the incision area pulls or when they shift positions.
Even with pain medication, the first day or two after surgery may bring enough discomfort to reduce appetite. When pain is not well-managed, both eating and drinking can slow significantly.
Nausea From Pain Medication
Pain relievers prescribed after spay surgery sometimes cause stomach upset. Medications such as NSAIDs or opioids can irritate the stomach lining, cause nausea, or temporarily decrease appetite.
Even if your dog is comfortable physically, medication-induced nausea may make food and water seem unappealing.
Some dogs lick their lips excessively, swallow hard, or pace before refusing food. As the medication circulates through the body, the queasiness can last several hours. If the medication continues to irritate the stomach, appetite may remain low until the dosage is adjusted.
Stress, Fear, or Environmental Changes
A spay surgery is stressful both physically and emotionally. Being in a clinic, recovering in a strange environment, hearing unfamiliar sounds, and feeling vulnerable can heighten anxiety.
When dogs come home, they may be clingy, quiet, or withdrawn—behaviors that naturally suppress appetite and thirst.
The sudden presence of an e-collar or surgical suit can also make dogs uneasy. Some refuse to approach their bowls because the cone bumps into the floor or walls.
Dogs recovering from stress often sleep excessively and show little interest in food or water until they feel safe again.
Throat Irritation From the Breathing Tube
During surgery, a breathing tube is inserted into the dog’s airway. This tube can cause irritation in the throat, leading to soreness or a scratchy sensation when swallowing. Drinking water may feel uncomfortable, and dry kibble can seem too abrasive.
Dogs with throat irritation may gag lightly, cough once or twice, or swallow repeatedly as they try to soothe the discomfort.
This temporary irritation usually improves within a day, but the reluctance to eat or drink can persist until swallowing feels normal again.
Digestive Slowdown After Surgery
The digestive system often slows down after anesthesia and surgery. Hormonal changes, reduced gut motility, and lowered energy can all make a dog feel less hungry.
This slowdown also affects thirst; if the stomach feels heavy or unsettled, your dog may not seek out water.
Digestive slowdown is usually mild, but when combined with pain or nausea, it can significantly reduce appetite. Some dogs may burp, have slight bloating, or show mild gas discomfort, all of which discourage eating and drinking.
Surgical Complication (Less Common but Important)
In rare cases, a dog refusing both food and water may be signaling a post-surgical complication such as infection, internal bleeding, an adverse drug reaction, or inflammation around the incision.
These complications can cause fever, pain, lethargy, and nausea—symptoms that drastically reduce appetite and thirst.
A dog experiencing complication-related discomfort may isolate, shake, pant, or seem unusually still. While uncommon, complications are serious and require immediate veterinary evaluation.
Read more: Dog Panting and Shaking After Spay (Here’s why)
What to Do If Your Dog Is Not Eating or Drinking After Spay
Start by keeping your dog calm and comfortable. Offer a soft, warm, quiet space to rest and make sure the lighting is gentle and the environment is peaceful. Many dogs eat better once the stress of returning home has settled.
Try offering soft, bland foods such as warm chicken broth, plain boiled chicken, or watered-down wet food. The warmth and aroma often stimulate interest. Avoid forcing food—gentle encouragement works better than pressure, which can increase stress.
Ensure water is easy to access. Use a shallow bowl, raise the bowl if your dog is wearing a cone, or temporarily remove the cone while closely supervising drinking. Offering ice chips can help hydrate dogs who find swallowing uncomfortable.
Give pain medication exactly as prescribed. If nausea seems to worsen after medication, speak with your vet about adjusting the type or dose. Encourage small, frequent meals rather than a full bowl.
Monitor your dog closely over the next 12–24 hours. If your dog begins drinking small amounts and shows gradual improvement, the recovery is likely progressing normally. If drinking does not resume, or if appetite worsens, it’s time to seek help.
When to Call or Visit Your Vet
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your dog:
• Refuses all water for more than 12–18 hours
• Refuses food for more than 24 hours
• Vomits repeatedly or vomits blood
• Has diarrhea or appears bloated
• Shows swelling, redness, discharge, or odor at the incision
• Shakes, trembles, or pants excessively
• Appears increasingly lethargic or weak
• Has pale gums or signs of dehydration
• Struggles to swallow or seems severely nauseated
• Cries out when touched near the abdomen
These symptoms may signal dehydration, infection, complications, or medicine reactions that require prompt medical care.
Key Takeaway
A dog not eating or drinking after a spay surgery may be experiencing pain, nausea, stress, throat irritation, digestive slowdown, or complications.
While mild appetite loss is normal for the first day, refusing both food and water must be monitored closely.
With calm support, gentle hydration, and veterinary care when necessary, most dogs recover quickly and return to eating and drinking normally within 24–48 hours.