Spaying and neutering are important procedures for pets that can benefit both pets and their owners. These procedures help ensure your pet’s safety and health. At Compassion Veterinary Hospital in Bradford, NH, our professional team provides spaying and neutering services. Our veterinary team will walk you through the processes and answer any questions you have.
What Are Spaying and Neutering?
Spaying is the surgical removal of the female’s reproductive parts to stop her from becoming pregnant. The process involves taking out the animal’s ovaries and uterus. Neutering is the surgical removal of some of the male’s reproductive organs to stop him from impregnating any female. This procedure involves the removal of the male’s testicles. These surgeries can prevent unwanted breeding of our pets, and can help discourage hormonally driven behaviors such as urine marking or aggression.
Preparing Your Pet for the Procedure
Spaying and neutering procedures are routine at our animal hospital. Our veterinarian will guide you on how to prepare your animal. The first thing a pet owner should do is to avoid being anxious, as animals can sense it and feel the same way. It is essential to remain as calm as possible to help keep the animal relaxed.
Before the procedure, our experienced veterinarians will examine your pet through pre-anesthetic bloodwork to ensure fitness for a spay or neuter surgery and to help decrease any complications. Like humans prepare for surgery, an animal will also need to fast the night before the appointment.
However, some exceptions apply to animals with specific cases. For example, if your pet suffers from diabetes, our veterinarians may recommend a small meal before surgery.
However, the timing of "when" to do these procedures has become somewhat controversial due to newer research in the field of veterinary medicine. Delayed spay/neuter has been shown in some studies to help improve joint and bone health. Delayed spay and neuter, in some breeds, may also lessen cancer risk. This information must be balanced with there are other studies that show increased cancer risk for certain cancers in intact male and female pets. The vets at Compassion do not recommend ovary sparing spays because there is increased cancer risk, but continue to attend continuing education as this research unfolds.
The veterinarians of Compassion Vet discuss each patient on a case by case basis with each owner. Is the dog going into daycare? Early spay and neuter may be best. Does the female dog have an immature vulva? Perhaps going through one estrus cycle will help prevent future bladder infections. Is the dog aggressive? Neutering may help. Is the dog in a breed with joint issues? Delaying neuter/spay may help. Is the dog in a breed that is prone to gastric bloat? Perhaps we should delay the surgery and combine it with a gastropexy surgery to help prevent bloat. We help you determine, based on your particular animal, what is the best time for YOUR particular pet to be spayed or neutered.
How to Care for Your Pet after the Procedure
When picking up your pet from our animal clinic, you should already have a set-up area for recovery at home. The space should be comfortable and unbothered by other pets or kids.
Our veterinarian discharges every animal that undergoes surgery with postoperative pain medication and care instructions to ensure a full recovery. We may also choose to keep your pet under observation for several hours after the operation. It will depend on your animal’s age, size, and health status.
During aftercare, keep a close watch on your pet’s progress and talk to our veterinarians if you have any reason for concern. After 7-14 days, you may need to bring back your pet to get the stitches removed.
Benefits of Spay and Neuter Procedures
Spaying or neutering your pet has many benefits. The procedures lower your pet’s risk of certain diseases, like ovarian cancer or testicular cancer. Sterilizing your pet also reduces unwanted behaviors, like aggressiveness or wandering to find a mate. By avoiding unwanted pregnancies, you can also ensure that you don’t contribute to pet overpopulation.
Spaying or neutering your pet is best done at an early age before sexual maturity. At Compassion Veterinary Hospital in Bradford, NH, our veterinarians will tell you when your pet should be sterilized. Call us today to schedule an appointment.