Desexing

Desexing

Desexing or neutering your pet is a surgical procedure that prevents them from being able to reproduce.

With the new longevity and various breed studies, it does raise the concern that whilst desexing is beneficial for the majority of pets, it is a permanent alteration of the pet which may increase the risk of other diseases, even if it does reduce the risk of some others. 

We are happy to discuss with you the pros and cons of desexing on a individual basis - there is no rule that will fit all animals. 

In male pets it is commonly referred to as “castration”, and in female pets as “spaying”.This is the most frequent surgery performed by our vets, and generally your pet is home by the evening of surgery.

The most common age to desex your cat is by 4 months of age, and for dogs (usually between 5.5 and 6.5 months)  however they are never too old to be desexed.

There are many benefits to desexing your pet. They include:

• Preventing unwanted litters, which can be very costly, and may add to the already overwhelming number of stray animals that are put down each year
• Prevention of testicular cancer and prostate disease in males, and it can help prevent pyometra (infection of the uterus) and mammary tumours (breast cancer) in females
• Stopping the “heat” cycle in females 
• Decreasing aggression towards humans and other animals, especially in males
• Being less prone to wander, especially in males
• Reduction of council registration fees

What to do before and after surgery

Before surgery:

• Make a booking for your pets operation.
• If your pet is a dog, you can wash them two days before surgery as they are then unable to be washed or get wet for 7 to 10 days afterwards.
• You can give your pet an evening meal as normal the day prior to surgery, but do not leave food out overnight.. Your pet should have free access to water until them come into hospital. 
• We offer three levels of blood work prior to surgery - a prep profile (7 chem which is included in all standard packages), a 7 chem plus hematology {optional in Standard) and 12 chem plus hematology (included in the Deluxe de sexing package, optional in Standard package). 
• We will perform a thorough physical examination before administering an anaesthetic.
•  All pets receive an intravenous catheter to ensure quick and easy IV access if needed.  Intravenous fluid therapy is included in Deluxe packages only, but we do recommend that in all anaesthetics. 
• To ensure your pet is as comfortable as possible, all pets receive pain relief as part of the desexing procedure, and we may prescribe medication for you to administer at home for a few days after the procedure.

After Surgery:

• Keep your pet restrained and quiet as the effects of anaesthetic can take some time to wear off completely. We suggest "sensible exercise" compared to strict confinement"  We can help you with some "brain game exercises" - just ask for this to be emailed to you. 
• Keeping them quiet is also essential to allow the wound to heal.
• Food and water should be limited to small portions only on the night of surgery.
• Follow any dietary instructions that the vet has provided.
• Ensure all post-surgical medications (if any) are administered as per the label instructions.
• Ensure your pet’s rest area is clean to avoid infection.
• Check the incision at least twice daily for any signs of infection or disruption (e.g. bleeding, swelling, redness or discharge). Contact the vet immediately if any of these occur. Do not wait to see if they will spontaneously resolve.
• Prevent your pet from licking or chewing the wound. Special cone-shaped collars assist with this problem. A single chew can remove the careful stitching with disastrous effects.
• Post op checks are recommended 3 days and 10 days after surgery (a photo, call or email is fine - we will try not to bother you though).