Spaying & Neutering
Protecting the Well-Being of Cats & Dogs
Neutering and spaying are surgical procedures where the reproductive organs are removed. These surgeries prevent your male cat or dog from fathering offspring or your female cat or dog from becoming pregnant.
Having your dog or cat spayed or neutered not only prevents unwanted pregnancies, but also protects their health because pets who are spayed or neutered are less likely to develop certain cancers. These surgeries can also help make your companion more manageable by preventing them from displaying undesirable behaviours such as roaming and aggression.
Our veterinarian highly recommends that each one of our patients be spayed or neutered. These surgeries help contribute to overall good health and wellbeing for dogs and cats, while also helping to reduce the population of homeless dogs and cats in animal shelters.
Sterilization Without Hormonal Alterations
Alternative methods of surgical sterilization are becoming more mainstream. At Pawsitive Veterinary Care, we offer hormone sparing sterilization as an alternative to traditional spay and neuters.
When to Spay or Neuter Your Cat
We recommend spaying or neutering cats at six months of age. This allows them to get to their relative adult size and make sure they can safely metabolize anesthetic agents.
When to Spay or Neuter Your Dog
The timing of spaying and neutering is tailored to each individual dog and we offer a variety of breed-specific recommendations.
Generally speaking, if altering your dog is your choice and you wish it to be done prior to puberty, we suggest 7 months for toy breeds to and perhaps 8-9 months for small-medium dogs.
For very specific reasons, our recommendation is to wait until the dogs are over 14 months for medium and larger breeds, and over 18 months for very large breeds, allowing them to go through puberty.
Hormone Rebalancing Post Spay & Neuter
If your dog or cat suffers from issues that are more prevalent after spaying or neutering, we offer a hormone-balancing implant to help improve their quality of life.
FAQs About Spaying & Neutering
Are you considering having your pet spayed or neutered, but still have questions? To learn more about spaying and neutering read through the answers to our list of frequently asked questions below.
-
How long will it take for my pet to recover from surgery?
Spay and neuter procedures are typically day surgeries, allowing pets to return home in the evening following their procedure.
Your pet's activity will need to be restricted for approximately 10 days, and a protective collar may need to be worn by your pet to prevent them from licking their incision.
Your veterinarian may also request that you bring your pet in for a follow-up appointment.
-
Will my pet feel anything during the procedure?
No, your pet will be under general anesthesia and will not feel anything during the procedure.
-
Will my pet gain weight after the procedure?
Your puppy or kitten will continue to grow to their full adult weight after the spay or neuter procedure, and this naturally includes some weight gain.
However, your pet will not gain weight as a result of being spayed or neutered.
-
How much will it cost to get my pet fixed?
The cost of your pet's spay or neuter surgery depends on a wide variety of factors including the size of your pet and their overall state of health. To get an accurate estimate of the cost of your pet's reproductive surgery, contact our Kelowna veterinary hospital today.
-
Will my pet need to stay in the hospital overnight?
While in some rare cases it may be necessary to keep a pet overnight following spay and neuter surgeries, at Pawsitive Veterinary Care these procedures are typically day surgeries. This means that you will drop your pet off to us in the morning at a pre-arranged time and then pick them up once our veterinarians have decided that your pet is sufficiently recovered and ready to head home.
When you come to pick up your pet following surgery we will be sure to provide you with detailed instructions for at-home care.
New Patients Welcome
Pawsitive Veterinary Care is accepting new patients! Our experienced veterinarians are passionate about the health of Kelowna's dogs and cats. Get in touch today to book your pet's first appointment.