Veterinary Services

Pet Spay & Neuter

At Express Vet NM, we believe that spaying/neutering your pet has many benefits. The procedure, which prevents animals from reproducing, can help your dog or cat live a longer, healthier life.

Appointment

Spay & Neuter

With few exceptions, most veterinarians recommend that ALL cats and dogs be spayed (female pets) or neutered (male pets). Deciding to breed an animal should be a big decision that is thought out ahead of time with respect to the time and expense of breeding the dog(s) or cat(s), raising the puppies or kittens for a time, getting medical care, and vaccines necessary, and finding them homes.

By spaying/neutering your pet, you’re protecting him/her against potentially deadly diseases, reproductive tract diseases, and several types of cancer. In addition, spaying/neutering your pet will help control the dog and cat overpopulation problem, keeping more animals out of shelters.

Aftercare Instructions

Restrict the animal’s activity for the next ten days.
Cats should stay indoors. All dogs should go out on a leash to urinate/defecate & then return inside to rest. Keep the incision site dry; do not bathe or apply topical ointment for at least ten days after surgery. Be prepared to keep pets separate for at least ten days. Keep males away from un-spayed females for 30 days. Keep females away from un-neutered males for 30 days.
Do not allow the animal to lick or chew at the incision.
An Elizabethan collar MUST be applied for the first seven days after surgery to prevent additional licking/chewing that could cause infection.
Appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery.
Frequently feed small amounts of their regular food and water during this time. Do not give them people food during the recovery period. Pets may vomit a few (2-3) times in the 24 hours after surgery.
Surgical sutures are dissolvable.
Females will get a lump under the skin near the incision area until sutures dissolve (up to 90 days). No sutures will need to be removed. A small green tattoo is present to indicate the animal is sterilized.
Check the incision site twice daily.
Females should have no drainage; redness & swelling should be minimal. The incision for male dogs is directly on the scrotum. Small amounts of drainage/discharge are normal for up to three days. Too much activity causes increased drainage, so activity restriction is very important. If redness & swelling of the surgery site persist longer than several days, please call our office at 505-508-4527 or email us at [email protected].
IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY
IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY after office hours, please call your local emergency animal hospital, such as Route 66 Emergency at 505-266-7866 or Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center at 505-884-3433. Emergencies could include any of the following: pale gums; depression; unsteady gait; loss of appetite or decreased water intake; vomiting; diarrhea; discharge or bleeding from the incision; difficulty urinating or defecating; labored breathing. Do not give human medication to the animal. It is dangerous & can be fatal.
If the animal received a vaccine.
If the animal received a vaccine at our clinic other than rabies, please discuss a “booster” vaccine with us. Canine distemper/parvo vaccine (DAPP) & feline distemper vaccine (FVRCP) all need to be “boostered” three to four weeks after administration of the first vaccine for maximum effectiveness.
We will make every reasonable effort to treat at OUR CLINIC.

We will make every reasonable effort to treat at OUR CLINIC, at minimal cost, any post-operative complications resulting directly from the surgery, if the above post-operative instructions are followed in full. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery. Please click here to book an appointment as soon as you see any cause for concern or call us at 505-508-4527.