Re: Spay costs and procedures

In Reply to: Spay costs and procedures
Category:   Medical
Posted by:  Kevin
Posted on:  November 12, 2002 at 13:05:53

: What are the reasonable procedures a vet should perform when getting a JRT spayed? In anticipation of getting our puppy spayed in a few months (she's currently 5 months old) the vet printed out a sheet of all the things that will and might be performed. Not being made of money, I want to do what's necessary without paying for things that aren't essential. It seems like vets can always run this test, and that test, etc. I wonder sometimes if they play on our fears on insuring the safety of our pets.

: Also, what is the best age to get a JRT spayed?

Response:

Hi Kevin,

If you go down the list of Q&A's you will find a recent post regarding a terrier of 7 months old that died during a spay procedure, this person's vet didn't think it was necessary to do a blood work up before the surgery. I can't say if having this done would have saved their dog but I would insist on one before having a dog put under anesthesia.

A personal experience of mine is one of my terrier's needed a minor surgery, I didn't opt for the blood work up. Three days after his surgery he went into a grand mal seizure. He has had them ever since. Could he have suffered brain damage by not having the correct anesthesia? Maybe. Would a blood work up have prevented having the wrong anesthesia used? Possibly.

Believe me the cost of all the tests and special medications we have spent in the 7 years since his first seizure has been a gazillion times more than if we had opted for the tests before surgery.

I can't advise you what to do, I can only tell you of my personal experience and also the one of the person that just lost their bitch.

Your girl is at a great age to get her spayed. You definitely want to do it before she goes into her first heat.