Are all mobile spay/neuter clinic vets really idiots? Rant

This forum is for dog lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitute for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your dog.

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Abrams Tank- SDiT

I'm trying to- fill some BIG- paws

Barked: Thu Jan 17, '13 1:27pm PST


	A close friend of my husband had us take care of his dogs while he was away. The local humane society holds a low cost spay/neuter clinic the second saturday of each month. We took his little puppy a 7 month old boston terrier min pin mix named Garnet in to get spayed last week. Instead of putting stitches in the incision they used surgical glue. Needless to say she went to my vet today to get the incision looked at and is currently getting two or three stitches and will be put on antibiotics for a week. I understand that the glue allows the incision to heal quicker but Garnet was not given anything for pain or for infection that could set in. My vet who is younger than myself and who works as a wildlife vet out of state on Monday,Tuesday and Wendsday while his partner works the clinic those days. He then takes over on Thursday through saturday, so that his partner can work his other practice. This vet took good care of Garnet when I had to rush her in for a cut to her leg last month. How dumb is it though for the vet at the mobile spay neuter clinic NOT TO EVEN SEND HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS? They didnt even tell us that if the incision looked bad to call them. Garnet was very sleepy for over three days where all she did was sleep. I had to force water and food into her. She lost 2/10 of a pound after her spay and still doesnt play much. The only thing we can get her to eat is hot dogs and table food. I got the papers that they had us fill out when we dropped her off and all they did was tattoo her belly when she was spayed and give her a rabies shot. Its a damn good thing that I have such a great vet that is willing to get Garnet all taken care of. And he really likes her and she loves him and his staff. It makes me concerned about letting them do the spays on my females after the issues that we have had with Garnet.

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Member Since
12/31/1969

Barked: Thu Jan 17, '13 10:02pm PST


	pain meds and preventative antibiotics aren't given with routine spays. 'They didnt even tell us that if the incision looked bad to call them.' - that's probably because they assume people have common sense..

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Addy, CGC

Let's go for a- walk!

Barked: Thu Jan 17, '13 10:31pm PST


	Pain meds and preventative antibiotics often are routinely given for spays and neuters--if you go to your regular vet. Not always, not all vets are on board with this yet, but it's increasingly common and should be encouraged. It's not common with mobile spay/neuter clinics. It's a contributing factor to why mobile clinics are fairly cheap (they're also heavily subsidized). This is one of the corners you're cutting when you go to a mobile spay/neuter clinic, and for most dogs and cats, most of the time, it's a quite reasonable compromise to make, if you can't otherwise afford the spay/neuter. Surgical glue is an absolutely appropriate choice, especially for a mobile clinic, where you won't be coming back in because they'll have moved on to the next location. Seeking veterinary advice if the incision looks bad--I have to agree with both of you. It is common sense, but it is also a good idea for the vet to say it outright, because some people don't have common sense, and some people are too diffident to "complain" if they don't have previous experience with surgical incisions, and aren't sure what it should look like.

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Chance

How You Doin'?

Barked: Thu Jan 17, '13 10:38pm PST


	Pain meds here are required by law following any surgery. Before that, it was up to the owner if he/she wanted to pay extra for it at a low cost clinic/using a speuter coupon. Full price places included it in the estimate automatically. I know in other states, low cost clinics may only prescribe pain meds upon owner request instead of requiring it since that additional charge may be the difference between someone speutering and someone not. Antibiotics aren't prescribed for speuters here unless an infection develops. The failure to give take-home instructions could have been an oversight, they could have assumed you'd already been given those instructions, etc. If you have questions or concerns, contact the humane society where the low cost speuter clinic is held. Without feedback, they can't know if there is a problem.

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Jasper

High-flyin' Pup!

Barked: Fri Jan 18, '13 12:01am PST


	?? The low cost clinic in my area doesn't give pain meds either(They cost money...which would drive up the cost of a low-cost speuter) - and antibiotics shouldn't be given as a preventive measure for a young healthy dog undergoing a routine procedure. We over-medicate with abx as it is, I would be highly suspicious of a vet giving them out with every routine procedure. If your friend wanted take-home instructions...why didn't they ask for them? 0-o

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Angel

Tuff Enuff!

Barked: Fri Jan 18, '13 3:09am PST


	In Texas pain medication for spay/neuter & antibiotics for such isn't required. Every dog that's been in my family has been spayed/neutered and their general reaction was up to a week of not really wanting to do anything. As for Angel, she was completely back to normal two days later. Sending patients home with instructions, information containing possible side effects, and what to do should certain reactions occur is a good idea just to be on the safe side.

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Abrams Tank- SDiT

I'm trying to- fill some BIG- paws

Barked: Fri Jan 18, '13 5:15am PST


	Garnet went to see my vet yesterday and he was NOT happy. He ended up making time to fit her in even though he was very heavily booked. He ended up putting three stitches in and sent her home with Clavamox which was the same antibiotic that she had when she got in a fight with a cat and had to have three stitches in her leg. She was feeling much better after her appointment yesterday and was very hungry. We gave her a half a can of dog food and she wanted more. He also gave a shot of the antibiotic because of some serious drainage and said that she had a boarderline infection that could have been fatal if I hadnt been watching her. She is back to normal after the vet visit yesterday. I will be calling the humane society today and getting the vouchers for my girls because I dont trust the vet they have do the surgery. That and I have read that German Shepherds tend to be prone to death under anesthesia so I dont want to risk Hailie's life at some same day surgery. My vet and I have already talked about the risks and he explained that he would use something different for her.

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Dylan aka- Dilly

frisbee- s rule

Barked: Fri Jan 18, '13 6:06am PST


	none of the dogs or cats I have ever had spayed or neutered had pain meds or cones. and the last few had glue, or the stitches that disolve them selves. I have never used one of those low cost clinic`s.and have heard not so great reviews on them. a moblie one?? none of those around here

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Garnet

TNT comes in- small packages

Barked: Sat Jan 19, '13 6:59am PST


	@Dylan, The humane society here in the county I live in has a vet from out of state come in one day a month to their office and they can only do 5 dogs and a couple cats at that time. Garnet just happened to be one of the dogs that day. She is doing much better since seeing the vet we use. He put her on Clavamox and put three stitches in her belly to close the incision site. She is eating better now and is playing and climbing up on the bed when she follows us in the bedroom when we come in to use the master bathroom. I am glad I have such a good vet now. I am going to call the humane society and cancel our appointments for next month and have them send the vouchers for the other girls.