Spay & Neuter for Your Dog or Cat in Charleston, SC

If you have a new in-tact pet, whether puppy/kitten or adult, spay and neuter surgery might be your first concern. Certainly, the behavioral benefits this essential surgery offer increase the quality of life for you and your four-legged friend. You won’t have to worry about your pet roaming the area looking for a mate and the procedure will eliminate many health concerns. As with all of our procedures, we put safety first and carefully advise pet parents on pre and post-op surgical care. Visit us in Charleston for a full nose-to-tail exam and health check before your pet’s spay and neuter surgery.

 

Pre & Post-Operative Pet Care

Your pet’s comfort and safety are of prime importance at West Ashley Veterinary Clinic. We believe veterinary treatment shouldn’t be scary for your pet or stressful for pet parents. Before your pet’s spay or neuter surgery, pick up a comfort pack that includes anti-anxiety and anti-nausea medication. The night and morning before surgery, we also ask pet parents to refrain from feeding their pet and to limit their water intake.

Pets must be healthy enough to undergo any surgery with us. Therefore, we run pre-anesthetic bloodwork on all our patients the day of their surgery. Though spay and neuter is an outpatient routine procedure, it requires your TLC and attention at home afterward:

• Give your pet a comfortable, quiet place to recover for 24 hours afterward.
• Check their incision sites daily. Call us if the area has any unusual swelling or discharge.
• Refrain from grooming or bathing your pet for ten days after surgery.
• If your pet is prone to licking or chewing incisions, use a medical collar.

 

Reducing Dog & Cat Overpopulation

According to nationwide statistics reported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), around 6.5 pets enter animal shelters throughout the U.S. An estimated 1.5 million of these animals are euthanized.  According to 2017-2018 statistics cited by American Pet Products Association (APPA), 44% of dogs and 47% of cats are adopted from a shelter or rescue. When pets are responsibly spayed or neutered, the odds of other pets being adopted increase.

Adopting your next pet from a shelter and having them microchipped plays a role in reducing animal overpopulation. Microchipped pets are dramatically more likely to be returned to you in case they become lost. If your pet is in a shelter, workers quickly scan the microchip and locate your contact information in an online database. At your pet’s visit, ask us about microchipping and animal rescues we work with. You might find the perfect pet to give a forever home!

Any questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to taking care of your four-legged friend.