Spay / Neuter

There is an old wives tale that says a female pet should go through a heat cycle before being spayed. This is woefully incorrect. Spaying has a number of benefits; the risk of breast cancer is negligible if the pet is spayed before the first heat cycle and the possibility of ovarian tumors are removed. Spaying your pet also ensures that there will be no unwanted litters, which helps to control the pet population, each year millions of pets are euthanized because there are insufficient homes for them.

When your pet is spayed both the ovaries and the uterus are removed. We generally have patients who are spayed go home the same day as their procedure to be able to heal in their familiar environment with their family. However, there are some instances when a spayed pet may need to stay overnight for monitoring.

The benefits of neutering your male pet include the elimination of the possibility of testicular tumors and a decrease in the likelihood of prostrate hyperplasia or cancer, decreased spraying behavior and less of a desire to roam or get into fights with other pets. They tend to be less aggressive towards people as well.

When your pet is neutered both testicles are removed surgically. Pets are often able to go home the day of the surgery though they will need to be kept quiet for a few days.

We certainly appreciate the fact that no matter how routine a procedure is as pet owners it is a worrisome time to know that your pet is going through surgery. We will endeavor to answer all your questions prior to the surgery so as to make the period less stressful. We call you promptly once the surgery is done to ensure that you can breath easily once again.