Spay & Neuter

Spaying or neutering is a very common procedure for pets.

It’s called a “spay” for females, and a “neuter” for males — although sometimes, the term “neuter” can be used for either gender.

Spaying or neutering means removing certain sex tissues from the body (ovaries/uterus for females, and testicles for males) in order to prevent pregnancies, and to avoid certain medical and behavioral problems.

The decision to spay and neuter is made by the pet parent. We will not dictate how old the pet must be for a spay or neuter, but will discuss the benefits and risks on a case by case basis during puppy visits or during a pre-surgical visit.

Advantages of Pediatric Spay and Neuter

Reduces incidence of mammary neoplasia (females)
Reduces incidence of behavioral problems (males)
Helps prevent overpopulation of unwanted dogs and cats
Surgical procedures are easier, faster, and less expensive than they are in adult animals
With shorter surgery times and shorter anesthetic episodes, the incidence of perioperative complications is low
Anesthetic recovery and healing are shorter than in adults as well

Advantages of Adult Spay and Neuter

Reduces incidence of certain types of cancer
Allows time for proper growth and skeletal maturation, helping to prevent orthopedic problems later on

With spaying and neutering at any age, there can be risk for obesity, urinary incontinence and orthopedic problems.

Is a spay or neuter surgery safe?

Just like all medical procedures, there’s always a small degree of risk — but, most pets can have a spay or neuter performed very safely under anesthesia, and complications are rare for healthy pets.

In fact, it’s one of the most common procedures we do here at Angel Animal Hospital Hospital. And our veterinarians always do a full pre-surgical checkup of your pet, to be sure they’re healthy prior to anesthesia.

Most pets come in for surgery in the morning and then go home the same day.

They’ll need some monitoring and TLC at home — but, most pets tend to heal quickly, and get back to a normal routine faster than you might expect.

Is the surgery painful?

As with any surgery, there may be some discomfort, especially in the first 3-5 days afterward.

However, we ensure your pet always has adequate pain control — both during the procedure and also with pain medications to keep them comfortable at home.

How long will it take for my pet to recover?

Don’t worry, we’ll give you specific instructions, so you know exactly what to expect, and how to care for your pet after surgery.

But, as a general rule of thumb, they’ll need closer monitoring in the first 12-24 hours (as the effects of anesthesia wear off).

Then, they’ll need to rest as much as possible until they’re fully recovered. For most pets, that’s in about 10-14 days, when their stitches are removed.