Spaying - questions for my cat friends :)

[CJ2008]

Hi,

Kittie is getting to the age when she can be spayed, and I'm trying to plan ahead.

Both vets in the area gave me estimates around the same price...about $230 without bloodwork, about $330 with bloodwork - this includes medication, overnight stay, e-collar etc.

Would you do the overnight stay? One vet requires it, the other one doesn't (although it's an option). I'm leaning towards no - since there's no staff there for the whole night (although at 1 vet someone does check in on them at some point), and I have a cage she can be confined to to make sure she rests.

Would you do the bloodwork or would you skip it?

Would you consider doing this procedure at a local low cost clinic or would you only consider your regular vet? There's a local rescue organization that has a low cost clinic that charges $45 for spaying, $15 for an overnight stay (if wanted), $10 for a 24-hour pain medication injection and $50 for bloodwork - so total would cost $105 (without an overnight stay). It's a place that has been around for a while, it's nice looking, looks clean, and I took my male cat there for neutering. But I also know neutering is a less "big deal" than spaying.

(oooooh I just noticed new smilies! cute)

Thanks!

 

[missy]

Hey CJ, I'm not feeling great so can only comment quickly. I would keep her overnight just in case. A spay is major surgery and better to be conservative. Just read there is no 24/7 staff so then what's the point? That's confusing me. I would choose whichever situation your dear kitty is being watched through the night. I would want it done at a place I know and trust. Everything should be fine but it's always better safe than sorry. Good luck!

 

[makemepretty]

We had a stray show up at our house, female, that I knew would end up pregnant(if she wasn't already) so I took her to the low cost C Snip by our house. It was $40. They were really nice there and she did just fine. She was meowing for me like crazy when I picked her up and kissing me. Over a year later, she's still with us, sleeps inside during the day, hunts at night. She's even housebroken!

I'm not a big vet go-er. I get my puppy it's shots in the beginning, I flea prevent at home and worm when needed. My dogs have lived 12-15 years and this cat is the first I've "kept". I found a home for a stray previously.

 

[LaraOnline]

What time would you be checking your pet out after the surgery? A few hours after she has woken?
When the animal is kept overnight, that means several examinations from a qualified person, last thing at night before the hospital staff go home, through the night at least once but perhaps twice or three times when the surgeon comes in to check on patients, then again in the early morning when surgery opens, and then again when you arrive to pick up your cat.

 

[Matata]

The blood work is essential to ensure your cat is healthy enough to handle the anesthesia and doesn't have any previously undetected issues such as anemia or kidney or heart problems. I'm surprised one of the vets would consider that an option. If one of the vets spays using laser, I'd opt for that. The incision is much smaller, healing time is faster, and it's less invasive. It's also more expensive.

If the cat will be checked once during the night at the vet's leave her there. They are better able to manage an emergency than you would be in the middle of the night. They can administer pain meds and fluids if she needs them.

This is a purely personal preference, but I like the idea of my vet, who has familiarity with my animal, doing a spay/neuter rather than a stranger at a low-cost clinic. But, I believe the level of medical expertise/skill in both situations is equivalent.

 

[alexah]

HI CJ!

I don't currently have a cat (hubby's allergic) so I can't help on that front - but we got this certificate before neutering our pup (our Vet participated in this program) - not sure if yours does but wanted to mention it.

http://www.fcdf.org/content/spay-neuter-program

 

[lulu]

Those prices seem really high to me. Have you called any other vets?
We just adopted a dog and he was neutered,micro chipped and had his teeth cleaned for under $400 and they did keep him overnight. I think we got a discount on the neutering because he's a rescue.

The low cost clinic sound fine to me, but I'd do the overnight for a spay. And definitely the pain meds.

 

[movie zombie]

what Matata said.

 

[CJ2008]

Thanks all.

I'm going to call the vets and find out if they do laser (neither one mentioned it so I'm thinking no, but I'll ask) verify how often someone checks on them (the one vet verified nobody is there after they close at 7 P.M. - I still have to call the over vet).

I ended up not doing the leukemia shot a couple of weeks ago - I'm thinking if she stays overnight at the vet they're going to require it, no? And even if they don't should I do it, just in case?

(as a side note Lara I'm thinking either vet would allow me to keep her there until last possible minute/they close, even if her surgery is first thing in the am).

