Spay & Neuter Services

The word “spay” refers to the sterilization of female pets. During the ovariohysterectomy, or the typical “spay,” the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are removed from a female dog or cat. This makes her unable to reproduce and stops her heat cycles and breeding related behaviors.

 

The term “neuter” refers to the castration of male pets. During an orchiectomy, or the typical “neuter,” the testes are removed from a male dog or cat. This makes him unable to reproduce and reduces or eliminates male breeding behaviors.

• Female Dogs

  Spaying helps prevent uterine infections, mammary tumors, and pregnancy. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these issues and can help your female pet live a longer, healthier life.

• Male Dogs

  Neutering your dog impacts their long-term health and can protect them from certain forms of cancer and prostate problems. It can also reduce and even stop urine-marking, roaming, excessive barking, and aggression.

• Female Cats

  Spaying a female cat before her first heat cycle eliminates the risk of mammary cancer, ovarian and uterine cancers, and a fatal uterine infection called a pyometra. Spaying also removes the complications that may arise with pregnancy and birthing.

• Male Cats

  Neutering your cat eliminates the possibility of testicular cancer and reduces the chances of contracting other cancers like Feline AIDS and leukemia. It also reduces and even stops roaming, escape attempts, fighting and urine spraying.

Minimum required weight:

• Dogs – 4 pounds
• Cats – 2 pounds

Minimum age required by Hill Country Animal League:

• 8 weeks for both dogs and cats.

Recommended age for spay/neuter surgery:

• Female dogs – between four and six months
• Male dogs – before nine months
• Female cats – between four and five months
• Male cats – before five months

It is our recommendation that both cats and dogs are spayed or neutered by 6 months of age.

The veterinarians at Hill Country Animal League are highly skilled clinicians and surgeons. However, as with any medical procedure, there are risks involved with surgery and the use of anesthetics and other drugs and we want to make sure you’re well aware. While it rarely occurs, complications can result from surgery, including death. We highly recommend pre-surgical blood work be performed at a full-service veterinary clinic before surgery.

 

The following conditions could increase complications:

• Advanced stages of pregnancy
• In Heat
• Advanced Age
• Heartworms, intestinal parasites, leukemia, underlying heart, lung, liver or kidney conditions

 

If you have any questions or concerns, our team is happy to talk with you or you can view our Surgical Evaluation Criteria.

If your pet has had a litter, the babies will need to nurse for 6 weeks. They can be separated when the babies are eating on their own. Once this happens, it usually takes about two weeks for the mother’s milk sacs to dry up. This must happen before the surgery. It is important to get her in as soon as her milk dries up. Many female cats go into nursing heat immediately and can get pregnant while nursing the first litter. Female dogs can go into heat a couple of months after having the first litter.

You might. Read more about our requirements to receive discounted pricing to see if you qualify. While our spay & neuter and pet wellness prices are lower than most full-service veterinary clinics thanks to donations, we do offer a deeper discount to those with an annual family income of less than $49,000. Removing as many barriers as possible for ALL pet owners is an important part of our mission to reduce pet overpopulation in our community.

Once you’ve requested an appointment, be on the lookout for an email from our team to confirm your date and time.

 

Next, you’ll need to complete the appropriate forms. You can bring these with you the day of surgery.

The check in time for surgery is on your scheduled day (Monday – Thursday) between 7:30 A.M. and 8:30 A.M.

 

Be sure to also read and follow the instructions in our Surgical Care Guide. You can always reach out with questions by completing our contact form or by phone at (830) 249-2341!

Download our Surgical Care Guide for a complete list of instructions for before and after your pet’s surgery. We will provide you with printed after care instructions so that you are comfortable caring for your pet after surgery.

 

A few of the most important things to remember are:

• ALL spay & neuter surgeries require a drop-off between 7:30am – 8:30am.
• Pick up is between 3:00pm and 5:00pm.
• Complete the appropriate authorization forms. Bring these with you on the day of surgery.
• Do not feed your pet after midnight. They can have water.
• PREVENT LICKING OF THE SURGICAL AREA.
• Keep an eye on the incision site for swelling, discharge or redness.
• Do not bathe your pet for 10 days.

Try to keep feral cats in trap for at least 24 hours since it takes time for sedation to be metabolized by their system. If the cat will not settle, release early to prevent the cat from injury. Put trap in bathtub or raise trap to prevent cat from sitting in their own excreta. You may feed a small amount of food and water the evening of the surgery being cautious not to accidentally release cat. Keeping female cats for 3 days is encouraged, if possible, but use your own discretion.

Hill Country Animal League offers low-cost spay & neuter surgeries and healthy pet services at our clinic. If you’re looking for other preventive pet care services, take a look at all of the services we offer.