Spay and Neuter

Our veterinarians recommend you spay (for females) or neuter (for males) your pets if they are not intended for breeding. Pets should have finished their puppy/kitten vaccines before scheduling surgery. We generally like pets to be 6 months old but this can vary depending on the pet.

Two main reasons to spay or neuter is to avoid overpopulation of animals, and to reduce the risk of certain diseases. For example, intact males have an increased risk of prostate and testicular cancer. Intact females are at risk for Pyometra, an infection of the uterus that if left untreated can be deadly.

In addition, intact females are more at risk for breast cancer, ovarian and uterine cancer. Some common myths you may have heard are that spaying and neutering causes laziness, reduced protective instincts, delayed maturity or alter their personality.

Schedule a spay or neuter: We only perform spays and neuters Monday – Friday. If your pet is over the age of seven, the doctor will recommend blood work within three months of your pet undergoing anesthesia. All bloodwork must be drawn at least 24-hours prior to your pet’s appointment. Most suture removals are complimentary and do not require an exam. WE MUST SEE YOUR PET IN OUR OFFICE FOR AN EXAM PRIOR TO SCHEDULING A SPAY OR NEUTER. Call (404) 873-1786 to schedule.

Deposit: We require a $100 deposit to schedule a spay or neuter procedure. Your deposit will be applied the day of your pet’s procedure or if you cancel or reschedule with at least 48 hours’ notice. If less than 48 hours’ notice is given, your deposit is non-refundable.

What to expect on the day of a spay/neuter  

Before you come: All spay and neuter procedures are performed while your pet is sedated. Because sedation may cause nausea, we request all pets be fasted for at least 12 hours prior to drop-off. If your pet is over the age of seven, the doctor will recommend performing blood work within three months of your pet undergoing anesthesia. All blood work must be drawn and reviewed prior to scheduling your pet’s appointment.

Drop-off and pickup: We ask that owners drop-off their pets for surgical procedures at 8am and pickup between 5 and 6pm. A technician will always go over after-care instructions at pickup. For our patients’ safety, we place an I.V. Catheter for all sedated procedures, so your pet will go home with a small shaved spot on his or her leg. We also perform a complimentary nail trim with all anesthetized procedures (unless requested otherwise).

About the procedure: After being dropped-off, a doctor physically examines your pet to ensure s/he is safe to undergo anesthesia. Throughout the entire procedure a technician monitors and records your pet’s vital signs. Most neuters and spays require sutures, which means your pet will be sent home with pain medication and a cone (or Elizabethan collar), and your pet will need to return in 10-14 days for a complimentary suture removal. YOUR PET MUST WEAR THE CONE UNTIL THE SUTURES ARE REMOVED. A technician will always go over after-care instructions at pickup.

A feline neuter is a less invasive procedure and does not require general anesthesia. Your cat will however be under sedation which also may cause nausea and must be fasted for 12 hours prior to his appointment. Typically, no sutures are required.

Although it is not required, we recommend you microchip your pet at the time of her or his spay or neuter. Learn More About Microchipping

We recommend all pets get a microchip. We implant the ResQMicrochip, which is a small informational chip placed under the skin. ResQ uses an internationally standardized technology that allows your pet’s microchip to be scanned and read anywhere in the world.

In addition, we can scan other microchip brands to help reunite owners with their lost pets. If you’ve found a stray or lost pet, bring it to Ansley and have us scan the pet at no charge. If we find a chip number on a pet we call Petlink, give them the number and they give us the client information that is registered to that pet. We then contact the owner to pick up the pet.

IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to register your pets’ microchip with your information and update address and phone number if it ever changes. If the chip company does not have the correct information it is impossible for us to reunite pet and owner.

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