Frequently Asked Questions

What does "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 operations are performed while the patient is carefully monitored under general anesthesia.

What happens during the procedure? 

 Your pet will undergo an examination before surgery and receive safe, high quality anesthesia and pain relief medication.  A modern, antiseptic operating room and freshly-sterilized surgical instruments are always employed by our highly-skilled, animal-loving staff and your surgeon has performed many thousands of these procedures.

What kind of pain medication do you use?

 Anesthesia only provides pain relief while your pet is asleep for surgery. At the Clinic,  pain relief is provided by other medications that are effective for 6-8 hours after the operation. Post-operative pain is treated by an oral narcotic that is dispensed at the time of discharge from the Clinic. These medications are recommended for 3 days after surgery and are available for a nominal charge.

 Pets exhibit pain in the form of abnormal body position (such as a hunched back), whimpering, shivering, lethargy, and/or aggression. A pet "spay" is the same surgery as a human hysterectomy. People need pain control after this procedure and your pet will too.  We use safe and effective products. Please, NEVER use over-the-counter pain relief products without consulting a veterinarian. They can increase bleeding time and several are toxic to pets.

At what age should my pet be sterilized?

 We prefer that cats be at least 4 months of age for spaying or neutering. Male dogs can also be neutered as young as four months old. Female dogs should be at least six months of age for spaying at The Affordable Spay Neuter Clinic. We have found that spaying dogs at a younger age can require a longer incision and more time in surgery due to the delicate nature of a pediatric uterus. We do not operate on patients over 5 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 to have sutures removed after 1-2 weeks but this is uncommon.

How long after spaying/neutering can my pet return to normal activity?       

 We recommend strict inactivity for two days and leash walks only for seven days.  Information (including specific written instructions) will be provided before surgery covering all pre and post operative phases of the procedure.

What kinds of complications could arise from spay/neuter surgery?     

 Please visit this link for a list of possible complications.  This list is standard for all surgeries at any animal hospital.

We have never lost a patient during or after surgery at The Affordable Spay Neuter Clinic.

And why we do what we do...

Why are you setting up this clinic instead of a full service veterinary practice?

Our mission is to sterilize cats and dogs so that we can help curb pet overpopulation, PERIOD.  By focusing only on this effort, we have been able to make this surgery more affordable and therefore more available for pet owners. Diane has rescued and placed thousands of animals through the Adoption Center since 1989. The Affordable Spay Neuter Clinic  is our next and perhaps most important undertaking in our personal fight against death and misery in shelters, dumpsters, and puppy mills. We will gladly "fix" feral cats. We are here to help anyone who is trying to address this ongoing epidemic.  For Diane and Dr. Steve,  it is not enough just to talk about it - we must do this because we can.  In our particular circumstance, there is no better use for a veterinary license.

Why are your surgery prices lower than my regular vet’s prices?  

Our clinic was constructed specifically for the purpose of spaying and neutering dogs and cats. The surgery clinic doesn’t have to support other hospital services (radiology, pharmacy, exam rooms, medical wards, etc.) through a high operating room fee structure. By eliminating anything but surgery and by being efficient, we are able to reduce overhead and pass along the cost savings through very reasonable pricing for very high quality procedures. We are focused, fast, and really good at what we do - spaying and neutering, all day, every day.

There are many very good general and specialty veterinary practices available to the public today. However, it is estimated that forty percent of pet owners will never take their animals to a pet hospital due to the expense of modern veterinary care. These animals will need (at least) the basics also. We are doing our best to remove cost as the primary reason dog and cats don't get sterilized or vaccinated. We are trying to make it as easy as possible for a pet owner to do the right thing.  It is good for our community, our local government and especially our animals, whether owned or not.

Thank you for your support and especially, thanks to the owners and caregivers of our first 4500 patients.

Steve and Diane Silberman      

December 2010

Please be part of the solution - HAVE

YOUR PET SPAYED OR NEUTERED!  

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