Spaying/Neutering

[Ali]

So it is almost getting to the point where I need to spay my little doodle. I am considering low-cost spaying and spaying through the vet I go to. Does anyone have any thoughts or advice. I could really use the help. Pros, cons, etc. anything will help. Thanks

[Mary, Scrappy, Sully and Olive]

Hi Ali,
If you go to the Friends of Animals website, you can purchase low cost certificates for spaying or neutering. You just need to check which vets in your area accept them.
I used one for my female last year and it cost $90.00, Grover will be neutered in three weeks and the cost was only $64.00. You just hand it over to the vet and that's it. Unless you need anything else like meds, extra bloodwork, etc. That's your total cost.
I'm lucky that my regular vet took it, I don't know if I'd have been comfortable going to a different one. Unfortunately, from what I've read, the cost can be huge if paying out of your pocket. Still, I think you'd have to be really comfortable with you choice. You can't put a price on doodle love;)

Here's the web addess:
http://friendsofanimals.org/programs/spay-neuter/index.html

Hope this helps!

[Ali]

So I checked it out, and it is not offered in my area. Thank you for trying to help. And yes, i really want to make a decision that I am comfortable with and puts me at ease.

[2hl9mp3c2fuam]

I have also NEVER heard of this...that is so awesome. I just checked...but not offered at my vet. I would feel uncomfortable going to another vet.

However...great news that I can share!!

thank you!

[Christa]

You get what you pay for. Keep in mind that many low-cost spaying is done by new grads just out of vet school. If it were me I would go to my vet who is going to have a relationship with my dog for a long time.

[Mary, Scrappy, Sully and Olive]

I am very comfortable using the FOA certificate, as I have had the same vet for over 15 years and I know that he personally does the surgery. If I had to take mine to an unknown vet, it would be totally unacceptable for me. I guess I'm lucky that mine takes the certificate, otherwise I most definitely would pay full price in order to ensure my pets received quality care!

[Margot]

Hi - I will be having my Mini Goldendoodle spayed in November, but here is Boston we have various low-cost programs. However, I will have my vet do it as I have met a couple people with not-so-good stories about the lower-cost ways of doing it. The benefit of having it done at your vet's office is that the "aftercare" is there, and no one is saying to you an hour later "here, take your dog home". I think it's a good/safe idea to have someone do it who does this all the time, and not a student. Woof!

[Ali]

Thanks Margot, I think I will have the vet take care of it. I don't want Lola to be one of those dogs that has a horror story.

[Mary, Scrappy, Sully and Olive]

In addition to Ali's questions above...how about what to expect when taking them home? Spaying I'm familiar with, as we've always had females. Neutering is new to me and I was wondering what to expect on return home. Vet explained that stitches will be internal, as opposed to external in spaying. He also uses disolvable in both cases. Do you have to keep them as quiet for as long as the females?
For Ali....We did not use the e-collar as many doggies do, we just kept a T-shirt on Scrappy and that worked for us. Another reason to go with the reliable vet...if anything had happened with her licking, etc....I know I could have had her seen there within minutes, any time of day or night. I think that would be a big consideration if choosing a low cost, unfamiliar vet.

[Christa]

I am lucky enough to be married to a veterinarian with his own vet clinic here in Madison who has practiced for over 20 years. Neutering is not nearly as invasive as spaying the girls. Boys recovery time is much faster, they usually stay quiet for the first little while that they are home. John has recommended the T-shirt cover up instead of the e-collar and it works great for some dogs. Depends on the pup. We just picked up our new doodle yesterday! 8 week old Patti Cake, check her out!

[Ali]

I think I am going to call the low-cost animal hospital and see exactly what they use, who is doing the surgery, what their experience is, after care, etc. I am also going to call around at other vets to get a quote on how much they would be and ask them the same kinds of questions. I am not really attached to my vet yet, this is my first dog.

[Oliver]

I'm in the same boat....we just move to a new area so we're not attached to our current vet, but after reading about why people would be worried about using the certificate it made me wary to even utilize it!

[Tegan]

One thing you might want to ask about is if the vet does IV fluids. It will probably cost a little more but it really helps speed up the recovery time. Another thing you might want to look into is the way the surgery is done. Some of the vets use a tilt table which puts the dog on an angle (the head is closer to the floor) which makes it easier to find the uterus. Unfortunately this puts quite a bit of strain on the heart and can sometimes cause problems.