My six month old Great Dane had her desexing surgery today and since I have brought her home she is breathing quite rapidly, around 80 breaths per minute. The vet didn’t give me any pain relief

Sorry that she is having difficulty after her desexing today. A spey is a big (but standard) operation and pain relief is essential. It’s usually given prior to the surgery as well as in recovery. So it’s most likely she does have some pain relief on board, may it may not be sufficient in her individual case.

Some dogs need at least 3-5 days of pain relief post spey.

Her rapid breathing is a concern and it could be due to pain as you suggest, but there are other possible causes- if your vet is still open I would urge you to call them now and head down as soon as possible for another check, as further pain relief may need to be prescribed to help her recovery and ensure that you both have a restful night.

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Chat soon,

Dr Claire