Pre-Surgery Information
You must have an appointment. Some exceptions are made for feral cats, but please call for more information. To schedule your appointment, please see the “Home” tab.
Pets may have limited water up until the time of surgery. Please feed your pet 1/4 of their regular meal the morning of surgery.
All dogs must be on a leash or in a carrier, and all cats must be in a carrier to enter the clinic. This is for everyone’s safety and comfort.
If you do not have a carrier for your cat, a cat box can be purchased at the clinic for $5.
Feral cats should be in a COVERED humane trap or COVERED carrier. This will greatly reduce their stress.
Arrival Instructions
Check-in for CAT and DOG owners is between 7:30-8:15 AM.
Please leave your dog in the car until you have completed the check-in process. You will then be directed to bring your dog in. You may bring your cat in with you during the check-in process. Please plan on 15 to 30 minutes to complete the paperwork and admission process. If you want to speed up the process, you may download the INTAKE FORM and print/complete it ahead of time. Payment is expected at the time of check-in.
During check-in, you will have the opportunity to choose any additional services you may want.
Rabies vaccinations are required UNLESS you can provide proof of a current rabies. Proof must be in the form of a rabies vaccination certificate from a licensed veterinarian as per state code. Rabies tags are not an acceptable proof of vaccination.
After check-in, your pet will be given a pre-surgical examination by our medical team.
If there are any health issues preventing surgery, your pet will not be admitted for surgery. You will be provided an explanation and/or referred to a regular vet for follow up if needed.
If your pet has an umbilical hernia, or undescended testicles (cryptorchid), there will be an additional charge for the extra procedure needed for your pet.
Please plan to arrive on time to avoid a late fee. Animals arriving after scheduled check-in time may be asked to reschedule.
Keep in mind, our veterinarian reserves the right to refuse service to any animal to whom surgery is deemed a health risk but our staff will be happy to explain to you the reasons for refusal. Otherwise, you may be required to sign a High-Risk waiver form before proceeding with surgery.
Post-Operative Instructions
Pick up time for CAT and DOG owners is 4:30-5:00 PM.
Please provide a clean, warm, and dry indoor space for recuperation. If your pet stays primarily outdoors, we recommend keeping them in a garage, barn, etc. for at least 72 hours. It is important that you provide post-surgery monitoring and care for your pet, while restricting their activity for the next 7-10 days following surgery. This is crucial to allow the tissue time to heal, in order to avoid the incision opening or becoming infected. Cats should be confined indoors and dogs should be taken out on leash-walks only to use the bathroom, then returned inside to rest. If your pet gets wet, please gently pat the incision site dry. No baths for at least 14 days post-surgery.
Check the incision 2x per day. Females should have no drainage. Redness and swelling should be minimal. The incision for male dogs is directly on the scrotum and is left open to allow for drainage. Small amounts of drainage/discharge are normal within the first 3 days. Excess activity increases drainage, so restriction is very important. Please ensure that your pet does not lick or chew on the incision site. If this occurs an E-Collar (cone) should be worn to prevent additional licking/chewing that could cause infection.
Appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery. Do not change the animal’s diet or give junk food, table scraps, milk or other people foods during the recovery period to avoid gastro-intestinal upset.
Minimal redness and swelling of the surgery site should reduce within several days, but if they persist call our office at (866) 349-3698 for instructions during office hours. After office hours, if you have any major concerns, call or visit your nearest emergency animal clinic. However, the Fix’Em Clinic will not be responsible for emergency charges unless the visit is directly related to a surgical issue and not caused by improper post-operative care.
CALL US OR YOUR NEAREST EMERGENCY CLINIC IMMEDIATELY if you notice the following: pale gums, depression, unsteady gait, extreme loss of appetite, decreased water intake, vomiting, diarrhea, excess discharge or bleeding from the surgical site, difficulty urinating or defecating, or labored breathing.
If your animal received a vaccine at the Fix’Em Clinic other than rabies, please return to receive a “booster” vaccine (3-4 weeks after the initial vaccine) during our walk-in Wellness hours. Please understand it takes up to two weeks for vaccines to reach their effectiveness.
Unless otherwise noted your pet has NO sutures to remove. For undescended testicles your pet has two incisions.
Please note your pet received a green tattoo next to their incision. The tattoo is a scoring process and not an incision.
If you have a feral/stray community cat, please keep them covered and confined to their trap overnight (with a small amount of food/water) and release them back to their original location the following morning.
We make every reasonable effort to treat any post-operative complications resulting directly from the surgery, if the above post-operative instructions are followed in full.