Frequently Asked
Questions

At what age can I have my pet spayed or neutered?

Spaying or neutering can be done at approximately 6 months of age. Your pet is given an exam prior to surgery to help determine whether your pet is healthy enough to undergo the surgical procedure. Current vaccinations are required at the time of surgery. Also a pre-anesthetic blood screen is recommended prior to undergoing anesthesia and surgery.

What is pre-anesthetic blood screening?
 
This blood test is run in-house prior to any procedure that requires anesthesia. This test assists our doctors in evaluating your pets organ function, blood clotting function and red/ white blood cell count. The pre-anesthetic blood screening is done to help our doctors ensure that your pet can be appropriately maintained under anesthesia. If for some reason your pets pre-anesthetic blood screening does not appear to be "within a normal range" we may postpone your pets procedure for his/ her safety.

Is it a good idea to let my pet have at least one litter?

No. There is no advantage to letting your pet have one litter. However, there are plenty of advantages to having your pet spayed or neutered.

• decreases the chances of cancerous tumors later in life
  
• decreases the chance of cystic ovaries and uterine infections later in life
  
• decreases the desire to roam the neighborhood
  
• decreases the incidence of prostate cancer later in life
  
• decreases the surplus of unwanted puppies and kittens
  
• Helps with unwanted spraying or marking behavior
  

Preanesthetic testing is important in reducing the risk of unforeseen complications with anesthesia.  We  recommend that every pet has an ECG and blood screening before surgery to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic.  Even apparently healthy animals can have serious organ system problems that cannot be detected without  testing.  If there is a problem, it is much better to find it before it causes anesthetic or surgical complications.  All of our surgery patients receive intravenous fluids during surgery to reduce risk.  If serious problems are detected, the doctor may discuss other options, including postponing surgery.

We offer two levels of in-house blood testing before surgery, which we will go over with you when you bring your pet in.  In brief, our doctors prefer the more comprehensive screen, because it gives them the most information to ensure the safety of your pet.  For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, electrocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well.  We do understand that many of these tests cost a little more money and in some instances it may be difficult for pet owners to afford all of the recommended procedures. That is why we offer these services and highly recommend them but we do not require them.

It is important that surgery is done on an empty stomach to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia.  You will need to withhold food for at least 8 to 10 hours before surgery.  Water can be left down for the pet until the morning of surgery.

Will my pet have stitches? If so, will they need to be removed?

For many surgeries, we use absorbable stitches (aka sutures) underneath the skin.  These will dissolve on their own, and do not need to be removed later.  Some surgeries, especially tumor removals, do require external sutures (ie. visible to the eye).  In most of these cases, your pet will often be sent home with a special collar to prevent them from excessively licking at the incision. With either type of suture (visible or not), you will need to keep an eye on the surgery site and monitor your pet for swelling or discharge.  If there are external sutures, these will usually be removed 10 to 14 days after surgery. 

What about after surgery? What should I expect?

Activity? You will need to limit your pets activity level for the first 7-10 days after surgery.  Depending on the type or extent of your pets surgery this will vary. Specific discharge instructions will be discussed with you either after your pets surgery or when you pick your pet up from the hospital.  In many instances we will also provide you with a written copy of "go home" or post surgical instructions. 

Grooming? We would discourage you from bathing your pet for 7-10 days after his/ her surgery no matter what type of surgery he/ she has had. If  you feel that your pet is a little stinky and you must freshen him/her up, we can offer some suggestions on a waterless shampoo that you may purchase here or at a local pet supply store.

Will my pet be in pain?

Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in animals.  Pets may not show the same symptoms of pain as people do; they usually don't whine or cry, but you can be sure that they feel it.  The necessity, type or duration of pain medications will depend on the surgery performed.  Major internal procedures require more pain relief than minor lacerations, for example.  We administer a pain injection minutes prior to surgery.  After surgery, pain medication is given on a case by case basis.  Any animal that appears painful will receive additional pain medication.

What other decisions will I need to make when my pet comes in for surgery?

While your pet is under anesthesia, it is the ideal time to perform other minor procedures, such as a dental cleaning, ear cleaning, or implanting an identification microchip.  If you would like an estimate for these extra services, please let us know. 

When you bring your pet in for surgery, we will need to 5 to 10 minutes of time to fill out paperwork and make decisions on the blood testing and other options available.  When you pick your pet up after surgery you can also plan to spend some time to go over your pets home care needs.

We will call you the night before your scheduled surgery appointment, to confirm the time you will be dropping your pet off and to answer any questions you might have.  In the meantime, please do not hesitate to call us with any questions about your pet's health or surgery.