Spay & Neuter

Spaying and neutering are important surgical procedures that provide both health and behavioral benefits for dogs and cats. These procedures reduce the risk of certain cancers and infections, prevent unplanned litters, and can decrease hormone-driven behaviors.

Timing of surgery is individualized based on breed, size, lifestyle, and overall health. We are happy to discuss the most appropriate timing for your pet.

All spay and neuter procedures at our hospital are performed under general anesthesia with full monitoring, including heart rate, oxygenation, CO2 monitoring, blood pressure, and temperature. Pre-anesthetic laboratory testing is required to ensure safety and identify any underlying concerns prior to surgery.

We utilize multimodal pain management for every surgical patient. Anesthesia typically begins at home with a combination of light pain and calming medications given the morning of surgery and continued after the procedure. This approach reduces anxiety, allows us to use lower levels of anesthetic medications in the hospital, and contributes to a smoother, safer experience overall.

For pets being hospitalized for surgery, we require current fecal screening and certain core vaccinations to protect all patients in our care. This helps reduce the risk of contagious disease transmission within the hospital environment.

Whenever possible, we use this surgical event as an opportunity to address additional concerns while your pet is safely anesthetized. This often includes:

• Microchipping for permanent identification
• Removal of retained deciduous (baby) teeth
• Umbilical hernia repair
• Evaluation and correction of other minor congenital or developmental concerns

Combining procedures under a single anesthetic event reduces overall stress, lowers cumulative anesthesia exposure, and is often more cost-effective than performing them separately.

On the day of surgery, drop-off is scheduled in the morning and typically takes about 15 minutes to review paperwork and answer any final questions with our surgical technicians. Pets are monitored throughout the day and provided food and water once fully awake and stable. You are welcome to bring your pet’s regular food if preferred.

Pick-up is typically scheduled in the afternoon. We do not provide overnight hospitalization for routine spay and neuter procedures, as pets are discharged the same day once safely recovered.

We will send you home with all necessary medications and thorough discharge instructions in advance so you feel fully informed and comfortable with the plan for your pet. Most pets recover very well and are often more comfortable than owners expect. The hardest part of recovery is usually the cone — which must be worn consistently for 10–14 days to protect the incision. Your pet may disagree with this policy, but we promise it is temporary.