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Pre and Post Op Instructions

Caring For Your Pet

Spaying and neutering are surgical procedures.  While routine and safe, proper care is required before and after the surgery to ensure your pet’s safety.  SNiP will provide with instructions for this process but we’ll need you to keep an eye on your pet at home and do a few basic things to make sure they’re as healthy as possible.

Before Surgery

To schedule an appointment, please click here.

Location

2330 W. Happy Valley Rd. Suite #1027 Phoenix, Az 85085

  • We are located in the Shops at Norterra, on the North side of Happy Valley Rd, east of I-17.  We are between Dick’s Sporting Goods and Subway.

Appointment Date and Times

You will be able to select a date that works for your schedule with our convenient online booking.  Surgery appointments are available Monday-Friday.  We are closed weekends and all major holidays.  Appointments open up 6 weeks in advance and are first come, first serve.

Drop-off Times:

  • Female Dogs 7:30-7:45am
  • Male Dogs 7:45-8:00am
  • Female Cats 8:00-8:15am
  • Male Cats 8:15-8:30am
  • Feral/Community Cats 8:30-8:45am

If you are running late, please call/text the office at 623-887-7647.  Due to our strict surgery schedule, we may not be able to accommodate late arrivals.

Pick up Times:

  • All Dogs: 3:00-3:45pm
  • All Cats: 3:45-4:30pm

All pets must be picked up on time.  Please call/text the office if you are running late.  Late pick-ups may be charged a late fee.

Preparing for Your Pet’s Appointment

  • Your pet must be fasted prior to surgery for their safety.  If they are 6 months or older, they may not have any food, including treats or human food, after 10pm the night prior to surgery.  If they are 5 months or younger, please feed a small snack (a quarter of their normal breakfast) 2 hours prior to your arrival.  All animals can and should have access to drinking water up until your appointment.  Animals that have not been appropriately fasted will not be admitted for surgery.
  • All dogs must be on a leash!  Small dogs may be in a carrier.  Each dog must have its own leash or carrier.  Please allow your dog a chance to go to the bathroom before arriving for your appointment and clean up after your dog in the parking lot (poop bags are available at the front desk if needed).
  • All cats must be in a carrier and each cat must have its own carrier.  For your cat’s safety, the carrier must securely close and have adequate airflow. If you do not bring your cat in a carrier, you will be required to purchase one before bringing your cat into the building.  Please check to make sure there is not any food (including treats) in the carrier.
  • Please do not bring any blankets, toys, or other personal items with you pet as we cannot accept these items.
  • Please fill out the surgical consent form that was emailed separately to you after you scheduled your appointment.  Animals cannot be admitted for surgery without a signed consent form.  If you arrive and have not signed the consent form, please call/text or see a front desk staff member prior to bringing your pet into the building.
  • All dogs are required by the State of Arizona to have current rabies vaccination.  If you did not upload proof of current rabies vaccination when scheduling your appointment, please bring either the veterinary records or rabies certificate with you when dropping your dog off for surgery.  If they are not up to date on their rabies vaccine, vaccination is required with surgery.  Please note, rabies tags are not proof of vaccination – records or certificate only.  Cats are not required to be vaccinated in Arizona, however it is highly recommended.
  • Once your pet is admitted, they will have a physical examination with our staff and veterinarian.  If you pet has any health conditions, such as a heart murmur, or if they are showing any signs of illness  (fever, coughing, sneezing, diarrhea, etc.), they will be declined for surgery.  If you have any concerns about your pet’s health, please schedule an appointment with your primary veterinarian prior to their surgery day.

While Your Pet is With Us

  • Please keep your cell phone on and with you.  We will update you via text and/or email throughout the day and may need to contact you if we have any questions or concerns with your pet.  Once your pet’s surgery is complete, you will receive their records and invoice with a link for online payment.  To expedite your check out process, please review these records and the post-operative instructions and pay your invoice prior to arriving for pick-up.
  • Please review the post-operative instructions in the next tab to help prepare for your pet’s aftercare.  They will require a quiet, clean, and dry indoor space for recovery from surgery.

