Desexing

Desexing or sterilisiing your pet is a surgical procedure that prevents them from being able to reproduce. In male pets it is commonly referred to as “castration”, and in female pets as “speying”. This is a routine surgery performed by our vets, and generally your pet is home by the evening of surgery.

The most common age to sterilise your pet is around 6 months, however there are times when we may recommend desexing earlier or later. It is a good idea to discuss with your veterinarian their recommendation for your pet. 

There are many benefits to desexing your pet and they include:

• Preventing unwanted litters, which can be very costly, and may add to the already overwhelming number of stray animals
• Prevention of testicular cancer and prostate disease in males
• Prevention of pyometra (infection of the uterus) and mammary tumours (breast cancer) in females
• Stopping the “heat” cycle in females 
• Decreasing aggression towards humans and other animals, especially in males
• Being less prone to wander, especially in males
• Reduction of council registration fees

What to do before and after surgery

Before surgery:

• Make a booking for your pets operation.
• If your pet is a dog, you can wash them the day before surgery as they are then unable to be bathed until after the stitches are removed.
• You can give you pet an evening meal as normal the day prior to surgery, but do not leave food out overnight. Water should be freely available to your pet until 8 am on the day of surgery.
• A blood test may be performed prior to surgery to check vital organ function.
• The vet will perform a thorough physical examination before administering an anaesthetic.
•  Intravenous fluid therapy is required during most types of surgery. This will be discussed with you prior to the procedure.
• To ensure your pet is as comfortable as possible, all pets receive pain relief as part of the desexing procedure, and we may prescribe medication for you to administer at home for a few days after the procedure.

After Surgery:

• Keep your pet warm and quiet as the effects of anaesthetic can take some time to wear off completely.
• Keeping your pet quiet is also essential to allow the wound to heal and is usually recommended for 10-14 days post surgery.
• Food should be limited to small portions on the night of surgery. Follow any dietary instructions that the vet has provided.
• Ensure all post-surgical medications (if any) are administered as per the label instructions.
• Ensure your pet’s rest area is clean to avoid infection.
• Check the surgical wound at least twice daily for any signs of infection or disruption (e.g. bleeding, swelling, redness or discharge). Contact the vet immediately if any of these occur. Do not wait to see if they will resolve.
• Prevent your pet from licking or chewing the wound. Special cone-shaped collars assist with this problem. A single chew can remove the careful stitching with disastrous effects.
• Ensure you return for routine post-operative check-ups and removal of stitches.