Pet Surgery

Spay surgery involves the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus in the female so that they cannot have puppies or kittens. This is major abdominal surgery for your pet. Spaying stops messy heats, pesky males hanging around, and unwanted or surprise litters. It also prevents certain medical conditions such as uterine infections (pyometra) or tumors and reduces the chances and severity of mammary tumors – all of which can be deadly!. The surgery should be done prior to the first heat in order to realize these benefits. This generally occurs around 6 months of age but it does depend upon the breed. The high estrogen spike with a heat cycle or pregnancy is what sets up the female for health problems down the road. The surgery does not cause a personality change and the slight tendency toward weight gain can easily be controlled by diet.

Female dogs will generally go through a heat cycle or estrus every 6 months. The heat cycle may last several days or up to three or four weeks. She may become short-tempered or anxious during this time.

On the other hand, female cats come into heat cycles every three to four weeks during certain times of the year. They may show signs of nervousness, and exhibit unusual behaviors such as rolling on the floor, furtively hiding, or wanting constant attention. They can also become quite vocal.

When your pet is spayed at Animal Hospital of Tiffin, they will undergo anesthesia with full anesthetic monitoring during the procedure. They will be placed into heated recovery and will spend one night in the clinic to ensure exercise restriction, as they may still be groggy after surgery. They will go home with pain medications and an e-collar (cone) to prevent them from licking their incision along with instructions for strict exercise restriction for the next 2 weeks. They will return to our clinic in 2 weeks for complimentary suture removal and incision inspection before being given the all-clear to return to normal activity. If you have any questions or concerns regarding surgery or would like to schedule surgery, please give us a call for more information.

Most male dogs and cats are ready and willing to reproduce by the time they are 6 to 12 months old. They are able to breed consistently throughout the year or whenever they are exposed to a receptive female. Both male dogs and cats are prone to wander in search of romance and may find themselves exposed to fighting with other animals or even greater dangers such as cars.

In addition, male cats are well-known to mark their territories by spraying odorous urine on furniture, walls, shrubs, etc. Male dogs will also mark their territories. Surgical neutering of male dogs and cats eliminates reproductive behavior and reduces urine odor and the desire to spray. Your dog or cat will continue to have his own unique personality. He will be less likely to roam and will enjoy staying around home more. The surgery removes the testicles. Deciding when is the best time to neuter or castrate your pet is a decision you should discuss with your veterinarian. All neuters are performed under general anesthesia and will proper anesthetic monitoring. They will be placed into a heated recovery and will spend one night in the clinic to ensure exercise restriction, as they may still be groggy after surgery. All pets will go home with pain medications and dogs will go home with an e-collar (cone) to prevent them from licking their incision along with instructions for strict exercise restriction for the next 2 weeks. Cats do not have sutures and dogs will have absorbable sutures, so no follow-up appointment is required unless you have questions or concerns regarding the surgical site.

Mass/Tumor Removal

Here at Animal Hospital of Tiffin, we perform mass removals of all shapes and sizes. With the surgical laser, we can control bleeding and swelling in areas of the body and with certain tumors that would otherwise present a challenge. We can tailor the surgery to fit your pet and always strive for a cosmetic outcome. We can remove masses that are cancerous or benign and send masses to a pathologist for further examination when needed. Masses are removed under general anesthesia with full anesthetic monitoring and heated recovery. We tailor our anesthetic and surgical plan to your pet based on medical conditions, such as heart or kidney disease. Your pet will have stitches after surgery and will spend at least one night with us following a mass removal. Depending on the location of the incision, your pet may go home with an e-collar (cone) to prevent licking of the incision. Sutures are removed after 2 weeks and all patients are sent home with pain medications.

Aural (Ear) Hematoma

Cats and dogs can rupture blood vessels in their ear pinnae that leads to swelling of the outside of the ear with blood and serum. This is most often secondary to an ear infection or rough-housing with other pets. This requires surgery to drain and repair, which we offer. Pets are sedated and a small drain is placed into the ear along with a bandage to keep the ear collapsed and allow the ear to heal cosmetically. Not correcting this condition will result in an ear abscess or a cauliflower ear that is irreparable.

Anal Gland Removal

We have the tools and the expertise to removal anal glands from both dogs and cats. This surgery is recommended for pets that have a history of painful, impacted, infected, or ruptured anal glands. Removing the anal glands completely will prevent these problems from recurring. By using the surgical laser for this procedure, we are able to control bleeding and swelling in the area following surgery. Call us today to schedule a consultation for your cat or dog with anal gland disease!

Perineal Urethrostomy (PU)

When male cats have repeated urinary blockages, we recommend surgical intervention, which involves rerouting the urethra to avoid the most narrow portion, which is where they frequently become blocked. This is a delicate surgery, and one that Dr. Bob has been performing since 1976 with great success. This surgery can allow male cats to live more normal lives and prevent repeated urinary blockages.

Ear crop surgery is often requested for several different common breeds, such as Boxers, Doberman Pinchers, Great Danes, Pit Bulls, and Schnauzers. While ear trim surgery is considered to be completely elective and cosmetic, many pet owners request the procedure out of convention and personal preference.

If you have made the decision to have your pet’s ears trimmed, Dr. Bob McClung can and will provide the surgical procedure after examining your dog and discussing the different types of ear trims. He encourages you to bring pictures as to what you want the ears to look like. Dr. McClung has over 40 years of experience in ear trim surgery. We will provide general gas anesthesia, surgery performed with the surgical laser, post-op pain control, antibiotics, and post-surgery follow-up care and taping. He prefers to do the surgery at 12 weeks of age.

If you are considering this procedure, here are a few important things to remember. First, your puppy will need to undergo this procedure at about 12 weeks of age. He/she will stay with us a minimum of 2 nights in the hospital after the procedure. After the gas anesthesia is administered the ears are measured and cut using a CO2 surgical laser. The laser minimizes pain and controls bleeding. The cut edge is then sutured, and the ears are taped to provide support to both ears in an upright position. Your pup will be monitored and kept in the hospital for 2 nights to prevent excessive exercise and movement that could contribute to bleeding from the cut edges. He/she will be discharged the second day after surgery. You will receive instructions for post-op care, pain control, and antibiotics.

A post-op recheck is scheduled with sutures removed on days 10-14 post-op. Retaping is done as needed. If at any time following surgery there is a problem, Dr. McClung needs to see your pup the next working day.

Please call our office at 419-455-0470 to make an appointment for a complete physical exam and to discuss the procedure. Please bring any veterinary medical records, vaccination history, or medical problems known to you.