Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellie May  I have heard that they are more experienced than regular vets at this too (since that is what they do all day). There is another side to this though. I know of a vet that went to spay/neuter dogs over a vacation at the end of or right after vet school. It was some type of training or looked good. So, you really need to know who is doing the surgery. |
I agree. Find out who is doing the surgery. Here in Raleigh the SPCA sells spay/neuter coupons that are honored by a whole list of participating vets in the area. The spays and neuters are done right in their office so they are full service and prepared for any complications.
There are other programs not through the SPCA here where spays and neuters are actually done in a mobile van that comes to certain areas periodically. The problem with those is that it a "bare bones" spay. They don't have the ability to do pre op bloodwork or pull baby teeth. You have to go to your regular vet beforehand to get the pre op bloodwork done and if your dog needs any baby teeth removed, it will be a separate procedure later on with another anesthesia so it will end up being more expensive in the long run. It will also put your dog at a second risk of complications from anesthesia.
Remember to budget for pre op bloodwork and pain shots/pills. The shot alone can be $20-25. I know several people who were shocked to find out that the $85 spay ended up costing them close to $200 with those costs.
It's very important to get pre op bloodwork done. It can alert your vet to any unseen conditions your dog might have that would make it dangerous or even deadly for her to be put under anesthesia. With the high rate of liver disease in Yorkies, I can't imagine not getting pre op bloodwork done. Some vets, like mine, require bloodwork done the first time a dog is put under anesthesia anyway.