Animals will go home the same day as surgery. Once the animal has been monitored after surgery for any complications and is awake, they may be discharged.

Anesthesia and Surgery
Monitor your pet for any signs of abnormal recovery from anesthesia and/or surgery. These may include bleeding, lethargy or weakness, loss of appetite/decreased water intake, shivering, unsteady gait that persists beyond 24 hours after surgery.

Surgical Incision
There are no stitches on the outside of the surgery site. All stitches are underneath the skin. These stitches dissolve, so there is no need to seek medical attention for suture removal. The two sides of the incision are also adhered with medical grade glue. If your animal easily allows, check the surgery site daily to make sure that it is healing. What you see on the day the animal is released from surgery is considered to be normal appearance for the surgical site. If the surgery site is very red, has green/yellow or reddish discharge, has a bad odor, has something sticking out from it, is warm to the touch, or has bruising or a bump that seems to be growing, contact the postoperative care line.

Male Cats
The surgery site on a male cat is so small that it does not need to be closed with stitches or medical grade glue. It is acceptable to see one or two small openings on the scrotum.

Vaccinations
If your pet received vaccinations, monitor the site of vaccination (shoulder/hind leg) and check for signs that your pet is having a reaction to the vaccine. These include swelling of face, hives, limping, drooling, itchiness, or pain or swelling at the vaccine site (shoulder/hind leg). If any of these signs occur, call the postoperative care line.

Food and Water
Approximately half your pet’s normal serving of food and water should be offered about two hours after returning home from the clinic. Many cats will not eat on the night they return home from the clinic. If your pet is under 16 weeks of age, feed him/her approximately half the normal amount of food and water as soon as you return home. If your kitten will not eat when he/she returns home and you can without risk of being bitten or scratched, rub maple or Karo Syrup on the pet’s gums by using a cotton-tipped applicator. Do not remove your pet’s E-collar for feeding unless you are able to supervise while the E-collar is off. Replace the E-collar immediately after your pet is finished eating

Pain Medication Anesthesia and Surgery Monitor your pet for any signs of abnormal recovery from anesthesia and/or surgery. These may include bleeding, lethargy or weakness, loss of appetite/decreased water intake, shivering, unsteady gait that persists beyond 24 hours after surgery.
Your pet was given long-acting pain medication in conjunction with the spay/neuter surgery. DO NOT GIVE HUMAN MEDICATION TO YOUR PET. It is dangerous and can be fatal.

Tattoo
Animals who have had surgery receive a small green tattoo. For dogs, the tattoo is placed alongside the surgical incision. No complications from the tattoo are expected, as sterile instruments are used to create it. For female cats, the tattoo is placed alongside the surgical incision. For male cats, the tattoo is placed on the lower part of the abdomen. Please monitor the tattoo site for redness, swelling, or discharge. If these occur, please contact the postoperative care line.

Jumping and Playing
Restrict jumping and playing for seven days after surgery. Too much activity can cause the surgery site to open or become swollen. Place your pet in an adequately sized carrier, kennel, crate, or small room when you’re unable to supervise. Walk your dog on-leash to allow him/her to go to the bathroom. Please do not take your dog on long walks or allow any rough housing with other animals or people. Also, do not allow your pet to jump on or off furniture.

Keep Your Pet Away from Other Animals
Keep neutered males away from unspayed females. Neutered males can get an unspayed female pregnant for up to 30 days after neuter surgery. Keep spayed females away from unneutered males who may wish to mount them. Animals returning from the Spay/Neuter Clinic may also smell different to other animals in the household. This can cause the animals to fight, so be prepared to keep your pets in separate areas for a few days following surgery.

Bathroom Habits
Monitor your pet’s urine for blood. A small amount may be present in female animals during the first 24 hours after surgery. If this continues or if your pet seems otherwise ill at any time, call the postoperative care line. Contact the postoperative care line if your cat is straining to urinate within 72 hours after spay/neuter surgery.

Bathing Your Pet
Do not bathe your pet until 10 days after surgery.

Cat Care
When arriving home after surgery, place your cat in a quiet, dark confined area such as a bathroom. Keep in mind that cats may hide after surgery. It is a good idea to block access to all places where your cat could hide to allow monitoring of the healing process.

Behavior
Spaying or neutering your pet can reduce certain undesirable behaviors, such as urine marking, mounting, aggression, or spraying, but these behaviors may have already been learned and might not go away completely. If these behaviors do go away, they might do so gradually. It may take up to 30 days for cats to stop spraying or showing signs of heat. Older male cats may continue to spray, but their urine will not smell as bad