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 ‘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 between 4 and 6 months, and Dogs is between 6 – 12mths depending on breed and size, however they are never too old to be desexed.
There are many benefits to desexing your pet before 6 months. 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
- Living a longer and healthier life
Please call us on 07 5494 3622 or book online to discuss your pet’s situation with one of our veterinarians.
Should I let my female pet have her first heat before desexing?
No. It is actually better for her not to have any heats before being spayed. Her risk of developing mammary cancer increases if she is allowed to go through her first heat.Will it cause my pet to become fat?
Your pet’s metabolism may be slowed due to hormonal changes after desexing, however this is easily managed with adjusting feeding and ensuring adequate exercise. There is no reason a desexed pet cannot be maintained at a normal weight.
Is desexing painful?
As with all surgery, there is some tenderness immediately after the procedure, but most pets will recover very quickly. We administer pain relief prior to surgery and after surgery too. Your pet may be discharged with a short course of pain relief medication to take at home for the first few days after the surgery. In many cases, your pet will likely need some encouragement to take it easy!
What to do before and after surgery
Before surgery:
- If your pet is a dog, wash them the day before surgery as they are unable to be washed until after the stitches are removed.
- Please ensure that your pet does not have fleas. Contact us at the clinic if you would like to discuss flea prevention.
- Do not give your pet food after 10pm the night before the operation and do not give them any water after 8am on the day of surgery.
- We recommend a blood test be performed prior to surgery to check vital organ function. This allows us to personalise your pets anaesthetic.
- The vet will perform a thorough physical examination before administering an anaesthetic.
- To ensure your pet is as comfortable as possible, all pets receive pain relief prior to and after desexing. This will provide them with 24 hours comfort. Additional take home pain relief may be provided 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.
- 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 after 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 clinic immediately if these symptoms appear. 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.
- A nurse will contact you the following day, to ensure your pet is recovering well, if you have any questions have them ready.
- If requested by Vet, please ensure you return to us on time for post-operative check-ups and removal of stitches.
If you have any concerns before or after your pet has been desexed, please call us immediately on 07 5494 3622 to discuss.
We are open seven days a week so if you have any questions, please give us a call on 5494 3622 or book online!