Spay or Neuter
Spaying or neutering your dog or cat is one of the most important decisions you can make for their preventive health care. Dog and cat neutering and spaying have numerous health-related and behavioral benefits for your pet that can also improve your lives together.
Dog Spay/Neuter
Cost Varies by Weight
- 24.9 pounds or under $160
- 25 – 49.9 pounds $210
- 50 -70 pounds $260
- Spay/neuter surgery
- Pain medication
- Microchips and vaccines are available for an additional charge
Cat Spay/Neuter
$90
- Spay/neuter surgery
- Pain medication
- Microchips, rabies vaccine, FVRCP vaccine, and Revolution are available for an additional charge
Benefits of the Procedure
Behavioral changes include no heat cycles, less desire to roam and more
After Care
The following aftercare instructions provide guidelines for the next several days of your pet’s recovery, as well as what to expect and potential red flags.
First 24 hours post-surgery
- Allow your pet to recover in a quiet, safe place indoors. Be aware that your pet’s behavior may be slightly altered in the first 24 hours after surgery. For example, they may be sleepy, nauseous, wobbly, vocal, shivering, or irritable.
- Your pet may feel nauseous, and it can take up to 48 hours for their appetite to return to normal.
- You may notice your pet received a small green tattoo, indicating they’ve been sterilized. This tattoo is not an extra incision and does not
require cleaning. - If you notice clear or whiteish crusting on the incision or tattoo site, this is the surgical glue. Surgical glue will take a few days to wear off. The internal sutures will dissolve over several months; during this time, you may be able to feel a series of small lumps or knots under the skin at the surgery site. This is normal.
7 - 10 days following surgery
- Your pet should be closely supervised and have exercise restricted for the next 7 – 10 days. Avoid running and jumping. Strenuous activity increases your pet’s risk of developing swelling around the incision site that could result in premature break down of sutures, opening of the incision, and costly medical care that would be your responsibility.
- Keep the incision dry. No bathing, or swimming.
- Check the incision twice daily until healed.
- A small amount of blood is normal immediately after surgery.
- Some redness and swelling of the incision is expected and normal.
- Do not allow your pet to lick, scratch, or chew the incision. We strongly recommend you keep the E- collar (Elizabeth collar) on your pet for 7 – 10 days.
Important symptoms to watch for
If any of the following occur
- Lethargy or loss of appetite
- Labored breathing
- Discharge, bleeding, or swelling at the incision
- Vomiting or diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours
- Pale gums that were pink earlier that day
Please call Peggy Adams at 561.472.8814. If you have a surgery related emergency after hours (outside of 9:00am – 5:00pm) and weekends, your call will be forwarded to VEG, the emergency clinic with whom we partner.
Did you know?
The spay and neuter clinic is generously underwritten by our donors with special thanks for the support we receive in memory of Emily Vernon from the Emily Vernon Foundation for Homeless and Neglected Animals. We are also very grateful to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control for underwriting free TNVR surgeries for free-roaming cats and for the local cat rescue groups.
Help Us Continue This Important Work
If you would like to help us by funding services to Palm Beach County residents with pets in need please contact our Development Department:
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