Leaving your pet in hospital, even for routine desexing, can be very worrying. We hope this page will better inform you on what occurs when your pet is admitted for desexing surgery.

Lead up to Surgery

All pets that need a general anaesthetic for surgery will need a period of fasting. No food is to be given after 8pm the night before surgery. Water can be left during the night. Fasting is necessary as vomiting may occur before, during and after anaesthesia. There is the potential that the vomit could enter the windpipe and lungs leading to pneumonia.

Admission

When you arrive to admit your pet for surgery, the nurse will go through some questions regarding the health of your pet. Please make sure that you inform us if your dog has recently been unwell as surgery can make them worse. Pets should also be up-to-date on vaccinations.

If your female dog is on heat or recently had a heat, then surgery will need to be delayed for 6 weeks. This is because the uterus is very friable and blood vessels very dilated, so surgery carries a greater risk. The nurse will check if the vulva is enlarged or any blood spotting is present.

For male dogs and cats the nurse will check if both testicles are descended. Sometimes one or both of the testicles is not in the normal position and may be in the groin or in the abdomen (tummy).

Surgery

Animals are given a premed before surgery to calm them down whilst in our hospital cages. Your pet may have one of its legs shaved for administration of the induction anaesthetic. Animals are tubed and put onto the gas anaesthetic machine where oxygen also flows. Smaller pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs are masked as a tube cannot be put down the throat. The area to be operated on is clipped free of hair and the skin is cleansed with disinfectant. The animal is monitored under anaesthetic by a nurse and also with the aid of electronic equipment. All surgical instruments are sterilised before surgery to ensure no infection occurs. All desexed animals will have a green tattoo placed on their left ear. When surgery is finished your pet is placed back in a cage with a pre-heated heating pad.

Post Surgery

Your pet may still be a little groggy or sleepy when it is sent home. A good night's rest is usually all that's needed. If your pet is too sleepy to be sent home then we will keep them overnight. After any surgery and anaesthetic, it is best to keep your pet quiet and in a small area indoors.

Food and water may be offered later in the night. Only feed half of a normal meal as vomiting can also occur from having an anaesthetic. Don't worry if your pet does not eat on the night after surgery. Your pet should be back to normal the next day.

Apart from male cat castrations, your pet will have a line of skin sutures (stitches). Some animals are often tempted to lick or chew at the stitches. If done constantly, this could easily undo the stitches or lead to a skin infection. You may wish to purchase an Elizabethian head collar which extends past the nose to prevent your pet from trying to lick/chew the wound. Another measure is a bitterant spray (e.g. Woundgard) applied on and around the wound which leaves a bad taste in the mouth if licked.

Exercise will need to be light. Short walks are fine, but no running or jumping. Too much exercise can lead to stretching of the sutures and lead to a fluid swelling (called a seroma). No swimming or bathing is advised as the stitches can get wet and infection can travel through the stitches.

Please check the wound daily for swelling or oozing. If this occurs, bring your pet to the clinic to get it checked (please ring in advance to let us know you are coming). In 2 weeks time, bring your pet to the clinic to have the stitches removed by the nurse.

Lastly, your pet will need less food now that he/she has been desexed. Having no oestrogen or testosterone means they will have a slower metabolism and store fat easily. We recommend to cut food to 3/4 of what normally was given.

We hope that this webpage has better informed you of the experience your pet will take when going for desexing surgery.