Desexing

Desexing or neutering your pet is a surgical procedure that prevents them from being able to reproduce. In male pets it is commonly referred to as “castration”, and in female pets as “speying”. This is the most frequent surgery performed by our vets, and generally your pet is home by the evening of surgery. Despite being routine it is major surgery and your pet is provided with the same level of care as with any surgery. 

Cats we desex at 6 months of age. 

Dogs under expected adult bodyweight of 25kg we de-sex at 6 months of age. For larger breeds we advise waiting until they are skeletally mature - this can be up to 24 months in large breeds. Your vet will be happy to discuss the pros and cons of age of desexing with you. 

There are many benefits to desexing your pet before. 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

 

Costs: 

Cat spey - $347

Cat castrate - $184

 

Dog speys:

Immature under 10kg - $415 

Mature under 10kg - $479

Immature 10.1-20kg - $520

Mature 10.1-20kg - $580

Immature 20.1-30kg - $545

Mature 20.1-30kg - $622

Immature 30.1- 40kg - $633

Mature 30.1- 40kg - $705

Immature 40.1kg + - $802

Mature 40.1kg + - $850

 

Dog castrates:

Under 10kg - $355

10.1-20kg - $428

20.1-30kg - $507

30.1-40kg - $572

40.1+ kg - $694

There is a surcharge for in-season or pregnant cats and dogs so please check when booking in. 

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 the day before surgery as they are then unable to be washed after until the stitches are removed.
  • You can give your pet an evening meal as normal the day prior to surgery, but do not leave food out overnight. Water should be freely available to your pet until 8 am on the day of surgery.
  • A blood test may be performed prior to surgery to check vital organ function.
  • The vet will perform a thorough physical examination before administering an anaesthetic.
  •  Intravenous fluid therapy is provided for all surgery and your pet's heart rate, ECG, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate and often also end tidal carbon dioxide is monitored throughout the anaesthetic making it as safe as possible. 
  • 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. We can provide sedatives for highly active pets to keep them quiet. 

After Surgery:

  • Keep your pet restrained and quiet as the effects of anaesthetic can take some time to wear off completely.
  • Keeping them quiet is also essential to allow the wound to heal.
  • Food 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 surgical wound 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.
  • Ensure you return to us on time for routine post-operative check-ups and removal of stitches.