Introduction to Spay/Neuter Techniques:

In order to reduce the numbers of unwanted litters, veterinarians have developed two techniques:

Early spay/neuter - Ovariohysterectomies/gonadectomies (spay/neuter surgery) for puppies and kittens (eight to sixteen weeks of age), was endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association in 1993 as another effective method to stem the overpopulation of companion animals. Having kittens and pups altered before adoption (most are adopted when very young) ensures that there will not be any accidental litters. Female kittens and pups can become pregnant  by the age of five months, so the past practice of waiting until animals are six months old has resulted in many an unwanted litter! It is interesting to note that in the old days, people were told to wait until their cat/dog was a year old, or had her first litter to be spayed! The time was later moved up to six months but we now know that companion animals can safely be done much earlier, and have a faster recovery time as well. It may be easiest for vets learning this procedure to move their earliest date back to four months, then three, then two. Anesthesia protocols are not much different for the younger patient than for the adult, and they are very resilient; several articles from JAVMA are included here.

Quick-Spay - Highly efficient spay and neuter techniques have been developed that enable a vet to do a truly significant number of surgeries in a short time. Several veterinarians have refined these techniques, and have agreed to share their information with us/you via this web site. Drs. Marvin Mackie, Jeff Young and Scott Ruth all have put together resources that will enable local groups and clinics to multiply their efficiency and save a great deal of money through economy of scale. When a veterinarian can safely do a spay in ten minutes he or she can do more animals and also increase clinic income…while reducing shelter intakes in the community!

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