A spay or neuter certificate is basically a coupon that allows you to have your pet neutered at a lower price. The surgery is not free, so this certificate cannot grant you a no-cost surgery for your beloved pet. It is important to know that the certificate is not for sale and it cannot be combined with any other certificates. Moreover, it can only be used for one pet.
However, additional fees will be charged if your pet is pregnant or in heat or there are other complications that occur.
How do you get this certificate?
You can obtain this certificate by calling the so-called ?animal leagues? or local spay centers. Some certificates can also be obtained online. They will then send you the certificate on e-mail and it will contain the address, phone number and the name of the veterinarian nearest you. When you get the certificate, call the clinic and make an appointment and find out how much it costs. You will pay less for the surgery and at the time of the appointment. The certificates do not expire and veterinarians encourage people to use them as soon as possible, even if they can be kept for as long as you like.
Spay / neuter programs
These low cost certificates are sold to those who have a pet and this program is not based on a financial status. However, each veterinarian has his own additional pricing and you have to make sure that you know this from him before you accept the surgery. There are certain terms you have to follow in order to get this certificate:
1. Look at the lists with the participant veterinarians. You should not risk getting the certificate and then finding out that your veterinarian is not a part of the program.
2. Call the veterinarian you chose and ask him what the additional fees are, besides the certificate.
3. Order the certificate online from the foundations or programs that have this in their schedule. The certificate will be sent to you via email in about 10 business days.
4. After you have received the certificate, call the vet and make an appointment.
5. On the day of your appointment, take the pet, the certificate and the additional fee, if any, with you and ask the doctor once again everything you want to know about the surgery and the recovery period.
Some clinics offer, besides the surgery, rabies vaccination and ear crop and this is, of course, a part of that extra money you will have to pay. While spaying a male cat usually costs around $50, a female cat surgery goes up to $70-80. A male dog costs $75 and a female dog is $95. If you have a feral cat and you want to spay her, veterinarian recommend you to bring her in a cat trap at the clinic. Her surgery will cost $35 and this will also include a rabies vaccination and ear crop.
Knowing The Difference ? Neutering Or Spaying?
Having small puppies may seem cute and adorable, and many think it even helps the female dog to grow and become a better dog. Well, myths are myths, and the same applies in this case. Getting pregnant and giving birth to a bunch of puppies doesn?t mature your pet physically or mentally. In most cases, people find good homes for the pups very hard, no matter the price. Furthermore, not all gestations evolve normally. A difficult birth can imply the death of the puppies and lead to serious health problems in the mother, such as uterine infections and swelling of the mammary glands, thus ruining the experience.
Most owners that go through this type of trauma live to regret it, while professional breeders are prepared and equipped for this entire process. Not only that, but if the pregnancy and birth do go well, and the puppies are healthy, there is still the problem of finding them a good home. In most cases, these poor babies end up abandoned. In this type of situation, there are 3 outcomes: they are found and taken in by good hearted strangers, they arrive at a shelter or they die on the streets, not knowing how to take care of themselves.
That being said, you should consider neutering or spaying your dog. So what is the difference between these two?
Well, neutering is practically castration, a process consisting of the surgical removal of the testes, and is practiced on male dogs. The procedure includes the elimination of the testicular epididymis, testes, testicular blood vessels and spermatic ducts.
Female dogs are spayed, not neutered! This requires abdominal surgery that removes the ovaries and uterus. But like so many other surgeries, this also can be done differently. You can also choose to remove only the ovaries, and that would be called oophorectomy, or you can choose to leave one or both ovaries and remove the uterus.
This surgery can be traditional or laparoscopic.
Traditional surgery is done through an abdominal incision right under the umbilicus, and the size differs according to the size of the dog. After opening the abdominal cavity, the uterine horns can be identified, and by following them, the ovaries can be reached. These are attached to the wall through a ligament that will be broken to better reveal the ovaries. To avoid bleeding and other complications, the uterine body will be tied up in front of the cervix and the ovarian arteries will be tied up with a suture that will later resorb. Then, the ovaries and uterus are removed, the abdomen is checked thoroughly for bleeding, and the muscles, fat and skin are sutured with resorbable material.
The laparoscopic type is done using a camera and the necessary instruments that go in the abdomen through small incisions that vary from 5mm to 10 mm. This type of surgery comes with great benefits that include a faster recovery, smaller scars and less pain.
Whether you have a male or a female dog, remember that neutering and spaying, if done professionally, can save you a lot of trouble in the long run.
