Neutering

[Dantes]

Duma has an appt at the SPCA vet on Tuesday. I am so sad for my little boy!

(my heart keeps saying I should wait a few months more, but my mind says get it done now before he sprays)

 

[SimplySpots]

Our vet here in Olds charges $100.00 for a neuter. The neutering procedure almost doesn't even phase the kittens when the operation is done. They are up and running without any problems and heal within a few days! On the other hand a female getting a spay done takes about 2 weeks to fully heal, and the incision is quite allot larger than the incision that a male gets. I have the rare privilege of having a vet who moved here from Africa where he was a vet there. He saw servals and other exotic animals at the clinic he worked in.

Yes I totally agree with you. If you can prevent a male cat from spraying and he is not for breeding that is awesome! Have you had the neuter done yet? How is he doing?

 

[Eolsurion]

I stopped in at my vet's office today to inquire about the cost for neutering the boys. I was first quoted 120 for the procedure itself. Then a short time later after talking with one of the vets, the tech that was answering my question added another 40 for special anestesia (sp) then an additional 12 for something that I told them not to even bother telling me about ... Their total was 172 per neuter ...

I had also asked about inserting Home Again microchip. Initially they didn't even have a price for just the insertion of the home away chip. The tech I talked to didn't even know you could get the chip online. Finally I was quoted 16.50 to just insert the home again micro chip that I would be supplying (9.50 off ebay). I said "really ... most would do that for for free."

I was very nice, but I finally said "I really like you guys, and I trust your medical opinions when it comes to my pets (have gone to them for a few years for my other pets). But I need to shop around cause that is just highway robbery."

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

he's an f3 so he's sterile...I just don't want him to spray or for a personality change, so it's more for my own convenience :-/

It's not just the spraying...once he grows a little more and those hormones take over (he may not make sperm but he will make hormones) his personality will refocus from only loving you to NEEDING to find females... he will be trying to bust out of home to go in search, he may howl and continuously pace looking for them...and yes he might spray. Neutering means his focus remains being a good pet rather than wanting to be the studliest of studly males ;-)

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Duma has an appt at the SPCA vet on Tuesday. I am so sad for my little boy!

(my heart keeps saying I should wait a few months more, but my mind says get it done now before he sprays)

Best of luck with the neuter... but imho get it done now, there's no reason to wait on this and yes you know the risk of spraying will increase and why take that chance? Let us know how he does

 

[Sue Armstrong]

I would not wait any longer to get him neutered. To me the earlier the better. It is a simple procedure. My normal vet here charges $300 which to me is simply ridiculous so I take all of mine to the spay/neuter clinic that we have in the area. They do so many and are so knowledgeable, and I have never had any issues at all with any of my cats. They also are so reasonable, they include an up to date 3 way shot and their rabies and it is only 55.00 for a neuter and 69.00 for a spay all shots included. They also do not use ketamine. I can pick my animals up 5 hours after drop off and they are not even groggy. I also like supporting them as they do so many rescues so I am able to give them a nice donation and often bring towels, toys, paper towels and whatever else I think they may need for all of their fosters and rescues.

 

[SimplySpots]

It is so hard to break the habit of spraying once it has begun. I have heard stories from a few people who have bought savannahs from us who had waited too long to get their kitten spayed or neutered. Males and females spray to attract the opposite sex, and the only thing I have found that gets the actual "sent" of the cat spray out of fabrics or off surfaces is bleach. You can try other things that get the smell out to the human sense of smell, but cats can still smell the spray and in turn they spray on the same spot every time.

 

[Per Lausund]

Male castration is a vry simple matter of a sedative and local anaesthesia., then two small skin incisions on the scrotum and out,ntwist and off with them. Horribly uncomplicated!
Female castration ('cause that is what it is when you remove the ovaries) is at least an epidural, some will use general anaesthesia, and involves opening the abdominal cavity. That is slightly more demanding surgery.

Good luck!

 

[Dantes]

Well, the deed is done. My baby had his procedure done and he is no longer a baby? Maybe we'll call him a castrato. In any case, we did go to the EBSPCA, and they were great, the doctor was young but really nice and knowledgeable. She said they typically give them a shot of metacam after surgery and I expressed concerns (previous experience with related kidney issues) and she changed it to buprenophine (sp?) instead, she said it would be no different. When we got home post surgery I couldn't keep him calm (he was literally throwing himself at the door of the bedroom) so I put a soft collar on him and let him go. He seemed more interested in playing than licking, so that was good. But then last night he was not interested in sleeping in my armpit as usual and instead slept in the carrier which I thought was a bit odd. I wish I could've stayed home from work today to watch him, but my roommate will be there all morning and I'll be back in the afternoon. Hopefully he'll go back to his old ways soon, I'd really hate to think he is changed so suddenly. :-/

 

[Patti]

Hopefully he has settled down by now. Did he receive ketamine as part of his anesthesia? His behavior reminds me of a ketamine reaction that some cats get - manic behavior - but it generally resolved after 24-48 hrs.