Aftercare Instructions

Your pet has been under general anesthesia and had a major surgical procedure.  Please follow the following instructions for their comfort and safety:

Tonight

  • Your pet may still be drowsy or otherwise not acting like themselves due to the anesthesia when you get home.  Most pets are back to their normal selves within 24 hours.  Please give your pet plenty of space and a quiet place to rest at home and keep small children away to allow them to fully recover to their normal personality.  Pets may shiver, whine or vocalize, or seem restless or quiet – these are normal reactions to the anesthesia and are not necessarily signs of pain.  All patients received pain medication at the time of surgery to last through tonight, please do not give them any more pain medication, including human medications, unless directed to do so by a veterinarian. A small amount of blood may be present in the urine of females for the first 24 hours after surgery.

Feeding

  • After 6 pm tonight, you may offer a small amount of food and water.  If any vomiting occurs, please take away the food and water and try offering small amounts of water later in the evening and overnight and a small amount of food in the morning before returning to their normal food schedule. Please do not change your pet’s diet and do not give any people food during the recovery period as this may cause gastrointestinal upset. Some of the medications and anesthesia your pet receive may cause a decreased appetite and/or constipation and it may take a few days for their appetite and defecation to return to normal.

Exercise Restriction

  • Pets must be kept indoors in a clean and dry environment. Dogs may be taken outside to urinate/defecate but must be walked on a leash. Please limit their activity for 10 days – no running, jumping, rough play, swimming, jumping on/off furniture, or other strenuous activity during this time.  You may need to limit them to an appropriately sized crate/pen/kennel or small room. No bathing or getting the incision wet for 14 days. If your dog is very energetic and having difficulty following these instructions, please contact our office to discuss a light sedative (only available for dogs).

E-Collar (Cone)

  • An E-collar MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES for the first 7-10 days after surgery by all dogs and female cats (male cats do not need an E-collar).  Licking and chewing at the incision can cause serious infection and/or opening of the incision which can be life threatening and may require additional surgery to treat. If your pet needs follow-up medical attention due to licking of the incision, you will be responsible for additional costs.

Interaction with Other Pets

  • Please keep your pet separate from other animals for the first 24 hours to allow them to fully recover from anesthesia.  Following this, they can interact with other household pets if supervised to ensure there is no excess activity or rough-housing and that no other animals are licking or chewing your pet’s incision.  Please be prepared to keep pets separate for the entirety of the recovery period, if necessary.
  • Please keep males away from intact females for at least 30 days as they may remain fertile and able to impregnate a female for a few weeks after surgery.  Please keep females that were in heat or recently in heat at the time of surgery away from intact or recently neutered males for at least 2 weeks – if a male tries to mate with her, serious bleeding and trauma to the reproductive tract may occur, possibly leading to death.

Incision Care and Monitoring

  • Please check the incision site at least twice daily.  Females have an incision on the underside of their abdomen (belly).  Males have an incision at/near their scrotum. A small amount of redness, swelling, or slight bruising is normal for the first several days, but there should not be any drainage.  If there is any drainage from the incision or if you have any concerns, please contact our office.  Please do not clean or apply topical ointment to the incision site unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian as this may interfere with healing and remove the skin glue used to close the surface of the incision.
  • Unless told otherwise, your pet does not have external sutures therefore no stitches need to be removed. All sutures are under the skin and are absorbable (male cats do not have any sutures).  Sutures may take up to 6 months to completely dissolve.  During this time, you may note a small amount of firm swelling at the incision or small, pebble-like bumps under the skin – this is normal.  Occasionally, a pet’s body will push some of the suture through the skin instead of dissolving them.  If you see any stitches coming through the skin, please call the office for removal.
    • If you are told that your pet has skin sutures or skin staples, they will need to return in 10-14 days to have those removed.
  • If your pet has any bandages on, please remove them when instructed to by the staff member at pickup.  All bandages must be removed within 2- 3 days or sooner if there is any swelling around the bandage or if the bandage slips or becomes soiled.  If you need assistance or instruction regarding a bandage, please call.

