Spaying and Neutering
Here at Eastern Passage Village Veterinary Hospital, we recommend spaying and neutering your pet at five to six months of age. In addition to preventing or even eliminating diseases and infections, some benefits of spaying and neutering include: decreased chance of roaming, animals tend to live longer and healthier lives, some behavioural problems may be avoided, and it prevents overpopulation.
The night before surgery, you will need to take your pet’s food and water away, to ensure they do not eat breakfast. Your pet will need to be dropped off in the morning on “the big day”, and will stay the day with us (you can call it a mini-vacation!). Upon arrival, you will have the chance to talk to a registered veterinary technician who can answer any questions about the procedure you may have.
Pre-anesthetic blood work will be preformed on your pet, to ensure all organs such as the liver and kidneys are working properly, and there are no obvious health concerns. This can often be done before the day of surgery, to ensure there are no surprises on the big day. The technician will discuss the best options for your pet such as intravenous (IV) fluids, micro-chipping and diet recommendations.
Once the technician has discussed the surgical procedure with you, your pet will be admitted for surgery. First stop, the treatment room. The veterinarian will examine your pet from head to tail, and listen to their heart and lungs for any abnormalities. Once the blood work and examination are complete, we are ready to go ahead with the surgical procedure. The procedure is relatively quick, and they are closely monitored our registered veterinary technicians throughout the entire surgery. Nail trims are complimentary, and are done on all our patients while under anesthetic, because every pet deserves a manicure and a pedicure. Upon recovery they are moved to a warm kennel with many comfortable blankets to rest after surgery.
Patients are usually ready to go home mid-afternoon to early evening. An appointment will be set up for you to come back to get your furry friend, to ensure a technician is available to go over your pet’s discharge instructions. You will be asked to give your pet pain medications and monitor their incision for any abnormalities. Keeping your pet quiet after surgery is very important. You may want to keep them in a crate if they do not want to settle down, and use a leash for their trips outside. Your pet may need an e collar to go home with, too. Licking and chewing can cause their incision to become infected and sore. Although “the cone of shame” may not be their idea of a good time, sometimes it’s for the best.
Recovery usually takes about a week, and then your pet will be able to continue on with their regular routine. If you would like to book your pet in for their spay or neuter, or have any questions, please call Eastern Passage Village Veterinary Hospital at (902) 465-1213.