**Please note that if your pet does not have a current Rabies Vaccine then we will require that it be done at an additional charge of $23.44. **

Included in the routine surgery prices: Pre-op exam, general anesthesia, the surgical procedure, a 24-hour pain injection, and a course of pain medicine to go home.

Not included are the optional services: IV Catheter ($95), bloodwork ($190-280), Elizabethan Collar ($35).  If your pet is older or has any health issues, we may require that you opt in for the catheter and bloodwork. 

Ovariohysterectomy in dogs and cats:

An OVH, or ovariohysterectomy, is the surgical procedure we use to sterilize a female cat/dog.

When to Spay:

We only spay dogs/cat after 6 months of age.

We recommend for large breed dogs especially that we wait until after the first heat to spay them.

If they are in active heat, we recommend waiting a month before spaying them.

Before the Procedure:

We generally require a doctor’s exam prior to scheduling the procedure so we know your pet and so we can make sure they are good surgical candidates and don’t have any other issues that may need to be addressed (e.g. Retained puppy teeth, Hernias)

What to expect:

This is a surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia. A breathing tube will be placed to facilitate anesthesia.

A small incision, usually ~1in (cat) or 1-2in (dog), is made through the skin and body wall. The ovaries and uterine body are removed and the body wall, subcutaneous tissue and skin is sutured closed. The skin sutures are buried so you will not see them or have to have them removed.

The procedure itself takes ~10mins for a cat and ~30mins for a dog and they are closely monitored throughout the procedure and during recovery.

They will be ready to go home the same afternoon and will likely be hungry that first night as they would have been fasted prior to surgery.

Recovery:

They are generally very comfortable when they go home. It is very important to keep them quiet for ~10days post-op to allow quick healing to occur. They don’t understand this restriction, so you need to provide that control. If they are allowed to run/jump/play post-op they can develop swelling and discomfort at the surgical site and sometimes infection if the skin incision stretches and opens up. This often requires an additional surgical procedure to repair and prolonged discomfort and recovery.

Most of these surgeries will go home with an anti-anxiety medication (Trazodone for dogs and Gabapentin for cats) to help keep them quiet and help them tolerate the cone.

We also send most of our cats and small dogs’ home with a surgery suit as an added layer of protection.

Benefits:

By performing this procedure:

• They can no longer become pregnant
• They will no longer go into heat
• It completely prevents serious uterine infections called pyometra
• It eliminates risk of ovarian/uterine cancer.
• It significantly reduces the risk of mammary (breast) cancer, especially when done at a younger age

If you have any concerns about timing, recovery, or alternatives, we’re happy to discuss those with you.