sterilisation
SERVICES
Sterilisation
Overview
We offer sterilisations on small animals, as well as equine. Male and female sterilisations are encouraged to prevent future medical complications and also to prevent pet population explosions. Problems like uterine infections, ovarian cancers, mammary tumours, testicular cancer and prostatic disease can be prevented or significantly reduced by sterilization.
Sterilisation of both male and female pets is encouraged to prevent medical complications, especially later in life, and also to help in reducing the massive homeless pet population. Every year, tragic numbers of dogs and cats have to be euthanased at the local SPCA when there are simply not enough homes to adopt them all. Besides helping with population control, sterilisation is also beneficial in preventing problems like uterine infections, ovarian cancers, mammary tumours, testicular cancer and prostatic disease. There are very few disadvantages to sterilisation, the main concern being a tendency to gain weight after sterilisation; however, this “complication” is easily managed with correct feeding.
Sterilization of bitches and queens (generally referred to as a “spay” surgery”), and sterilisation of male dogs and tomcats (referred to as “neuter” surgery), is done under sterile conditions in our operating theatres. Pets are generally booked in to hospital in the early mornings, having been starved for at least 6 hours to prepare for the general anaesthetic. The surgery is the performed in the mornings, and the pets are discharged back into their owners’ care in the afternoon. Generally they require pain medication only on the day of the surgery, and we expect them to return to a completely normal life of running, playing, eating, etc by the very next day. Sutures are generally removed 10 days after the surgery.
In addition, we also offer gelding surgery (sterilisation of stallions, done at the farms), neuters and spays of rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs and various other exotic pets.
FAQ's
Sterilisation removes female or male steroid hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone), which play a role in general metabolism. We advise restricting a pet’s food immediately after sterilisation, to about 20% less than before the surgery, to avoid weight gain. Once the pet has got used to eating less, it will usually be easy to maintain weight. However, if weight is not controlled immediately post-surgery, it can be a life-long battle to reduce weight once the fat has attached itself… “Prevention is easier then cure!”
Sterilisation can contribute greatly to improving pet behaviour! There is less tendency to roam, less aggression towards other pets, dramatic reduction in urine marking both in cats and dogs, as well as many other beneficial behaviour changes. There are very few negative effects on behaviour, and you need have no fear that you will be owning a completely new pet.
Sterilisation is performed under general anaesthesia, so there is no pain during the procedure. Sedation premedication is administered on admission to prevent anxiety while awaiting their turn, and pain medication is administered at the start of surgery, so that they wake up from surgery with good pain control already fully effective. We expect pets to be completely back to normal behaviour by the following day.