Spay (Ovariohysterectomy)
Our commitment to excellence in anesthesia and surgery ensures the highest standards of safety and care for your beloved pet, leading to exceptionally low complication rates. We understand that your pet is part of your family, and her well-being is our top priority.
By choosing our clinic, you are opting for the highest level of care, backed by a dedicated, compassionate team. Experience the difference with us and give your pet the best possible start to a healthy, happy life.
Schedule Your Initial Appointment Today! Let’s team together to optimize your pet’s well-being!
Our Approach to Anesthesia & Surgery during a Spay
Admission Process
On the morning of the procedure, a nurse meets with you to review any changes at home, confirm the treatment plan, update contact information, and complete consent forms. This step helps identify any red flags indicating that anesthesia should be modified or avoided, ensuring we are aligned with your expectations.
Pre-anesthetic Steps
- Examination: A comprehensive examination from nose to tail is done to uncover any issues that could complicate anesthesia or surgery.
- Pre-anesthetic Blood Screen: To make sure your pet is a safe candidate for anesthesia, a Complete Blood Count and Chemistry Panel are done. This screen can detect illnesses like anemia, diabetes, or organ dysfunction. For older pets, additional screenings such as chest x-rays might be indicated.
Sedation and Oxygen Support
We administer a combination of opioids and sedatives to relax the patient, provide pain relief, and reduce anesthesia requirements. Patients, particularly those at higher risk like brachycephalic breeds or those with heart conditions, receive oxygen via mask to support blood oxygen levels before anesthesia induction.
IV Catheter Placement & IV Fluids
An IV catheter is placed to administer anesthetic agents and IV fluids, and provide immediate access for emergency drug delivery. We administer IV fluids to maintain stable blood pressure, ensure proper hydration, and support blood flow, especially as anesthesia can impact these areas. This not only enhances safety and effectiveness during the surgery but also promotes a smoother and quicker recovery for your pet by helping manage the physiological stresses of surgery and anesthesia
Surgical Induction and Preparation
- Induction with Propofol: Administered via the IV catheter to induce general anesthesia.
- Endotracheal Intubation: A tube is inserted into the windpipe to protect the airways and facilitate direct delivery of oxygen and anesthetic gas.
- Isoflurane Anesthesia: Following Propofol, isoflurane gas maintains anesthesia, allowing fine-tuning of anesthesia levels during surgery.
- Surgical Site Preparation: The area around the surgical site is clipped, sterilized, and often numbed with a local block.
Operating Room Setup
The patient is transferred to a disinfected operating table, placed on a warming blanket, and connected to additional monitoring equipment. Sterilized surgical instruments are prepared, and the surgeon scrubs in using stringent, AAHA-approved procedures.
Patient Monitoring During Surgery
A licensed veterinary nurse continuously records the patient’s heart rate, gum color, respiratory rate, blood pressure, blood oxygenation, carbon dioxide levels, EKG, and temperature. This vigilant monitoring helps us intervene promptly if any changes occur.
Laser Surgery
We perform most surgical procedures with a surgical laser, which reduces blood loss, minimizes post-op pain, and decreases surgical complications, enhancing the recovery process.
Post-operation Care
- Pain Control: Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory medications and opioids like hydromorphone are administered to manage pain.
- Laser Therapy: Except for eye or cancer surgeries, a post-op laser therapy session is conducted to reduce pain and inflammation and speed recovery.
- Monitoring: Post-surgery, patients are closely watched until they are stable enough for discharge.
Discharge and Follow-up
- Discharge Appointment: We go over surgical findings, post-op medications, and home care needs several hours after the procedure. Written instructions are provided to help you remember every detail.
- Patient Follow-up: We conduct follow-up calls and visits to ensure a smooth recovery, and manage any external sutures or staples if used.
Our clinic rarely sees complications due to our rigorous protocol and obsessive care during surgery. Most issues arise from post-op activities like excessive licking or chewing at the incision site or being overly active at home. Thus, following our discharge instructions closely is crucial for a successful recovery.
Check out our Guide to Spaying/Neutering Your Dog
Check out our Guide to Spaying/Neutering Your Cat
Preventive Care Plans
Enrolling your pet in a Preventive Care Plan entitles you to a 10% discount on the spay procedure. Plans are designed to easily promote your pet’s health and longevity. Plans include essential components your pet comes due for such as vaccines to protect against common preventable infectious diseases, thorough physical exams, and proactive wellness lab profiles to screen for emerging health issues. Plans also include free exams for medical issues and a 10% discount on most services and products outside of the Plan.