Spaying Soon - What should I ask the vet?

Hello all I have a Westie, she will be 5 months old on Jan 4. I am thinking of spaying her next week (right after New Year), and I need your help. She is my first puppy ever, so I do not know much about what I would need to ask the vet regarding the procedure. Needless to say, she is my baby, and she will be spayed, but I have a choice between two vets that I can take her to. I want to know how the procedure works, and what questions I should ask before the surgery - is there anything I should be aware of regarding medication, what they actually do, about the scar, about the post-surgery regimen that she should have, and anything else that you can think of? Please help me with this issue, I thank you all in advance.

As an FYI, one of the vets told me that it would cost approx. $120, and I should drop her off in the morning, pick her up after hours (around 6pm). The other told me that it would be anywhere between $200 and $250, depending on what kind of extra medication I want them to give her. Does any of this sound right?

You should ask what kind of stiches they use....nuskin surgical adhesive, and soft stiches are best. They are harder to pull out, and irritate the outter skin less. Plus if they do tear one the surgical adhesive will keep the wound closed.
If they give painkillers, or an elizabethan collar (lampshade) for them if you notice they are fussing with the stiches alot.
Also if they will keep her overnight, and ask to see the facilities where she will be kept to recover.
Those price ranges sound close to right. The $150 sounds a little low, that's usually the price of a neuter, which is cheaper because it's less complicated surgery.
Be prepared for it to look fairly nasty, and if you have a weak stomach it may be very upsetting to see it.
Rest assured tho, they usually fly through it and barely notice anything has happened after the first day.

Tina, it was reassuring to see your reply post. I am about to have my Beagle neutered in a few weeks. He will be 4 months old. I am debating on going ahead and having the vets office keep him in their facilities overnight and possibly the next day, they have a boarding facility on site. I was hoping they could be sure to give him the medical attention he will need.

I was also considering at the same time having his dew claws removed, as he has never had his removed. Do you think this would be too tramatic at once?

I'm a stong believer that if the dewclaw wasn't removed a few days after birth it's there for good.
It is painful to do, and it would for sure be alot for the little guy to handle if you did go ahead and decide to do it.
I mean, yes, it can snag, and rip off later in life, but the chances of it happening to a house dog are slim to none. Unless you plan on having him out hunting and running through brush, it doesn't happen often.

Just an FYI...

The surgical procedures are performed under general anesthesia and employ sterile instruments and a sterile surgical field. Medical emergencies can arise if a pet becomes infected during these procedures. No surgeon approaches a spay or neuter as if it were "routine" because every animal is unique, each surgery is different from every other, and while neutering might be deemed a minor surgery a spay certainly qualifies as a major procedure. (So if you ever wonder why the charges for these procedures seem high)

Essentially, the structures and techniques are the same for each dog spay. As you can imagine, though, there are some real differences between working on a 180 pound Saint Bernard or a 4 pound Yorkie! And an overweight patient makes the surgery more difficult and time consuming.

There are no medical, emotional or sociological reasons for a female dog to "have just one litter". If you do choose to allow your dog or cat to have a litter, please be certain that there are committed pet caretakers waiting and wanting to provide a home for them (I wanted to make sure I added that in).

Some things you may want to ask are .... If they sterilize the instruments after EVERY use ... The type of anesthesia they use, reversible gas cost more but is also safer..... If they hook up a heart monitor.

Thanks for the info xxxpoo... that answered a lot for me.

Geeeeeeezzzz... Of course they sterilize AND use layers of sutures !!! No way would one layer work !! I wouldn't ask those questions !! Would make you sound like a dummy .

Isn't most of that common sense? Of course they will sterilize unless it's a backyard job, and I highly doubt she'd take a pup somewhere questionable.

A good vet will also require a pre surgery checkup, to check the heart, lungs, check for parasites, etc. I believe most schedule an appointment a few days to a week before the scheduled surgery. Years ago most didn't do this, but I find most do at this time. Your dog will be undergoing anesthesia, it is reassuring for her to be in the best of health. Some vets will also require all vaccinations up to date too.

I am sure your vet will give you lots of care instructions and limitations for a while. If you have any questions, just ask your vet. Then let us know how everything goes. Best of Luck.
Julie.

The $150 job is to cheap and sounds backyard to me... so YES. I would ask those questions anyhow... and I know for a fact not every clinic has reverse.

A pre-surgery checkup is standard... that's common sense... dont ask that question, you will sound like a dummy!

I don't understand why the constant bashing?

I believe the $150 quote was for the actual surgery only. There will be meds, shots, workup etc on top of that.

Well, I have been trying to stay clear of you.

