Spay
- This term refers to female
animals. It is a procedure which removes the uterus and both
ovaries.
Having your
pet spayed will make her a healthier pet by preventing complications in
the future. And just as importantly, spaying your pet can prevent
many litters of unwanted puppies, kittens, ferrets or rabbits. We recommend having your pet
spayed close to six months of age, before the first heat cycle, although
the surgery can be done at any age after that.
What are the benefits
of having my dog or cat spayed? (We also spay rabbits and other
pets)
Having your pet spayed
will greatly reduce the risk of certain health problems as your she
gets older. The risk of problems such as breast cancer, uterine
infections, tumors and many others can be virtually eliminated through
early spaying. Also, not having an animal with heat cycles can be a
much more pleasant existence.
An animal's behavior can be effected by
spaying, usually for the better. However, most animals will not
exhibit any behavioral changes after the surgery. In
most cases the behavior modification will come slowly over a longer period
of time. As always, the only
guarantee we can make with this surgery is that your pet will not be
able to reproduce. Generally, animals that have been spayed or neutered
tend to be a bit more relaxed and less active.
Another equally important reason to have your pet spayed is to prevent
unwanted litters. Millions of dogs and cats
are put to sleep every year because they don't have homes. Unless
you plan to breed your purebred dog or cat, you should have your animal
spayed at 4-6 months of age. Don't think that because your pet is an
indoor-only animal that it can't or won't get out. A female in heat can be
sensed by males from long distances, and animals have been known
to tear down doors, screens and jump fences to breed. Don't
risk an unwanted pregnancy, which could bring health problems, or even
life-threatening problems during delivery.
How
is the surgery performed?
Your pet will be given general anesthesia for this
surgery. After anesthesia is administered, an incision is made
and the uterus and ovaries are removed. Blood vessels and tissues are
sutured and the
incision is closed. Animals who are in heat, have had litters, or
are over 2-years-old require more surgery time. This is because with
each heat cycle, and/or pregnancy, the uterus becomes larger and has a
larger blood supply. As a result, the surgery is a bit more involved
and requires more time (which means more supplies and more anesthesia).
Most pets will have skin sutures that need to be removed
in 10-14 days after the surgery, when we recheck the incision. Not
all incisions require skin sutures, which means we sometimes do not have
to see the patient back. The incision is usually less than 2 inches and heals
within a few days. In most cases, when you get your pet home she will
be able to resume most of her normal activities with a few
restrictions. Almost all animals are fully recovered and "back
to normal" after only a few days.
When
do we perform this surgery?
We perform surgeries
Tuesday through Thursday only. SURGERY IS PERFORMED BY APPOINTMENT
ONLY. For all surgeries we need to have your pet in
the office at 7:30 a.m. Please allow about 10 minutes to complete the
surgery authorization form and stay with your pet if needed until we begin
the procedure. If these hours don't fit with
your schedule, we can often make other arrangements.
On the day of
surgery, we will perform the
procedure in the morning and your pet will be ready to go home the same
evening. Overnight stays are usually not necessary. Please
call our office to schedule an appointment or contact
us if you have any other questions.
