Deciding whether to spay or neuter your pet can be a difficult decision. Although the thought of your pet having surgery may seem scary, we're here to assure you that spays and neuters are common surgeries that are relatively safe and simple. We will examine your pet prior to the procedure and will perform presurgical blood work and an ECG to eliminate as much risk as possible.
Spaying and neutering can help pets live long, healthy lives. Based on your pet's size and breed, we will discuss the optimum age at which the surgery should be performed. Having your pets sterilized can reduce their likelihood of developing certain infections and cancers. It also combats overpopulation which, sadly, leads to the euthanasia of pets who cannot be placed in good homes.
There are other common issues that spaying and neutering can help prevent. Life-threatening uterine infections, called pyometras, can be 100% preventable if your pet is spayed. The chance of cancerous mammary tumors that can metastasize to other parts of the body is reduced if your pet is spayed before a heat cycle or after the first heat cycle. Testicular tumors and infections of the prostate are eliminated. Neutering male dogs may decrease unwanted behavioral problems such as aggression, territorial marking, and roaming.
When your pet is spayed or neutered, a premedication will be administered. The premed provides pain management and relaxation so that an intravenous catheter can be placed with minimal stress for the pet and a lower level of anesthesia will be necessary for the procedure. A well-trained veterinary staff member will carefully monitor your pet's vitals during the procedure. A small incision will be made to remove the reproductive organs. The skin will be closed with sutures under the skin so that a return for suture removal is not necessary. The pet will be monitored throughout recovery and until safely returned to you. We will offer options for special collars to keep your pet from licking the incision. A staff member will go over all of the special instructions when your pet is released to you.
Call us at (724) 898-2300 with any questions you have about spaying or neutering your pets with Twinbrook Animal Clinic, Inc.