What to expect during your pet's spay or neuter surgery

Physical Exam And Treatment Plan

The first step we take is to perform a complete nose to tail physical examination. During this examination you will be provided with a treatment plan specifically designed for your pet and their health care needs.

Pre-Anesthetic Blood Test

The next and very important step we take is to perform a pre-anesthetic blood test. This is the same test your doctor would perform if you were having an anesthetic procedure. The test results will give the doctors information about your pet's health and most importantly, will indicate how well Rover's body can filter and process the anesthetic medication we use in order to perform the procedure.

Drop Off

We ask that you drop off your pet between 7-8 am on the morning of the procedure. There are several factors that come into play when we consider the order of when your pet's surgery will be performed so we cannot guarantee any particular go home time. This may include age of the patients on the surgery schedule, urgency of the procedures, etc. Some of these factors are out of our control so we ask that you plan for us to keep your pet until 5 pm. We will contact you if they can go home sooner. If you would like to check on your pet's status feel free to text us at any time.

IV Catheter And Supportive Fluids

Once dropped off, your pet may be set up with an intravenous catheter depending on the type of surgery being performed. This will be determined by your veterinarian. We will use the IV catheter to administer medications as needed. In some cases, your pet may require supportive fluids be adminsitered through the IV catheter. Supportive fluids are necessary to help your pet maintain his or her blood pressure during the procedure, keep your pet well hydrated, and to help clear the anesthesia from their body.

Anesthesia

Your pet will be sedated with medications which can sometimes help us use less anesthesia and help calm your pet in an unfamiliar surrounding. Once sedated and comfortable, your pet is intubated and receives general anesthesia while a technician closely monitors your pet's vitals and anesthesia during the entirity of the procedure.

Monitoring And Nursing Care

When your pet is admitted to our hospital, both the treating veterinarian and assistant watch over them during the entire process. Once your pet is under anesthesia, they are connected to monitoring equipment which provides the doctor with information about their heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels while they are sleeping.

Surgical Prep

Once your pet is sleeping comfortably under anesthesia, we start the surgical prep process. The surgical area is shaved and cleaned following aseptic technique.

Procedure

Females: During a spay or ovariohysterectomy procedure, an incision is made into the abdomen and the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus are removed. Depending on the doctor's preference, they may use sutures, staples or other methods to close the incision after the procedure.


Males: A typical castration or neuter does not involve abdominal surgery like for a spay procedure. Instead, a small incision is made and the testicles are removed. Depending on the doctor's preference, sutures, staples or other methods may be used to close the incision.

In heat (estrus) or Cryptorchid Procedures

Females: Since it can be difficult to predict when this first cycle will occur, we recommend performing an spay when your pet is between 4-6 months of age. The earliest sign of estrus is swelling and discharge from the vulva. However, if your pet is currently in heat or just recently coming out of a heat cycle you may not have even noticed as the outward symptoms don't always match with the internal symptoms. The veteriarian will make this determination at the time of surgery so plan ahead for an "in heat" fee.

Males: Cryptorchidism is the medical term that refers to the failure of one or both testicles (testes) to descend into the scrotum. Neutering and removal of the retained testicle(s) are recommended as soon as possible. If only one testicle is retained, the dog will have two incisions - one for extraction of each testicle. If both testicles are in the inguinal canal, there will also be two incisions. If both testicles are in the abdomen, a single abdominal incision will allow access to both. There are several good reasons for neutering a dog with cryptorchidism. The first is to remove the genetic defect from the breed line. Cryptorchid dogs should never be bred. Second, dogs with a retained testicle are more likely to develop a testicular tumor (cancer) in the retained testicle. Finally, dogs with a retained testicle typically develop the undesirable characteristics associated with intact males like urine marking and aggression.

Post-Op And Ready To Go

After the procedure, the area is cleaned and your pet will be moved to a comfortable cage with cozy bedding to keep them warm while they wake up from anesthesia. During this time our staff will monitor them closely to make sure they are comfortable and doing well. Depending on the procedure and the doctor's preference, your pet may go home the same day, or spend the night with us. Pets are examined before they go home to make sure the surgical area looks good and they have recovered from the effects of the anesthesia.

Medications And Other Supplies

During the procedure, several different medications are administered to your pet. The initial medications provide sedation for going under anesthesia. Then, pain management medications are administered. We do this to keep your pet comfortable and pain-free. Not only does controlling pain keep your pet comfortable; studies have shown that inhibiting the pain response helps reduce healing time. You pet will be sent home with pain medication and in most cases, the doctor may also send home a collar at no charge to ensure your pet cannot lick at the surgical site and risk re-opening the incision.

Optional medications/supplies for you to consider:  

  • Nocita®(bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension)  

Nocita is injected, by the surgeon, near the incision after surgery to offer a 72 hour local anesthetic (numbing medication) that will reduce pain and discomfort. Typically after most surgeries, the most painful time during the healing process is the first two days when there is the most swelling. Nocita in combination with an anti-inflammatory medication offers the most pain control that can be offered. **Nocita is not waranted for all surgeries and will be left to the discretion of the surgeon.

  • Cerenia® (maropitant citrate)  

Cerenia is given either as an injection or as an oral tablet, pre-operatively by the surgery staff, as an antiemetic (anti-nausea) medication. Per Zoetis, in a clinical study, 91% of dogs had a faster return to normal feeding when treated with Cerenia which decreases healing and recovery time. Cats were not apart of the study but we recommend this injection for both cats and dogs.

  • Medical Pet T-shirt  

Animals undergoing a spay or neuter procedure are great candidates for a medical pet t-shirt. They are meant to fit snug over the incision to prevent licking, chewing, or scratching which can cause damage and in serious cases, additional costly surgery to repair. Animals who wear a medical pet t-shirts post operatively do not require an e-collar/cone. That alone will reduce the stress for both you and your pet! **Medical Pet T-shirts do not cover a feline neuter incision.