SPAY AND NEUTER INFORMATION & PROCEDURE

Spaying and Neutering is Preventive Healthcare for your Pet!

Spaying and neutering procedures provide health and behavioural benefits for your pet and prevent litters of unwanted puppies and kittens.

Spaying eliminates the risk of uterine infections for both cats and dogs and significantly reduces the risk of malignant mammary cancer. Spayed pets will not have an estrus cycle so they will not experience “heat” cycles and they will not be able to become pregnant.

Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer in cats and dogs and reduces the incidence of prostatic disease in dogs. Neutering reduces roaming, fighting and urine marking (spraying) in cats.

The Anesthetic Protocol

• Before any anesthetic is given and very soon after your pet arrives at the clinic on the day of surgery, your pet receives premedication. This medication sedates them so that they are relaxed and comfortable. Medication to prevent pain is usually given at this time as well.
• As the time of their surgery approaches we like to connect them up to intravenous fluids. This allows us to safely maintain their blood pressure throughout the surgery, and lets us give them any further injections directly into the vein. (This really speeds things up as it saves us having to find a new vein every time).
• Once the surgical suite, team and equipment are ready, the pet is put under a full general anesthetic.

Most often an injectable medication is given (by vein) to anesthetize the pet. A combination of injectable and gas anesthetics are then used to keep the patient safely asleep. To use the gas anesthetic, a tube is placed through the mouth into the windpipe (trachea). This tube connects to an anesthetic machine that delivers oxygen and anesthetic and takes away the waste gas (carbon dioxide) that your pet breathes out. These are very precise machines, that are frequently checked and serviced. We use one designed for people, but we can safely anesthetize everything from a Great Dane to a hamster. (And we have!).

During surgery, your pet is closely monitored (including respiration rate, heart rate, pulse and blood pressure) to make sure they are safe and comfortable. Once the surgery is completed, we continue to monitor them while they are waking up.

The Surgery

The surgery is performed in an on site operating room, like in a human hospital, and like for people, sterile instruments, gowns, masks and gloves, etc are used.

Spay Surgical Procedure

The medical term for this procedure is called ‘ovariohysterectomy’. This involves removing both the ovaries and the uterus. It is done through an incision made along the middle of the pet’s abdomen near the belly button. The surgeon will find the ovaries, detach them and then remove them with the uterus. Lots of important blood vessels are tied off very securely and stitches are placed internally and in the skin.

Neuter Surgical Procedure

The medical term for this procedure is called ‘orchiectomy’. Neutering a cat or dog involves removal of both testicles. This is done through a small incision in the skin. For cats the incision is on the scrotum, but for dogs it is just adjacent. The surgeon will find the testes, detach them and then remove them. Lots of important blood vessels are tied off very securely. Stitches are placed internally and in the skin in a dog but these are not required in cats. (This is one of many differences between cats and dogs that we are constantly vigilant for).

For More Information Call

905-430-0470