(ETA: Missy, thanks for responding even though you weren't feeling well!)

 

[CJ2008]

I found out both vets do the laser, and also confirmed that neither vet has anyone staying overnight after they close, nor does anyone go in to check on the animals.

The vet who doesn't require overnight stay told me that cats usually do very well at home. They also told me they would not require her to have the leukemia shot.

The other vet (my regular vet) told me that the reason for the overnight stay is that they truly get a good night's rest - that they curl up in a ball are left alone and sleep through the night which is best (although in my mind, that's not guaranteed...what if a dog is nervous and barks all night?) However, when I explained to the vet that she would be in her own room all by herself and in a large cage (large enough for her to have a littler box, bed, etc.) she did say that if I really wanted to take her home she would allow me. And they would let me pick her up as late as close to closing as possible.

They would also require her to get the leukemia shot whether or not she stays overnight.

So two completely contradictory opinions on the overnight stay and the leukemia shot.

I'm leaning towards my regular vet, just because that's where I've been taking my animals for years.

And although I really am still not 100% sold on the overnight stay - I really hate nobody will check in on her all night - the one thing that's leaning me more that way is that is that in the morning I'd have to drive her back to see the vet - so that's an additional/drive, even though it's only a 5-7 minute drive - and potential source of stress she would not have if I had left her there.

 

[kindred]

I don't think I would leave my cat overnight since no one would be there. I would want to be able to check on my cat myself. I would definitely pay for pain medication but I would question whether 24 hours would be long enough. I have heard that some vets don't give enough pain relief and I think it's crazy that pain medication is not always a given in this situation. I would probably get the blood work but I think I would just go with the low cost clinic.

 

[justginger]

I have had 60ish cats in my care neutered/spayed and have never left them at the vet's office. I had one issue once - one of the female kittens had an internal stitch that didn't hold, or was missed. About an hour after we got home we were back in the car to the clinic, and she was fixed up immediately. I left her there that night, just in case. That being said - if we hadn't picked her up after her surgery, and there was no vet overnight, her hernia wouldn't have been noticed until the morning...

 

[lambskin]

We rescued a kitty from a private rescue shelter. The kitty was way too young for them to do it before we got kitty home. Since kitty was a rescue we had to sign papers promising that we would get kitty fixed. The price to have it done at the shelter was almost as expensive as a vet and we had already spent a small fortune for the kitty already. So we took Fritten to the city animal shelter and had it done there. Although there is a sliding fee based on your zip code (poor areas get it done free) we had to pay full price which was still way cheaper than a vet or the rescue shelter. The city shelter does spaying/neutering everyday and are really good at it. I would do it as cheaply as possible.

 

[CJ2008]

Yes what you guys have said about the overnight stay is how I feel about it - if nobody is there how is that better than being at home?

I never thought about the pain medications possibly not being enough - they do tell you she should have minimal activity for about 10 days so given that, yes it's possible it's not enough. One more thing to get conflicted about

It's so difficult to know what to do especially when you have to watch your wallet. On the other hand that fact that I have to watch my wallet is one of the things that's prompting me to ask all these questions and weigh what's necessary or what's not. Where before I questioned, but perhaps sometimes I automatically assumed more expensive (like the overnight stay required) = better care, when really, it's questionable.

 

[ecf8503]

I've put off posting in this thread for a while now, but here goes. I'm a veterinarian and I worked in cats-only clinics for years.

Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is always recommended, regardless of age. Yes the older they are the more likely there will be issues with their liver or kidneys, but it can happen (less often) with young ones too. If there is a problem with their kidney or liver that metabolize the drugs or red blood cells that carry oxygen, the Dr needs to know that ahead of time so an appropriate action can be taken (postpone the procedure or simply adjust the anesthetic agents and pain medications for that patient's individual needs).

Pain medication is never optional. We always give long acting medications and sometimes even a pain patch that delivers the drug continuously over several days.

As for the overnight thing, it depends. Most of the time owners want their babies home. Which is fine, as long as owners understand that their cat may be groggy, unstable, and tired. Cats are pretty good at "checking out" when they don't feel good, so it's normal for the cat to go home, hide, and sleep it off for several hours. They are usually fine by the next morning. That doesn't mean you shouldn't watch them, just that there's no reason to be alarmed if the cat is simply still under the influence.

