DESEXING YOUR PET
We believe that all domestic pets should be desexed. This is because desexed pets benefit from:
Medical:
- virtually eliminating the risk of prostate and testicular cancer in males (awful cancers that can cause major medical problems or even death)
- removing the risk of pyometra in females (a nasty infection and pus condition in the uterus that can cause rapid death usually requiring emergency surgery) as well as a reduced risk of mammary tumours in the later stages of your pets life.
- there is no impact on weight (unless you feed too much!)
Behavioural:
- reducing fighting (esp males), reducing cat bite abscesses and dog fight wounds (and fewer vet bills!)
- reducing wandering in males and improve the family friendliness of our pets. They spend less time thinking about where to find sex (not sexually frustrated), and more time thinking about being with their family
- reducing accidental litters of pets and adding to the many unwanted pets found all over Australia in pounds and shelters etc
THE FOLLOWING OUTLINES WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH DESEXING AT OUR VETERINARY CLINIC:
Pre-surgical care
Fasting No food after 8 pm the previous night, leave a water bowl out, but remove it first thing in the morning.
Bathing
Pets can’t be bathed for several days following any surgical procedure to allow healing to occur.
Admission
Please allow about 10 minutes for this appointment. We will detail the day’s procedure, run through your pet’s medical history with you and ask you to answer a series of questions prior to admission. We will also give your dog a thorough physical examination.
Pain relief
Your pet will receive pain relief on the day of surgery and post-surgery which is included in the deseing fee.
Pre-medication
All drugs are carefully calculated according to physical status and weight.
SURGICAL CARE
Anaesthesia
Anaesthesia is induced then maintained with gas by placing a tube into your dog’s windpipe. We prepare individually tailored anaesthetic regimes to cater for routine to higher risk patients (young animals, seniors, heart patients, pregnancies).
Monitors
Respiratory monitors are placed on your pet to indicate a breath has been taken, oesophageal stethoscopes allow us to hear your pet’s heartbeat and pulse oximeters give a read out of heart rate, pulse strength and blood oxygen levels. Blood pressure is also constantly monitored.
Graphs
Your pet’s anaesthetic is graphed, we record heart and breathing rates, blood oxygen levels and all drugs given. This provides us with information for future use.
Instruments
All surgical instruments are sterilized in our autoclave prior to use, surgical kits are not shared between animals and sterile single use syringes and needles are used.
Operating
Theatre Surgery is performed in a dedicated sterile operating theatre complete with a heated operating table to maintain your pet’s temperature throughout the operation.
Surgery
Surgery involves the removal of both testicles in males, and in females both ovaries and the uterus are removed.
POST-SURGICAL CARE
Recovery
We recover all patients in the recovery area in specially warmed cages where we can monitor your pet closely until they are sitting up.
Discharge
Discharge information sheets will accompany your pet and will schedule a post operative check with your pet at the time of discharge if necessary.