Question about Spay/Neuter
Okay, so Miso was REALLY easy with his neuter, no need for an e-collar, didn't care about the wound at all, acted just like himself (even though we kept telling him he needed to limit his activity, shiba's you know, selective hearing).
Since I have never had a female puppy before (all other dogs were from rescue so they came spayed/neutered) I am coming up with some questions and since I found this forum I know this is a great place to ask.
1. Miso got neutered at 6 months old, is it the same for females? I know some vet's in MA do it earlier, but is it safe?
2. How large is the incision site?
3. How long does it take for recovery? I am planning to take a few days off so I will be home with her after surgery, but how many days? When can she be trusted to be left alone for the 8 hour day?
Your comments are always welcome, appreciated and passed on! Thank you so much.
Since I have never had a female puppy before (all other dogs were from rescue so they came spayed/neutered) I am coming up with some questions and since I found this forum I know this is a great place to ask.
1. Miso got neutered at 6 months old, is it the same for females? I know some vet's in MA do it earlier, but is it safe?
2. How large is the incision site?
3. How long does it take for recovery? I am planning to take a few days off so I will be home with her after surgery, but how many days? When can she be trusted to be left alone for the 8 hour day?
Your comments are always welcome, appreciated and passed on! Thank you so much.
Comments
The incision isn't much bigger than a male's, just a small site, but their surgery is more invasive so you have to take care to watch for any infections/licking/etc.
Recovery is at least a week, just because of the procedure itself, they probably keep her overnight, so there is one day down, and at least 5-6 days where you refrain from letting her do shiba hurdles on the couch, etc.
Tsuki was 'back to normal' in a day or so, but I still kept her restricted. She didn't bother her incision site at all.
Here's an article about early age spay/neuter. http://www.chai-online.org/en/companion/overpopulation_sn_early.htm
I have heard that there are other vets that will do it at 4 months, but I haven't been to them and my vet did such a great job with Miso. Plus they keep them overnight (it's an emergency hospital too so there are people there 24/7) and make sure they don't have any adverse affects to anesthesia.
I guess Sake is getting the same 6 mo birthday present as Miso did :P Hopefuly he doesn't spill the beans and tell her it's not all fun and games.
I would definitely pay for the bloodwork, and some of the so-called extras. Around here we pay about $400 or so, perhaps a bit more for spaying, so the prices you all are quoting sound abundantly reasonable. We did shop around, asking for comprehensive lists of the procedures, meds, etc. and then sought advice of our favorite brother-in-law, the Oregon vet, to make sure we knew what was superfluous and what was necessary for Josephine's health and speedy recovery.
Seems like she healed really fast, although she stayed overnight at the vet clinic, and was required to be fairly still for a few days afterward. After that, it was as if nothing had happened. I recall her incision was quite long (a large number of stitches) but the healing seem to be quite rapid for her, and no complications with infection, etc.
Actually when I went to take Miko for her spay the woman ahead of me (in her Ralph Lauren purple label suite and Hermes bag, @$12-15k) actually said "just get it done as cheap and fast as possible" I couldn't bite my tongue, I accidentally blurted out, "wow. you make me sick."
oops.
I would always get bloodwork done before, just in case there is something you didn't know about going on with your furbaby.
But Brandon is right, a lot of low cost spay/neuter clinics have to offset that cost with other procedures.
I have pet insurance on both Miso and Sake but I only keep it for the first year, then I just open an ING savings account and put the $$$ I would have paid the insurance company in there. I figure the most costs come in the first year (Puppy shots, spay/neuter), plus you are still getting to know your dog so you don't know their escape habits or "what can I eat today" habits. Miso's is up in March so I will just not renew and start saving money, but since he is an overall healthy boy I don't think he needs the insurance coverage.
My husband is in construction and buit a vets office two years back and knows the owners/vets VERY well and they always take super good care of us and Miso and Sake. They are on the pricey side (probably because they just renovated their offices for $120K) but I feel very confident in their care.
The low cost clinic's in MA are great, and I actually donate to some of them each christmas (Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, Animal Rescue Leauge of Boston and Hull Seaside Animal Rescue) because they do such great things for animals. Plus I send collars, leads, dishes, etc. to rescue groups that I have been a part of (NorSled Husky Rescue in CA and Tails of the Tundra Husky Rescue in PA).