Frequently Asked Questions
1. When are you open?
We are open Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 pm. We are closed Friday-Sunday.
2. Are you a full service veterinary clinic?
No, we are not a full service clinic. We specialize in Spay and Neuter surgeries. Any other issue has to be refered to your regular veterinarian.
At this time we are not seeing patients for vaccines and general appointments, even if you had your animal spayed or neutered at Tails of Hope.
3. How can I get a feral cat fixed?
Feral cats need to be brought to the clinic in a live trap. If you know when the animal would be caught and brought in, call the clinic and we will reserve a slot for you. If you don't know when the cat will be caught, bring it in on the day it is trapped before 10 AM. We have a limited number of slots for feral cats. We can only accept 2 ferals per person, per day. If you need to borrow a live trap, we have them for a $25 deposit. If you need help catching a cat, call the clinic for advice. Alley Cat Allies has information about TNR on their website at www.alleycat.org.
4. Can they have food and water the night before surgery?
Yes. They may have food until 10:00 p.m. No food after 10:00 p.m., including treats. They may have access to water all night and the next morning. No food in the morning.
5. How soon can I get an appointment?
We schedule appointments in the first available slot based on species and gender of your animal. Some surgeries take longer than others and we have limited number of slots for each type of surgery.
6. How long do they stay?
Your animal will be ready to go home the same day as the surgery. We do not keep animals overnight. Discharge instructions and medications will be discussed with you at the time of pickup. Pickup time is between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
7. How long does the surgery take?
If there are no complications:
Dog Spay: 30-45 minutes
Dog Neuter: 30 minutes
Cat Spay: 20-30 minutes
Cat Neuter: 5-10 minutes
8. Is it safe?
There is always a risk when an animal is under anesthesia. We follow the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) guidelines for anesthetic and surgical procedures. We operate in a sterile environment and have an emergency cart available at all times. We have a licensed staff veterinarian and a licensed veterinary technician. Our veterinary assistant has been trained and educated in veterinary procedures.
9. Do you send animals home with pain medication?
Yes. All animals will be sent home with pain medication. The cost is included in the price of the surgery.
10. Do you microchip?
Yes. Both dogs and cats.
11. How old do animals have to be to be fixed?
They should be 3 months old and 3 pounds.
12. What is the oldest age that an animal can have surgery at your clinic?
6 years old.
13. When do animals start going into heat?
Cats can go into heat as early as 4 months of age. Dogs can go into heat as early as 5 months of age.
14. How long are they in heat?
Dogs: Usually 7-10 days, but can vary from 1-20 days. Cats: About 2 weeks, but can repeatedly go into heat. When kittens are 8 weeks old, mom can go into heat again.
15. How long are they pregnant?
Dogs and Cats: 63-67 days.
16. Can you fix them while they're pregnant?
Yes we can fix them when they are pregnant.
17. Is it dangerous if they're in heat/pregnant?
There is more of a risk if they are spayed while pregnant. A greater chance of bleeding may occur since some blood vessels are larger and more engorged with blood to help support the pregnancy. The litter will be euthanized if the mother is spayed while pregnant.
18. How soon after they have a litter can they be fixed?
They can be fixed once the babies have been weaned from the mother and the mother has dried up. This will occur when the babies are about 6-7 weeks. We understand that you may not know how old the kittens are of feral cats. We will spay a feral cat if it is lactating once you have caught it. You may not get another chance to catch the cat again.
19. What is the recovery period like?
We use a combination of anesthetics to put them under. This is a safer technique so they go to sleep smoothly and wake up after the procedure smoothly and calmly. They will be constantly monitored while they wake up and wrapped in a towel on a heating pad. Once they are sternal and attempting to move around, they will be moved back to their kennel. Once they are more alert, they will be offered a small snack and water.
20. What is the extra green incision?
The green incision is a tattoo that we use to denote that the animal has been fixed. This will help others in the future if the animal is lost or goes to a new home.
21. Should I be worried that my dog/cat is licking his/her incision?
Yes! The animal should not have access to the incision. Constant licking can lead to premature removal of the sutures, opening of the incision, infection, and possibly death.
22. What should I do to keep my dog/cat from licking his/her incision?
Check on the animal frequently to make sure they are not licking the incision. We have e-collars available if you should chose to get one. If the incision looks red, is oozing, or is open, please call for an appointment to come back in for a re-check. You may also make an appointment with your animal's regular veterinarian for treatment.