[Growster...]

Our new girl is going to be spayed in a few weeks time, and I'm dreading taking her up to the vet, as she absolutely hates cars and vans, probably from her horrible start in life as a puppy in Romania, and also, she's not allowed any food before she goes in!

We have a ritual every morning, where I get up around 5.30am, come down, and she takes about five minutes to say 'hello' with constant wags and licks, which is absolutely fabulous! Then she decides she needs feeding, and puts her paws up on my knees and gives me the hard stare, to which I have to respond with, 'Breakfast', and the whole waggy-licky rigmarole starts again!

So on the day, I'll have to think up some diversions, as she'll damn well know that something's 'different', I'm sure!

Any ideas how I can cope please?

[snowdrops]

Can you start with just putting her in the car 4 or 5 times a day for a few minutes at a time, before taking her on short journeys to address that issue. As for breakfast, perhaps begin, again slowly to move it along so she gets her breakfast a bit later each day.

[hasbeans]

I would just not feed our dog until later but make the delayed meal a 'super' breakfast.  After a few days he's not interested in his dog food if something better is due!  Scrambled eggs are popular, as is liver (or both).  You may be making a rod for your own back in the medium term though and can be tricky if she's on a strict diet.

Making getting in and out of the car a game and rewarding perfect behavior during the game might help.  Start without the engine running, then with, then starting the car with her in it.  Build her up to a parking manouver, three point turn, drive round the block etc.  If you play the game a few times a day for a few days it should soon become normalised.  The trick is frequent repetition and rewards for good behavior.

[Subversive_plot]

If there is a local park, pond, woods, etc. where your pup likes to go, or you can think of a place that sounds interesting, take some trips in the car to such places. Even a neighborhood where you don't normally walk will do. Nearly all dogs like walks in new places. We call these car trips with walks "adventures" in our household, our dog Murray used to dread car rides, now he likes them if an adventure is involved.  Start with a couple trips to the closest such place, branch out to others.

The idea is to build a strong association between a car ride and fun.  The first couple trips might be rough, be prepared by spreading some old towels in the car in case there are upset stomach issues.  Paper towels would be another item to keep on hand, as well as plastic bags to manage the usual dog walk waste. With just a few weeks to go, you should repeat the fun trips daily if you can.  After the operation and full recovery, re-introduce short drives with adventures, to reinforce that most care rides are fun, the ones leading to the vet are the anomaly.

[Growster...]

Great encouragement and advice, Snows and Hasbs - it makes sense for her to be feeling comfortable, after all, it's only a couple of hours to wait before we set off, so maybe she'll get the longer walk as well!

The vet's only on the other side of the village and Mrs Growster will be sitting with her on the short trip!

[Goosegirl]

How's Lily now? Don't tell me you got her some special treats for her homecoming then you eat them all!! 

[Growster...]

Ha ha ha!

She's not due to go until Monday week, and already, I'm starting her day a few minutes later than before, and as it's dark first thing, I reckon we'll get away with the wait until we get in the car!

She actually becomes very docile when challenged like this, and I hope that she'll stay like that until we pick her up a later on. The vet will decide whether to do the surgery as standard, or as we'd prefer, 'keyhole', but that'll be his decision!

And they can clip her claws while she's asleep, as she gets so exited every morning, she dances around for ages and the lawn outside looks like The Somme in places...

[Goosegirl]

Been to the Somme and really feel for your lawn and possibly your trousers and slippers! Updates needed please. 

[mrs bouquet]

Have you checked with the vetto see if she is allowed food that morning ?    Good luck,  Mrs Bouquet

[Growster...]

Have you checked with the vetto see if she is allowed food that morning ?    Good luck,  Mrs Bouquet

Yes, she can't eat on the morning of the op, but can have an extra something later in the evening before!

She'll eat anything anyway, handkerchiefs, kitchen roll, socks, Mrs Growster's shawl...

[MrsPea]

What sort of dog is she   Good luck on the day , you have a few days to change her habits 

[Growster...]

She's a Romanian Patterjackandtherest, rescued last summer, and is a darling!

[MrsPea]

She's a Romanian Patterjackandtherest, rescued last summer, and is a darling!

She looks sweet 

[snowdrops]

Was today the day for her op? How did she cope? And you & Mrs G?

[Growster...]

Was today the day for her op? How did she cope? And you & Mrs G?

Sunday night lasted for about three weeks, neither of us slept a wink...

She's fine, thank you Snows!  Mrs Growster sat in the back of the car with her, and while she was pretty nervous, she put up with the short journey like a good gal!

The vet was absolutely charming, and we spent quite some time discussing what was going to happen, and he also went into a lot of detail about her diet etc! She had the full works, not keyhole surgery. We were back up there just after three, and she trotted out the door as pleased as anything! She even had a short walk around 5pm, and needed it!

As she's still a bit groggy, I stayed down in the living room with her last night, sleeping on the floor, rather like I did when she first came to live here, and she was just fine!

She's scoffed her breakfast already, and the painkillers we give her are a sort of syringe, (without the needle!), and it's popped into her mouth just after she's eaten! She loved the stuff!

Back for a check up on Wednesday, then again next week and all seems pretty good!

Phew...:0~