Spaying and Neutering

Spaying or neutering your pet is an important decision, not only does it affect the health of your pet in the long term, it helps to prevent unwanted puppies and kittens in the future. These are surgical procedures and require a general anesthetic. We take the job of anesthesia and surgery very seriously and many considerations and precautions undertaken to ensure your pet’s procedure is safe and pain free.

What does neutering/spaying a dog do?

Spaying and neutering refers to the surgical removal of the reproductive organs. In males this would include the removal of the testicles and in females it includes the removal of the uterus and ovaries.

Why is it important to neuter/spay my dog?

One of the most important reasons for spaying or neutering your dog is that it reduces certain health risks, such as pyometra in females, mammary cancer in females and prostate cancer in males. In addition, spaying or neutering your pet reducing unwanted behaviors.

How old should a dog be before neutering/spaying?

Around the six month of age your puppy will begin to enter the puberty stage, some would say this is similar to a teenager going through puberty. This is around the time when their body begin to change, females will “go into heat” and your puppy will experience both physical and physiological changes – the more aware you are of these changes, the easier it will be for you to help him or her through this stage. It is important to keep in mind that each pet is different and speak to your veterinarian about when is the right time for your pet to have their surgery.

How much does it cost to neuter/spay a dog?

The cost of surgery will vary to some degree based on the age, weight and overall health of your pet. When considering the cost of any surgical procedure there are a number of factors to consider as not all surgery standards are the same, at the very minimum you want to make sure appropriate pre-surgical blood testing is done, I.V. catheter and fluids are included, appropriate anesthetic monitoring is employed and pain control is not optional.