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Turmeric for Cats

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Why Should You Spay Your Dog Or Cat?

Vet Talks 5 min read
Short-haired cat wearing a cone and laying on an examination table in a vet's office. Why you should spay your dog or cat

Spaying is a term that refers to the removal of the female reproductive organs, the ovaries and/or the uterus. Some pet owners may have concerns when talking about spaying their pets. You may ask yourself if there are benefits or if you will regret it in the future. So here are some good reasons to spay your dog or cat:

  • Decrease the chances of developing a breast tumor or breast cancer
  • It may help avoid fights and escapes
  • Prevents developing pyometra (infection in the uterus)
  • Your female may be calmer and more docile
  • It helps to reduce the population of cats and dogs without a home

When Should A Pet Be Spayed?

Most vets recommend spaying after the pet has all of their adult teeth and have received all their vaccines.

The right age to spay a female dog or cat can vary. Most veterinarians recommend it between six and eight months of age when the pet already has all of their adult teeth and has received all their vaccines. However, for large females, it is ideal is to wait until they are one year old to perform the spay.

How Do I Prepare My Pet To Be Spayed?

Your veterinarian will give the instruction, but generally, some tests are done to make sure that your little one is healthy. For example, blood work, a CKG, etc. Food and water are often withheld the night before the surgery to prevent vomiting and aspiration.

What You Need To Know For After The Surgery

Even though spaying is a safe procedure, and your fur baby may recover quickly, you will still have to pay attention if everything goes well after the surgery. Ovariohysterectomy (spay for females) is performed under general anesthesia, only a small incision is made in the abdomen of the female.

In general, it is not necessary for your little one to be hospitalized after the effects of anesthesia, she can continue the recovery from home, of course, following the veterinarian’s instructions. For example:

  • Do not be alarmed if your little girl has strange movements. These movements occur because of anesthesia.
  • Your baby girl should not make any effort. The space provided for recovering must be warm, comfortable and, above all, clean, she cannot take the risk of being infected by bacteria and other pathogens.
  • It is highly likely that she does not want to eat immediately or even vomit. She will get her appetite back once the effects of the anesthesia are completely gone.
  • Do not panic if your fur baby girl does not poop for one or two days. It is normal after surgery.
  • Remove the bandage only when recommended by your vet.
  • You should prevent your fur baby from licking or scratching the suture. If she does that, she will be able to remove the stitches, and an open wound can cause infection. Therefore, it is recommended to use an Elizabethan collar or a medical pet shirt to avoid licking the area where the incision was.
  • Give all the medications prescribed by your veterinarian following the instructions. It will help to prevent infection and control discomfort.
  • If there are other pets at home, make sure they do not try to lick the wound or want to play with the little one during her recovery.
  •  Make sure she is resting a lot in a peaceful environment so that she can also recover from all the stress caused by surgery.
  • It is important that, during the first 24 hours after the intervention, she is not alone. You should observe her to make sure that everything is okay.
Grey yorkiepoo sitting on a beige couch while wearing a cone/elizabethan collar. spay your dog or cat

How To Help Your Pet Recover After Getting Spayed

Keep in mind that it can take around 10 days to recover from the surgery to return the normal life. In the meantime, you will have to be patient and pay close attention that nothing gets off track. For instance:

  • Your baby girl should rest for several days or at least until she returns to the vet and the sutures are removed.
  • If she has absorbable sutures, you should still take care of her until the vet check that everything was okay during the recovery period.
  • Make sure she does not make any sudden movements or strenuous physical activities. Do not allow your pet to go out, run, or go upstairs. Please note that, in addition to the external suture, there are also internal stitches.
  • If she has absorbable sutures, you should still take care of her until the vet check that everything was okay during the recovery period.
  • Make sure she does not make any sudden movements or strenuous physical activities. Do not allow your pet to go out, run, or go upstairs. Please note that, in addition to the external suture, there are also internal stitches.
  • Unless the veterinarian has recommended, do not clean the wound. You should watch it to make sure everything is okay.
  • If redness, swelling, bleeding, or suppuration occurs, take your furgirl to the veterinarian immediately.
  • You also should go urgently to the vet if the days after surgery, she remains unwell, rejects the food, and has a fever.

Supplements To Support Healing

We suggest to stop giving supplements 7 days before and 3 days after the surgery. It is recommended because some of the ingredients present in some herbs may interact with the anesthetic medication. However, after 3 days of the surgery, you can give the supplements again. 

The supplements may help decrease discomfort, inflammation, and bacterial infections. I personally like to suggest Turmeric, Petomega 3, Old Timer, Natures Immuno, and Multi Essentials.

Turmeric, Petomega 3, and Old Timer have properties that may be helpful to control discomfort. They also have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that are beneficial for your little one after any surgery. These herbal formulations have been shown to have significant wound healing properties. They act on various stages of the natural wound healing process to hasten healing.

Natures Immuno and Multi Essentials will offer some nutrients that your little one will need after surgery, especially because she may lose some blood. The properties present in these formulations can support the immune system to produce more red and white blood cells. For example, the mushrooms and herbs present in Natures Immuno and Multi Essentials provide a significant amount of iron, which promotes the formation of red blood cells (RBCs) in the body.

The most important thing, pets tend to sense their owner’s emotions and if you are nervous it will cause stress to your little one. When you bring your fur baby for surgery do your best to be calm and reassuring.

Dr. Amanda Nascimento DVM, MVSc, PhD

Dr. Amanda Nascimento DVM, MVSc, PhD

Dr. Amanda completed her undergraduate degree in veterinary medicine in 2010 and graduate studies in veterinary pathology (MVSc. 2012 and PhD 2016) at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo. She completed her post-doctoral training at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine – University of Saskatchewan in 2018. Dr. Nascimento will be hosting her own blog series and sharing her knowledge with our extended NHV family.

Published: April 15, 2021

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