There are many benefits to neutering your dog or puppy. For one, neutering reduces many undesirable behaviors such as roaming. Neutering also decreases the health risks of prostatitis and certain types of tumors. As well, neutering is part of responsible ownership: millions of unwanted dogs and puppies end up in shelters every year, and many strays are euthanized.
When should my dog be neutered?
We are now recommending that male dogs not be neutered until they are a year old, as this has been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers and lessen the chance of bone and joint conditions. However, it may become necessary to neuter your dog younger due to emerging behavior issues. Your veterinarian would be happy to discuss your individual dog or puppy.
We look forward to caring for you and your canine friend throughout this important procedure. We hope the following information will help you to understand a little more about our hospital, and our commitment to your dog’s care.
Contact us now if you have further questions, or would like to make an appointment at 416-469-1121, ext. 6, or [email protected]
Before the Procedure
Initial Consultation & Physical Exam
Prior to any surgery, we need to establish that your dog or puppy is healthy and a good candidate for surgery. If you are already a client of Blue Cross Animal Hospital and we have seen your dog within the last three months, no additional physical exam is required. If you completed your puppy visits and 18 week vaccinations at Blue Cross Animal Hospital within the previous ten months, the pre-surgical exam is complimentary.
However, if we have not seen your older dog in the last three months, or if your pet is new to Blue Cross Animal Hospital, you will need to have an initial visit with one of our veterinarians. During this visit we will thoroughly examine your dog or puppy, as well as consult with you and answer any questions you may have regarding the surgery itself, or caring for your dog before or after the procedure.
The physical exam is required for the same reasons that a medical doctor would be required to see a human patient before a surgical procedure. We need to be sure your dog is healthy and has no medical conditions that could complicate the anesthetic or the surgery.
Blood Panel
We also strongly recommend that all puppies or dogs going under anesthetic have a blood panel done to assess liver and kidney function, as these organs need to be functioning properly to process the anesthetic. These blood tests are required if your dog is over seven years of age.
Vaccination
For your dog’s safety as well as for the safety of the staff and other dogs and puppies in the hospital, we require that your dog be fully vaccinated prior to the surgery. If your dog or puppy has been to another veterinarian in the past we will request that the records from that clinic be faxed or emailed to us prior to your initial exam. By having this record, we can ensure that your dog’s vaccines are current. As well, our veterinarians can review your dog’s full medical history.
Once your dog receives a clean bill of health, we can book the surgery.
Your Dog’s Neuter: What to Expect
The Night Before
- Please make sure your puppy or dog has no access to food after 9 PM on the evening prior to surgery. He may have water overnight but please pick it up in the morning. NO BREAKFAST is to be fed to your dog the morning of the surgery.
The Morning of the Procedure
- Dogs coming for surgery arrive in the morning between 8 and 9 AM on the day of the scheduled surgery.
- On arrival your dog or puppy will be admitted by one of our technicians, who will check over your pet, and answer any questions you may have. You will be asked to sign permission forms, and your dog will be admitted into the hospital. From this moment on, our goal is to make your pet as comfortable as possible.
- Our Patient Care Team will set your puppy or dog up in his own quiet, warm kennel with cozy blankets, to relax in before surgery and wake up in afterwards. These individual spaces are in our separate dog ward away from the cats.
- In a little while a technician will examine your pet once more and then administer a sedative injection which will calm your pet and make him sleepy. This injection also includes pain control medication.
- When your dog is ready, an intravenous (IV) catheter is placed in his leg. This single injection port is easier for your dog.
- The IV also supplies fluid therapy during surgery. Fluid therapy supports a stable anesthetic, helps your dog flush the anesthetic from his body through his kidneys, and speeds recovery.
- An injection of anesthetic is then administered through the IV line.
During the Procedure
- An inhaled anesthetic is administered to keep your dog asleep during the procedure.
- During surgery your dog or puppy lies on a warm water blanket to maintain his body temperature.
- Throughout the surgery, a trained veterinary technician constantly monitors your dog’s vital signs, including heart rate, breathing, temperature, blood pressure, and oxygenation to ensure he is responding ideally to the anesthesia.
- If you choose, an identity microchip will be implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades while your dog is still anesthetized. It’s a good idea to do this while your pet is under anesthetic, to eliminate the discomfort of the needle.
- If you choose, just prior to your puppy or dog waking up, our technician will apply a therapeutic laser treatment to the surgical incision. Our laser has been shown to decrease pain and shorten healing times considerably.
- A second pain control injection is given just prior to recovery to be sure your dog is comfortable.
Recovery and Aftercare
- During your dog’s recovery period he is attended to by his technician and our Patient Care Team.
- Your puppy or dog is kept warm and secure in snuggly blankets and heating devices and cuddled until he is awake.
- After he awakens, your dog is returned to his kennel, still snuggled in warm blankets and is watched until his awareness and sense of balance have returned.
- A technician will call you when the procedure is finished and your dog has re-awakened.
- Your dog or puppy can go home the same night. Our technicians continue to monitor his vital signs and comfort throughout the afternoon and evening. When you come to get your pet either a technician or a doctor will review the post operative instructions, which are also printed on your invoice when you leave so you can refer to them at anytime.
- A dose of oral pain control medication will be sent home with you to put on your dog’s food the next day.
- We will also follow up with a phone call a day or two after the procedure to be sure you do not have any further questions and to make sure your puppy or dog is recovering well. Of course, if you have any concerns or questions prior to our call, please call us at 416-469-1121, or email us at [email protected].