What do they do to fix a female dog

These two sterilization procedures are done under general anesthesia, with your pet fully asleep and intubated (with a breathing tube in his or her throat).  The cat neuter is one exception; a face mask is used instead, because it is such a fast surgery.  Before receiving general anesthesia, your pet is given a shot of medication to make him sleepy and to help with pain. Your pet’s oxygen level and heart rate are monitored with a machine while he is under anesthesia. Dogs and female cats are kept on a heating blanket during surgery.  Surgery for male cats is so fast they are not put on a heating blanket for the surgery, but they are put on one immediately after their surgery.

Female animals (spay) have an incision made just below the belly button into the abdomen.  The reproductive tract, both ovaries, and the uterus are completely removed through this incision.  Then the incision is closed with two layers of stitches under the skin that will dissolve and be absorbed by body over time. The skin is closed with skin glue, skin staples, or stitches.

Male dogs (neuter) have an incision made in the skin at the base of the penis nearest to the scrotum (the skin that holds the testicles). Both testicles are removed through this incision.  The incision is closed with stitches under the skin that will dissolve and be absorbed by the body over time.  The skin is closed with skin glue, skin staples, or stitches.

Male cats have an incision made in the skin of the scrotum, and the testicles are removed.  The incision is not sealed, but will close on its own with time.

How old does an animal have to be before she/he can he spayed or neutered?

Healthy dogs and cats can be sterilized as young as eight weeks, if they are over two pounds in body weight.

How long does the surgery take?

A male cat neuter can be done in under 2 minutes!

A male dog neuter is generally five to twenty minutes, depending on his age and size at the time of neuter.  A female cat spay is generally fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on her age and where she is in her heat cycle.

A female dog spay is generally twenty to ninety minutes, or longer, depending on her age, size, and if she is in heat.

*Female animals in heat can take a longer time because their reproductive tracts are much more fragile and hold more blood when they are in heat.

What’s the recovery like?

For most cats, we use a reversible anesthetic shot so, they recover very quickly.  Usually within 10 to 20 minutes they are awake enough to walk around.  Dogs take a little longer, from 15 to 30 minutes.  The longer surgeries often have somewhat longer wake-up times.

Are there any risks or complications?

Healthy young animals have the lowest risks and are less likely to have any serious complications.  However, it can be much harder to keep young active animals quiet after surgery, so they are more likely to have simple post-surgical complications.

Older animals, or those in heat, especially those with additional health issues, have a higher risk and are more likely to have complications.  If you have any concerns about your pet’s health or if she is on medications for a medical condition, please let the veterinary staff know ahead of time so your animal can be treated appropriately.

Some of the most common post-operative complications include inflammation or infection of the incision, opening up of the incision, swelling under the skin at the incision site caused by fluid, and bleeding.  These complications can be caused or made worse by the pet licking or chewing the skin at the incision or by not keeping the pet quiet as directed after surgery.

Is the surgery painful?

Just as with people, animals feel pain and surgery is not pain-free.  We have the most modern pain management methods.  All animals are given pain medication before surgery starts and then as needed after surgery.  The goal is to keep pets as comfortable as possible.

Stay up-to-date and educate clients about the changing landscape of elective gonadectomy. Our gonadectomy resources for veterinarians include free CE webinars, a literature review of related research, and more.

Many pet owners opt to spay or neuter their pets, and spaying and neutering are important for reducing pet overpopulation.

What are the options?

If you decide to spay or neuter your pet, you have options. Discuss the options with your veterinarian so you can make a decision that’s right for you, your family and your pet.

Surgical sterilization
During surgical sterilization, a veterinarian removes certain reproductive organs.

• Ovariohysterectomy, or the typical “spay”: the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are removed from a female dog or cat. This makes her unable to reproduce and eliminates her heat cycle and breeding instinct-related behavior.

• Orchiectomy, or the typical “neuter”: the testes are removed from a male dog or cat. This makes him unable to reproduce and reduces or eliminates male breeding behaviors.

• Hysterectomy: the uterus and part of the fallopian tubes are removed from a female dog or cat. This makes her unable to reproduce, but her ovaries remain and will produce hormones.  This may not eliminate the dog or cat’s behaviors associated with the breeding instinct.

• Vasectomy: only the vas deferens, which conducts sperm from the testes, are removed. This procedure makes the dog or cat unable to reproduce, but his testes remain and will produce hormones. This may not eliminate the dog or cat’s behaviors associated with the breeding instinct.

• Ovariectomy: the ovaries are removed from a female dog or cat, but the uterus remains. Similar to ovariohysterectomy, this makes her unable to reproduce and eliminates her heat cycle and breeding instinct-related behavior.

Nonsurgical sterilization
There is an approved product on the market used to neuter male cats and dogs that is injected into the testes to stop sperm production and render the dog or cat infertile. Because not all of the hormone-producing cells of the testes are affected by the drug, the testis will continue to produce some hormones. As research continues, additional products for nonsurgical sterilization may be developed.

Why spay or neuter?

Every year, millions of unwanted dogs and cats, including puppies and kittens, are euthanized. The good news is that responsible pet owners can make a difference. By having your dog or cat sterilized, you will do your part to prevent the birth of unwanted puppies and kittens. Spaying and neutering prevent unwanted litters, help protect against some serious health problems, and may reduce many of the behavioral problems associated with the mating instinct.

Removing a female dog or cat’s ovaries eliminates heat cycles and generally reduces the unwanted behaviors that may lead to owner frustration. Removing the testes from male dogs and cats reduces the breeding instinct, making them less inclined to roam and more content to stay at home.

Early spaying of female dogs and cats can help protect them from some serious health problems later in life such as uterine infections and breast cancer. Neutering your male pet can also lessen its risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate gland) and testicular cancer.

The procedure has no effect on a pet’s intelligence or ability to learn, play, work or hunt. Some pets tend to be better behaved following surgical removal of their ovaries or testes, making them more desirable companions.

What are the risks of spaying and neutering?

Although reproductive hormones cause mating behaviors that may be undesirable for many pet owners, these hormones also affect your pet’s overall health and can be beneficial. Removing your pet’s ovaries or testes removes these hormones and can result in increased risk of health problems such as urinary incontinence and some types of cancer. Talk to your veterinarian about the benefits and risks of the sterilization procedure so you can make an informed decision.

While both spaying and neutering are major surgical procedures, they are also the most common surgeries performed by veterinarians on cats and dogs. Like any surgical procedure, sterilization is associated with some anesthetic and surgical risk, but the overall incidence of complications is very low.

Before the procedure, your pet is given a thorough physical examination to ensure that he/she is in good health. General anesthesia is administered to perform the surgery and medications are given to minimize pain. You will be asked to keep your pet calm and quiet for a few days after surgery as the incision begins to heal.

When should I spay or neuter my pet?

Consult your veterinarian about the most appropriate time to spay or neuter your pet based upon his/her breed, age and physical condition. Keep in mind that, contrary to popular belief, it may NOT be best to wait until your female dog or cat has gone through her first heat cycle.

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