FeLV is not a "core" vaccine. Cats should be tested for FeLV, and if they are negative the decision to vaccinate or not becomes personal based on the cat's lifestyle. Your cat will not catch FeLV at the vet's office, as they should have no direct contact with any other cat. And even if they vaccinate the cat on the way in the door the protection from that vaccine takes weeks to develop.

I've spayed my own cats. They got PA bloodwork (appropriate for their age at the time), pain medications that lasted a long period of time, and I took them home with me the same night. They found a nice place to hide and slept off the meds, and were back to their normal selves the next day.

 

[CJ2008]

I've put off posting in this thread for a while now, but here goes. I'm a veterinarian and I worked in cats-only clinics for years.

Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is always recommended, regardless of age. Yes the older they are the more likely there will be issues with their liver or kidneys, but it can happen (less often) with young ones too. If there is a problem with their kidney or liver that metabolize the drugs or red blood cells that carry oxygen, the Dr needs to know that ahead of time so an appropriate action can be taken (postpone the procedure or simply adjust the anesthetic agents and pain medications for that patient's individual needs).

Pain medication is never optional. We always give long acting medications and sometimes even a pain patch that delivers the drug continuously over several days.

As for the overnight thing, it depends. Most of the time owners want their babies home. Which is fine, as long as owners understand that their cat may be groggy, unstable, and tired. Cats are pretty good at "checking out" when they don't feel good, so it's normal for the cat to go home, hide, and sleep it off for several hours. They are usually fine by the next morning. That doesn't mean you shouldn't watch them, just that there's no reason to be alarmed if the cat is simply still under the influence.

FeLV is not a "core" vaccine. Cats should be tested for FeLV, and if they are negative the decision to vaccinate or not becomes personal based on the cat's lifestyle. Your cat will not catch FeLV at the vet's office, as they should have no direct contact with any other cat. And even if they vaccinate the cat on the way in the door the protection from that vaccine takes weeks to develop.

I've spayed my own cats. They got PA bloodwork (appropriate for their age at the time), pain medications that lasted a long period of time, and I took them home with me the same night. They found a nice place to hide and slept off the meds, and were back to their normal selves the next day.

OMG ecf8503 thank you so much for posting I really appreciate it.

I only want her home IF it's safe or JUST as safe for her to be here with me. As soon as I found out that they no longer have anyone check in on them through the night it changed my automatically thinking that her staying there would be better. But yes, the vet did make sure I understood that she will be very groggy and that the BEST possible thing that could happen is for her to be left alone so she could go to sleep. I have a bathroom and hallway that can be completely closed off, a white noise machine, and a large cage she can be kept in so her activity is truly kept to a minimum. Plus, I would totally prepare - meaning I would know EXACTLY where I can and would take her if (knock on wood) something does go wrong and I need to take her to an emergency hospital during the middle of the night.

She tested negative and I chose not to do the FeLV but when she was tested she was a bit young so I may repeat the test just to make triple sure. But this particular vet will not allow her to have the surgery or stay overnight if she does not have the FeLV vaccination. You make a good point that I had not thought about that the protection would not start immediately after injection. So does that mean in essence the requirement doesn't really make any sense? This is what I'm saying that it's confusing to determine what's what.

I have decided to definitely do the bloodwork though, for the reasons you mention, and for my own peace of mind.

 

[ecf8503]

honest opinion - I think that vet just wants the $ from the FeLV vaccine.

 

[CJ2008]

honest opinion - I think that vet just wants the $ from the FeLV vaccine.

That thought breaks my heart...ETA partly because I've been taking my kitties there for years and partly because on some level it feels like they're taking advantage of me if they're not being truthful, after knowing me and my pets for so long.

She also explained something about leukemia and the first year of life etc etc that once they have the initial vaccinations then they're basically good forever so it's the safe route to go.

No?

 

[ecf8503]

Immunity lasts much longer than a year. How much longer... it depends. The only way to know for sure if your cat needs to be revaccinated is to test their antibody titers in their blood. Which most people don't do, so it becomes an every few years kind of thing. If they are vaccinated for FeLV at some point they will always have some baseline antibody presence, but whether or not it's enough to be able to fight off the actual virus if they are exposed to it 10 years later for example we don't know.

