We believe in utilizing the highest level of medical technology, and our surgeons are experienced and highly trained. We also realize that it can be stressful to have your pet undergo surgery. We want to assure you that your pet is in good hands, and that we will do everything to provide the best care possible. We will communicate with you about the things you need to know before, during, and after your pet’s surgery. It is our goal to make the entire process go smoothly, and to eliminate the stress and worry of surgical procedures.
- Before the surgery, we conduct a nose-to-tail examination to ensure your pet is healthy to undergo the surgery and anesthesia. A pre-anesthetic blood panel may also be required if your pet has not had blood work taken in the last six months.
- During the surgery, a trained member of our staff will rigorously monitor your patient’s vital signs and pain levels.
- After the surgery, our staff will continue to closely monitor your pet’s health so that they may wake up comfortably, and recover from the anesthesia as expected.
Why Spay or Neuter Your Pet?
This is one of the most common questions we hear all the time in veterinary medicine so we thought it would be a good idea to answer that question for you first thing! Every year, millions of unwanted dogs and cats, including puppies and kittens, are euthanized. The good news is that responsible pet owners can make a difference. By having your dog or cat sterilized, you will do your part to prevent the birth of unwanted puppies and kittens. Spaying and neutering prevent unwanted litters, help protect against some serious health problems, and may reduce many of the behavioral problems associated with the mating instinct.
Removing a female dog or cat’s ovaries eliminates heat cycles and generally reduces the unwanted behaviors that may lead to owner frustration. Removing the testes from male dogs and cats reduces the breeding instinct, making them less inclined to roam and more content to stay at home.
Early spaying of female dogs and cats can help protect them from some serious health problems later in life such as uterine infections and breast cancer. Neutering your male pet can also lessen its risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate gland) and testicular cancer.
The procedure has no effect on a pet’s intelligence or ability to learn, play, work or hunt. Some pets tend to be better behaved following surgical removal of their ovaries or testes, making them more desirable companions.
Below, there is a list of common procedures performed at our hospital. If you have questions about any of these, please feel free to call us and we would gladly answer any questions you might have!
Ovariohysterectomy (Spay): The ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are removed from a female dog or cat. This makes her unable to reproduce and eliminates her heat cycle and breeding instinct-related behavior.
Castration (Neuter): The testes are removed from a male dog or cat. This makes him unable to reproduce and reduces or eliminates male breeding behaviors.
Prophylactic Gastropexy: Most surgeons agree that a prophylactic gastropexy in patients considered “at risk” for GDV (gastric dilatation and volvulus) is a worthwhile procedure. The gastropexy can be incorporated into the same procedure as a spay or castration, or when the abdomen is being explored or opened for another reason. Alternatively, it can be performed as an elective procedure.
Cystotomy
Vulvoplasty
Mass Removal
Laceration Repair
Enucleation
Limb Amputation
Femoral Head Ostectomy
Gastrotomy/Enterotomy/Resection and Anastomosis (Foreign Body Removal)
Anal Sacculectomy
Herniorrhaphy
Splenectomy
Stenotic Nares
Please contact us today if you have any questions or would like to learn more about how we care for your pet.