The big operation in female dogs

• Because it allows us to verify that the organs that eliminate the anesthetic drugs are in good shape.
• Because we might discover diseases that increase the risk of anesthetic complications and that are not apparent from the outside.

• Because sterilization prevents fatal diseases.
• Because sterilization helps to control the overpopulation of dogs.
• Because sterilization reduces the risk of the dog running away.
• Because sterilization eliminates the need for a ceasarian section when giving birth is not going according to plan.

Around the age of 8 to 10 months, between the 1st and the 2nd heat.

It is a compromise between :

• Doing the surgery too early and run the risk of bone growth problems and urinary incontinence.
• Doing the surgery too late and run the risk of mammary tumors.

Prices vary from one animal to another.

Certain costs are the same for everybody:

• The surgery itself.
• The anesthesia.
• The anesthetic surveillance.
• The basic medication.

Additional costs might be added :

• Blood tests.
• An intravenous catheter with or without IV fluids.
• The use of the surgical laser.
• Extra painkillers.

• Because they provide a direct access to a vein for the injection of emergency drugs in case of a complication.
• Because fluids keep the animal hydrated during the anesthesia and help to maintain a normal blood pressure.

The laser's advantages:

• The surgical wound is less painful.
• There is less bleeding and less swelling from the wound.
• The risk of the wound getting infected is lower.

Under veterinary supervision, our animal health technicians make sure that the animal tolerates the anesthesia well.

The anesthetic surveillance starts at the time of the injection of preanesthetic drugs.

It ends when the animal leaves the hospital.

BEFORE surgery:

• We make sure that she does not have a heart murmur and that her cardiac rythm is regular.
• We inject her with a tranquilizer, a muscle relaxant and a painkiller.
• We install an IV catheter through which fluids wil be administered (if authorized by the owner).
• We anesthetize her and then we insert a tube in her trachea to administer the anesthetic gas and oxygen during the surgery.
• We install an oxymeter on her tongue so that we can monitor her cardiac rythm and blood oxygen level throughout the surgery.
• We put ocular lubricant in her eyes to keep them moist during the anesthesia.

DURING the surgery:

• We constantly check the data provided by the oxymeter.
• If needed, we adjust the oxygen and anesthetic gas levels delivered to her.
• The IV fluids' speed of delivery is adjusted as well if needed to maintain the blood pressure normal.
• A heating mat is placed under her to prevent a too important drop in body temperature.

AFTER the surgery:

• After stopping the anesthesia, we stay beside her until she wakes up.
• During that time, we ensure that she breathes easily, that her heart rate is good and that her body temperature comes back to normal.
• If the temperature is too low and she is small enough, we place her in an incubator to warm her.
• If she is too big, we use a dryer to warm her.
• We remove the tube from her trachea only when she starts to swallow to prevent the secretions in her throat from going into her lungs.
• When she is completely awake, she goes back in her cage or in her run.
• We do one more physical exam that night and another one in the morning before she leaves to make sure her vital signs and her surgical wound are okay.

Avoiding pain in animals = Our PRIORITY!

How do we achieve that?

• By eliminating pain on many fronts!
• By controling pain DURING AND AFTER the surgery!
• By preventing the animal from feeling pain EVEN BEFORE pain appears!

But still...

• By injecting a morphine derivative before and after the surgery.
• By using the surgical laser instead of the scalpel blade.
• By administering an injectable antiinflammatory drug at the end of the surgery.
• By prescribing an antiinflammatory drug to give orally at home for a few days after the surgery.
• By applying local anesthetics on the surgical wound.

Did you know that...

• Sterilization done at a very early age might harm the growth of long bones in large breed dogs?
• Sterilization done at a very early age might increase the risk of urinary incontinence?
• The risk of mammary tumors is almost none existant when the surgery is done before the 1st heat whereas it is approximately 26% when the surgery is done after the 2nd heat?