Dog Won’t Pee After Being Neutered? Here’s Why

A set of glassy, groggy puppy eyes gaze lovingly up at you.

You smile and coo, “good job, little buddy, you did it!”

Your dog did it, indeed. He made it successfully through his neutering surgery. Now it’s time to take Fido home and watch over him as he rests and recovers.

And his recovery seems to be going smoothly until you realize something: your pup hasn’t peed yet since their surgery…and that was a few days ago.

Is something wrong? Is this normal?

It is normal for dogs not to pee for a while after being neutered. Grogginess, pain, and dehydration are just a few of the reasons why. If your dog still hasn’t peed 24 hours after surgery, you may want to reach out to your vet to ensure he’s okay.

In this article, I will discuss how long after being neutered your dog should pee, and also let you know when you should worry if they still haven’t peed yet.

Watching and waiting for your pup to start a stream of urine after his neutering surgery can become frustrating.

You’re sure he needs to go! What’s the hold-up?

Allow me to assist you in solving the mystery of why your pup isn’t peeing.

Let’s get into it!

Is It Normal for Dogs Not to Pee After Getting Neutered?

It is very normal for dogs not to pee after getting neutered.

Sigh of relief!

If your pup isn’t peeing after getting neutered, this is totally common and not a cause for concern.

There are a few possible reasons why this may be happening. Let’s take a look at a few:

They May Still Be Groggy

If you’ve ever had surgery that required anesthesia, you know that you can feel pretty funny upon waking up.

Your pup could be having a similar experience post-operation. He may still be floating off the anesthesia’s effects, and going pee may not be on his radar.

Your Pup May Be in Pain

Remember, your pup has just had a medical procedure done. To put it bluntly, he just got cut!

This happened under anesthesia and with proper pain management, of course, but he still may be experiencing pain.

It’s entirely possible that your dog isn’t peeing just yet because, hey, it hurts!

Dehydration Could Be the Cause

Your dog may not pee after being neutered because they haven’t been drinking any water. In essence, your pup could be dehydrated. If he’s not taking enough water in, he probably won’t need to pee very much.

Also, the IV fluids given to your pup during surgery help to keep him hydrated but may also cause him to be less thirsty when he gets home. This may increase the likelihood that he becomes dehydrated.

Your Dog’s Bladder Was Emptied Before Surgery

Before your pup’s neutering surgery, he will have already had his bladder emptied at the clinic. Your pup may have sufficiently emptied out their bladder, and there’s just not much pee in there. The same goes for your pup’s bowels. The night before his neutering, your pup probably didn’t eat.

So, there may not be a lot inside of your dog’s system that needs to come out.

Something May Be Wrong

It’s possible that your pup won’t pee after neutering because something is wrong.

Only your vet can tell you this for sure. If you suspect something is off, take a peek at his incision. While this won’t tell you everything, a surgery site that is very swollen or leaking pus or blood could signal there’s something serious going on.

How Long After Neuter Will a Dog Pee?

Since each unique dog has an equally unique body, it’s hard to say how long your pup may take to pee after being neutered. But seeing no pee from your pup the entire day they have had surgery would not be uncommon.

There is no set timeframe, but it is reasonable to expect your dog to pee sometime within 24 hours of neutering surgery.

When You Should Worry

Playing the waiting game for your pup to finally pee after being neutered can feel excruciating. Every hour that goes by without them peeing can cause your anxiety to build and have you seeking the internet for answers.

But don’t worry just yet.

It’s easy to jump to the worst-case scenario when it comes to your dog’s health, but I recommend another approach.

While I recommend expecting your pup to pee sometime within 24 hours of being neutered, other more generous estimates exist. Some don’t recommend even calling your vet to ask questions until the 72-hour mark.

But this may be a situation where it’s better to be safe than sorry. If your pup hasn’t peed within the 24-hour window, I recommend placing a call to your vet just to let them know.

Depending on how concerned your vet seems and if your dog is showing any other symptoms, you can simply monitor the situation from there.

I recommend reaching back out to your vet if it’s been 48 hours since your pup’s neutering and there’s still no pee in sight. I would see what your vet says at this point and continue to keep an eye on your pup.

If the 72-hour mark rolls around and your pup still has yet to pee, I recommend taking them to the vet or an emergency animal clinic immediately.

If it’s nothing, no big deal. But if there’s a problem, your pup will get the treatment they need to get their regular potty schedule back on track.

Tip: Before you rush off to the vet, do a thorough check around the house for urine puddles or stains. You may find that, in fact, your dog has actually been peeing this whole entire time…but secretly, in places out of your sight!

Waiting for the Pee to Come

A big chunk of life as a doggy parent revolves around your pup’s bathroom breaks. At times it can feel like a never-ending series of walks outside to go potty.

So, watching and waiting for your pup to pee after being neutered can feel very foreign.

Usually, he’s always gotta go!

But this is simply a natural side-effect of your pup having surgery. This could be caused by grogginess, pain, and dehydration, among other reasons.

It’s common for your pup to pee somewhere within 24 hours after surgery, but if he doesn’t, continue to monitor the situation and reach out to your pup’s vet as you feel led.

And try not to worry too much; in no time, your pup will likely be right back to being the peeing machine you know and love!