Spaying or neutering can be done at approximately 6 months of age. Your pet is always examined by one of our veterinarians the day of the surgery; however, it is required that your pet has had a scheduled exam with one of our doctors prior to the day of surgery. Current vaccinations and a pre-anesthetic blood screen are also required prior to undergoing any anesthetic procedure.
This is a blood test that assesses organ function as well as red and white blood cell counts. The pre-anesthetic blood screening is preformed to help ensure the safety of your pet during the anesthetic procedure and the ability to recover and heal following the procedure.
Procedures involving external sutures require 10 – 14 days of healing following the surgery before being removed. Your pet should not be allowed to lick or chew at the surgical site. In most cases exercise restriction will be required until the stitches are removed. Your veterinarian will provide you with detailed instructions for recovery. Please follow the instructions carefully and do not hesitate to call with any questions or concerns.
No, there is no advantage to letting your pet have one litter. However, there are plenty of advantages to having you pet spayed or neutered. These advantages include decreasing the chances of breast tumors later in life, decreasing the chance of cystic ovaries and uterine infections later in life, decreasing the desire to roam the neighborhood, decreasing the chance of aggressive territorial behavior, decreasing the incidence of prostate cancer later in life, helping prevent spraying and marking, and decreasing the surplus stray puppies and feral kittens.