Medications

  • All pets were given pain medication at the time of surgery to last through tonight.  Cats were given a long-acting pain medication injection that will last for several days (this medication may also make them sleepy for a few days).  Dogs should start the pain medication that they were sent home with the morning after surgery and these medications should be given according to the instructions on the label.  Please give any other medications your pet was sent home with as instructed on the label.

Monitoring

  • Although spay and neuter procedures are safe surgeries, complications occasionally occur.  Please watch out for the following:
    • Lethargy, diarrhea, or vomiting lasting for more than 24 hours after surgery – if this occurs, please call.  Your pet should be examined by a veterinarian.
    • Dogs may have a slight cough for a few days after surgery due irritation from the breathing tube.  Please call if it persists.
    • CONTACT A VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY IF your pet has pale gums, prolonged lethargy or depression, unsteady gait, persistent vomiting or diarrhea, discharge or bleeding from the incision, body tissue protruding from the incision, difficulty urinating, labored breathing, or if you have any other serious concerns.  After hours, please contact your nearest emergency veterinary hospital.

SNiP Vet will make every reasonable effort to treat at our clinic, at minimal cost, any post-operative complications resulting directly from the surgery, if the above post-operative instructions have been followed in full. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery. Please call for an appointment as soon as you see cause for concern. We cannot be held responsible for complications resulting from failure to follow post-operative instructions, or from contagious diseases for which the animal was not previously properly vaccinated.

SNiP VET IS NOT A 24 HOUR FACILITY AND DOES NOT HAVE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT.  If you believe you have an emergency, the nearest emergency hospital to SNiP Vet is VetMed at Cave Creek Rd and the 101. SNiP Vet does not cover expenses incurred at this or any other emergency hospital.

VetMED – 24/7 Emergency Veterinary Hospital

20612 Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85024

(602) 697-4694

Vaccine Aftercare

  • If your pet received any vaccines today, they may experience mild lethargy, soreness, fever, or decreased appetite.  These side effects should be mild and should resolve within 24 hours.  PLEASE CONTACT A VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY if these signs persist, or if there is any swelling of the face/ears, hives or severe itching, difficulty breathing, persistent, diarrhea or vomiting, of if you have any other concerns.  After hours, please contact your nearest emergency veterinary hospital.
  • If your dog received a bordatella vaccine today, they may develop a sneeze or slightly runny nose 5-7 days after vaccination – this typically resolves without treatment within a few days but please call if you have any concerns.  Rarely, a pet will develop a small firm lump under the skin where the vaccine was given a few weeks after vaccination.  These lumps may take up to 6 weeks to subside but typically do not require any treatment.
  • Please note, canine DA2PP (distemper/parvo) and feline FVRCP and FeLV vaccines all need to be boostered three to four weeks after administration of the first vaccine for maximum effectiveness. If your pet received one of these vaccines today for the first time, please follow up with a full-service veterinarian for their booster.

Continued Veterinary Care

We are glad you chose SNiP Vet for your pet’s spay or neuter today!  Please know that while we look forward to seeing you in the future with other pets, we are not a full-service veterinary clinic and do not provide routine wellness or sick pet care.  Please establish a relationship for your pet with your local, full-service veterinarian for all your pet’s future medical needs, including any booster shots for vaccines.  It is important for your pet’s health to see their veterinarian annually.  Additionally, many veterinarians only see active patients for urgent and sick appointments, so it is important to have a “regular” veterinarian to avoid unnecessary and costly trips to the ER for minor illness or injury.

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