That shows how much you know. It is not standard with all vets, but alot more common with a better vet.

If you don't like it here, and only contribute troll like posts, why not just leave the rest of us alone?

You sure seem alot like MusicTech! What is it with your rampage on breeding mixes, just about everything you posts somehow includes a snippit of rude comment about breeding pet dogs or everyones rights to breed mutts.

Blow off and leave my posts alone, I am done with you.

good post Tina

Unfortunatly true, even with the very "good"/dedicated vets. Some that are linked to rescue do the surgery for rescue and preventative purposes and sometimes aren't as thourough as others.
It is 'routine' in the fact that they know what there doing, they've done it before and it isn't as risky if it were to remove a mass for example

My vet charges $170 for females. That's just the basic cost. Bloodwork before is extra... $50? There was no pre-check other than the optional bloodwork. He's a decent vet I think.

Bratt... I do all my foster rescues though my regular vets.. they give me a 10% break . As a VET ( cough ! sorry, I swallowed my whine wrong ) has XXXpoo ever stated how much he/she charges ?? I know it varies from vet to vet/ state to state and I don't consider $150 to be a BY vet .

Hi cori, it is a good idea to schedule an appointment for an exam for the puppy before the surgery, if only to make you feel better about it and be assured you have a few minutes with the vet to ask your questions.

The procedure involves a small incision, usually no more than 1/2 inch for a pup who hasn't gone through heat. Both the ovaries and the uterus are removed and the cervix is sutured. There will be 3 layers of sutures (two under the one you see). The incision should look clean and dry, though may have slight redness for a day or so just from the nature of having gone through the procedure.

Occasionally there may be a very slight vaginal discharge but only right at first and only very slight. This should go away right away...most likely there will be none of this.

If they do send her home that night, plan to find a quiet place for her to just sleep it off. She should be kept quiet and encouraged to rest while she heals. It is the sutures inside at the surgical sites that you need to keep her from pulling and stretching. Keep her inside and quiet. Take her out to potty but help her down any steps, and don't take her for a walk. Don't let her jump off beds or furniture. A good 7 - 10 days is a general rule of thumb.

You might also feed her very lightly for the first day, and not at all that evening. Anesthesia can upset their stomach and she might throw up if you over do it. She may also be thirsty. Anesthesia can do that too, but don't let her have too much at once.

As for the dewclaws, if they are real wiggly, 'unattached' I would definitely have them off. They can easily get hung up in afghans and things they might curl up in. They are painful and bleed a lot if they snag. If they are 'attached' or feel tight to the leg then it may be less important, but I still think it's advisable to have them removed. Since they don't wear down they can grow around and back into the leg if they aren't trimmed regularly.

Hope this helps. I acutally have a picture of a spay procedure on my website but I didn't know how you might be about seeing a picture. Not everyone likes that much info.

Hope that isn't too much at once. It is something I have gone over many times with puppy owners but I also know first hand too how scary it feels to entrust your best friend.

Thank you so much for all this information. It is very helpful, and now I understand better what she will be going through (not to mention what I will be going through, LOL). I am still wondering about the two vets, but I'll make a decision after I speak again with both of them. Needless to say, I want this to be as problem-free as possible, I want to make sure that she is in as little pain as possible (as I said, she's my baby).

Thank you all for all your input, I feel like I am a lot smarter now.

I used to worry about that too, but I don't anymore (many, many doctors later). It's good to ask, for three reasons - 1) if you're too quiet and accepting, doctors tend to treat you a little more carelessly, a little more indifferently; they're type A's, and they respond better to a little pressure. 2) we have zero medical knowledge and will never impress a vet, a vet tech, a doctor, a dentist, etc., so what's the harm in looking 'dumb'? The vet will understand you're worried. This is a good way to find out if a vet is right for you, too. If you're the sort of person who worries a lot, you'll need a vet who doesn't get aggravated by that. If your vet gets impatient with you, you'll never feel good about letting him/her work on your pet. 3) the vet is working for you and there's no reason to be afraid to bore them with questions. That's part of their job, answering questions. The dogs aren't paying the bills, after all.

There are never "dumb" questions in life. Some people will always know a little more than others, and certainly in your field of work. I always ask questions that pop into my mind, and I am a very inquisitive person.

You could also approach the question with a "you know I just have so many questions about this procedure...some may be pretty common sense, but here they are anyway."

When I took my puppy to the vet the first time (@ 6 weeks old), I had printed a list off of the computer of about 10 questions. They answered most from the consultation alone...but then I pulled out the list, and they were so understanding and helpful. This is the kind of vet you hope to find.

Good luck with the procedure, and let us know how it goes.

Happy New Year everyone!