This site may be of interest to you:

http://www.catvets.com/guidelines/practice-guidelines/feline-vaccination-guidelines

 

[CJ2008]

Some of what that report says seems to support/be in line with what she's recommending for the kitten as far as the FeLV in general...being that I haven't vaccinated her against it at all.

The Advisory Panel recommends administering FeLV vaccines to
all kittens but considers the vaccine to be non-core for cats after
their 1 year booster unless they are at risk of exposure.

Vaccination of all kittens is recommended because a kitten’s status (indoor versus outdoor,
low risk versus high risk) may change, and susceptibility to
persistent infection is believed to be highest in kittens.

Still - what doesn't make sense is their requirement linked to whether she's going to be boarded or having the surgery there - because of what you said (how long the immunity takes to develop) and the way it's transmitted - I would expect she would in no way come in direct contact with any cat while she's over there.

In contrast the other vet (where I had her vaccinated) did not at all think she NEEDED to get the FeLV and left it up to me and would not require her to have it if I chose to do the surgery with them.

 

[kindred]

I've put off posting in this thread for a while now, but here goes. I'm a veterinarian and I worked in cats-only clinics for years.

Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is always recommended, regardless of age. Yes the older they are the more likely there will be issues with their liver or kidneys, but it can happen (less often) with young ones too. If there is a problem with their kidney or liver that metabolize the drugs or red blood cells that carry oxygen, the Dr needs to know that ahead of time so an appropriate action can be taken (postpone the procedure or simply adjust the anesthetic agents and pain medications for that patient's individual needs).

Pain medication is never optional. We always give long acting medications and sometimes even a pain patch that delivers the drug continuously over several days.

As for the overnight thing, it depends. Most of the time owners want their babies home. Which is fine, as long as owners understand that their cat may be groggy, unstable, and tired. Cats are pretty good at "checking out" when they don't feel good, so it's normal for the cat to go home, hide, and sleep it off for several hours. They are usually fine by the next morning. That doesn't mean you shouldn't watch them, just that there's no reason to be alarmed if the cat is simply still under the influence.

FeLV is not a "core" vaccine. Cats should be tested for FeLV, and if they are negative the decision to vaccinate or not becomes personal based on the cat's lifestyle. Your cat will not catch FeLV at the vet's office, as they should have no direct contact with any other cat. And even if they vaccinate the cat on the way in the door the protection from that vaccine takes weeks to develop.

I've spayed my own cats. They got PA bloodwork (appropriate for their age at the time), pain medications that lasted a long period of time, and I took them home with me the same night. They found a nice place to hide and slept off the meds, and were back to their normal selves the next day.

I am so glad that you posted. Now I know to get blood work done if either of my cats need surgery again. I got them from the Humane Society and fortunately they had already been spayed/neutered.

 

[ecf8503]

I am so glad that you posted. Now I know to get blood work done if either of my cats need surgery again. I got them from the Humane Society and fortunately they had already been spayed/neutered.

 

[asscherisme]

Hi,

Kittie is getting to the age when she can be spayed, and I'm trying to plan ahead.

Both vets in the area gave me estimates around the same price...about $230 without bloodwork, about $330 with bloodwork - this includes medication, overnight stay, e-collar etc.

Would you do the overnight stay? One vet requires it, the other one doesn't (although it's an option). I'm leaning towards no - since there's no staff there for the whole night (although at 1 vet someone does check in on them at some point), and I have a cage she can be confined to to make sure she rests.

Would you do the bloodwork or would you skip it?

Would you consider doing this procedure at a local low cost clinic or would you only consider your regular vet? There's a local rescue organization that has a low cost clinic that charges $45 for spaying, $15 for an overnight stay (if wanted), $10 for a 24-hour pain medication injection and $50 for bloodwork - so total would cost $105 (without an overnight stay). It's a place that has been around for a while, it's nice looking, looks clean, and I took my male cat there for neutering. But I also know neutering is a less "big deal" than spaying.

(oooooh I just noticed new smilies! cute)

Thanks!

I would 't (and didn't) leave my kitties overnight after a spay especially if nobody is there. And I do recommend the blood work. If something is wrong, anesthetic can be very unsafe.

I wouldn't let them do anesthetic without the blood work. I also would and have in the past pay for the pain medication injection.

Good luck!