How to prepare your cat or dog for their Spay/Neuter procedure:
- Please do not feed your pet any food after midnight the night before surgery.
- Please ask us about any medications your pet takes non-related to the surgery and if they should be given day of the procedure.
- Please make sure your pet is on a leash or in a proper carrier.
- Please be sure you leave us with the best telephone number to reach you in case of emergency.
- When you arrive please leave your pet in your vehicle until instructed to bring inside.
- Payment is required at the time you check-in.
Post-Operative Instructions:
- No running, jumping, playing, swimming, or other strenuous activity for 7 to 10 days. Keep your pet quiet. Pets must be kept indoors where they can stay clean, dry, and warm. No baths during the recovery period. Dogs must be walked on a leash and cats must be kept indoors.
- Check the incision site twice daily. There should be no drainage. Redness and swelling should be minimal. Do not allow your pet to lick or chew at the incision. If this occurs, an Elizabethan collar MUST be applied to prevent additional licking and chewing that could cause infection.
- Do not change your pet’s diet at this time, and do not give them junk food, table scraps, milk, or any other people food during the recovery period. This could mask post-surgical complications.
- If your dog had a scrotal castration, they may have small amounts drainage/discharge for up to three days.
- Appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery. Lethargy lasting for more than 24 hours post-op, diarrhea, or vomiting are not normal and your pet should be taken to your regular veterinarian. Dogs may have a slight cough for a few days after surgery.
- Schedule a post-operative examination with your regular veterinarian 7 to 10 days after surgery, to have the incision checked for complete healing, to remove any skin sutures, and to discuss additional needs, follow-up care, and vaccination boosters.
- If there are any questions or concerns directly related to the surgery during the recovery period, please call this office at (919) 269-4564 or ECVETS emergency hospital at (252) 265-9920. If there is an emergency after hours, contact ECVETS emergency hospital at (252) 265-9920.
**Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are or are not a result of surgery. Please see your regular veterinarian as soon as you see cause for concern. We cannot be held responsible for complications resulting from failure to follow post-op instructions, or for contagious diseases for which the animal was not previously properly vaccinated.