West Mount Vets
Neutering.
We recommend neutering for many pets.
The majority of cats and female dogs will have a better quality of life without the problems associated with the body's attempts to breed. Many male dogs are less likely to roam or fight if neutered.
There are a few exceptions.
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Obviously breeding animals cannot be neutered, and it is usually inadvisable to neuter overweight animals, unless they can be slimmed beforehand.
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There are some medical conditions which mean that surgery is inadvisable and of course there is an element of risk with any surgical procedure.
We check every animal before going ahead with any neutering operation and we are always happy to discuss any queries you may have beforehand.
Neutering involves a stay in the surgery from morning to evening.
The day progresses as follows:
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Admission at an arranged time. You will have been told to withdraw food overnight, and drinks that morning. You will be asked to sign an anaesthetic consent form (please read it).
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Examination by a veterinary surgeon. If we have not seen your pet recently, you will be asked to stay while the examination is done - in case there are any questions to answer.
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Pre-medication. Injections are given to provide sedation (reducing anxiety), and to give short and long-lasting analgesia (to reduce discomfort).
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A general anaesthetic is given and the operation carried out in the middle part of the day.
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Post-operative observation. Pets are watched carefully during the recovery phase, to ensure comfort and safety.
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Going home. You will be given full verbal and written instuctions about what to do. Ask if anything needs clarification.
Our fees are kept deliberately low for neutering operations, but you will find that our neutering prices are not the cheapest available. There are good reasons for this:
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We use more expensive injectable and inhalation anaesthetics for all patients (because the safety margin is a little higher).
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We use an expensive analgesic in all neutered animals (because it lasts longer).
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We use some of the most expensive suture materials (because they give extra strength and cause less inflammation).
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We provide an extra person during the operation whose responsibility is to observe the patient's respiration and heart beat, carefully adjusting the depth of anaesthetic to the correct level.
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We provide enough staff to observe our patients carefully throughout the recovery phase, and we employ a vet and a member of our support staff to be present on-site at our main surgery all though every night, weekend and public holiday, able to respond within minutes in the unlikely event of post-operative complications
Our prices could be considerably lower if we economised on some or all of these items, but we do not believe that neutering is a procedure in which our clients would want us to cut corners. The price you pay may not be the lowest, but we do believe that we give excellent value for money.
