Spaying and Neutering

Although considered routine surgeries, we take the safety of your pet very seriously. At Westbridge Veterinary Hospital, all of our surgeries have a technician dedicated to monitoring the anesthetic through blood pressure measurements, EKG, Oxygenation, CO2 levels and apnea alert. We use intravenous fluids to protect blood pressure levels, synthetic sutures and post-op pain medication. Most of these surgeries are completely closed using three layers under the skin and no skin sutures to save you the inconvenience of returning for suture removal.

What does neutering/spaying do to a dog and why is it important?

A spay or neuter is a surgery that prevents your pet from reproducing. This procedure can also help protect your pet from certain diseases, such as breast cancer, uterine infections, testicular cancer and prostate disease. It should also prevent them from running away to find a mate, which adds to the pet overpopulation problem, or worse, being hit by a car. We strongly recommend that pets under 20lbs be spayed or neutered, usually around 5 to 6 months of age. Is your pet older? Don’t worry; we can make recommendations to do the surgery at almost any time if required.

Surgical Options

We provide Intravenous fluids as part of all of our routine surgeries. It is included in the price and helps to maintain hydration and blood pressure during surgery.

• Blood Work: A simple blood test can be taken on the morning of your pet’s surgery to ensure that the kidney, liver, blood sugars, red and white blood cell levels are all within normal limits.
• Laser: At Westbridge Veterinary hospital, we offer Laser Surgery in place of the traditional scalpel method. It seals as the incision is made, thereby reducing bleeding, swelling and discomfort for your pet. It is our method of choice for many surgeries.
• Microchip: A microchip is a tiny electronic chip that is inserted just under your pet’s skin. If your pet is lost, a scanner detects a number that is unique for your pet. The shelter or veterinarian can then call a central agency who calls you so that your pet may find his/her way home.

Just give us a call at 905-285-0002 to set up your pet’s surgery. If he or she is entirely up to date on vaccines, we can book an appointment over the phone, and we will see you on admission to the hospital. (Please bring all available vaccine history if your pet has not been to our hospital before.)

How old should a dog be before they are neutered/spayed?

For smaller breeds, we recommend 5-6 months of age. For larger breeds, we recommend spaying or neutering at one year of age.