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Pet Care
What do
"spay" and "neuter" really mean?
Female dogs and cats are
spayed by removing their
reproductive organs, and male dogs
and cats are neutered by removing
their testicles. In both cases the
operation is performed while the
pet is under anesthesia.
What
happens during the procedure?
Your pets will undergo an exam
before surgery for safety, receive
quality anesthesia and pain relief
medications* , a clean clinic and
a freshly-sterilized surgical
instrument pack, highly-skilled,
animal-loving staff, and a quality
surgery by a highly experienced
veterinarian.
What kind
of pain medication do you use? *Anesthesia
only provides pain relief while
your pet is asleep for surgery. At
the Clinic, a pain relief
medication is given that lasts 6-8
hours. Oral pain medications are
also available for the next 3 days
at an extra fee. These are
recommended for all pets. Pets
exhibit pain in the form of
abnormal body position (such as a
hunched back), whimpering,
shivering, lethargy, and/or
aggression. This type of behavior
is common in clinics that do not
utilize pain relief medications. A
pet spay is similar to a human
hysterectomy. Most women request
pain relief for a couple of days
after a hysterectomy. If pets
could talk, they would likely be
asking too. We use safe and
effective products. NEVER use
over-the-counter pain relief
products without consulting a
veterinarian. All increase
bleeding times and several are
toxic to pets.
At what age
should my pet be spayed/neutered?
For many years, veterinarians
were taught that cats and dogs had
to be a year old to be spayed or
neutered. Later, they were taught
that six months was appropriate.
Today we know that kittens and
pups can be spayed or neutered at
the age of two months (or two
pounds). The American Veterinary
Medical Association has endorsed
this practice called Early Age
Neutering; the animals recover
more quickly from surgery when
they are young. Today some vets
will spay/neuter at eight weeks of
age, while other adhere to the old
practice of six months of age. The
average age at which pets are
spayed or neutered is four months.
We recommend sterilization at four
to six months but we will go
earlier if necessary. We would
prefer not to operate on patients
over 8 years of age at this
facility.
How
long will my pet need to stay at
the clinic after
spaying/neutering?
Depending on your pet's age, size,
and health, he or she will stay at
the clinic for the remainder of
the day after surgery and will be
discharged late that afternoon.
Depending upon the procedure, your
pet may need stitches removed
after a few days but this is
uncommon with our routine
procedures.
How long
after spaying/neutering can my pet
return to normal activity? We
recommend strict inactivity for
two days and leash walks only for
the rest of the week. Information
(including specific written
instructions) is provided before
surgery covering all pre and post
op phases of the procedure.
What kinds
of complications could arise from
spay/neuter surgery? Please
visit this
link for a list of possible
complications.
*
Our thanks to
Ace of Spays for use of this
explanation on pain management. |
About the Clinic
Why are your surgery prices lower
than my regular vet’s prices?
Affordable Spay/Neuter Clinic is
located in the lower level of
Diane's
Discount Pets and Adoption Center.
As a purpose-built spay/neuter FAQs, our Clinic doesn’t have to
support other hospital services
(radiology, pharmacy, exam rooms,
medical wards, etc.) through high
surgery fees, so we are better
able to keep our costs down.
Why are you setting up this
clinic instead of a full vet
practice?
Our mission is to sterilize all
the cats and dogs that we can to
curb pet overpopulation. By
focusing on this goal, we can make
our services more affordable and
therefore available to more
people. Diane has rescued
thousands of animals through the
adoption center since 1989 and
this clinic is another opportunity
for all of us continue fighting
this problem.
Can
you perform regular check-ups for
my pet in addition to
spaying/neutering?
No, we are not staffed or equipped
to perform routine or sick-pet
examinations.
Useful Links
Spay USA
North Shore American League
The Humane Society of the United
States
University of PA Poisonous Plant
Info
The University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
Emergency Room
(215) 898-4685 |