Spay/Neuter question

[mama23+pyrs2]

How many of you have used the ASPCA or SPCA as it is here, for altering?  It's of course considerably cheaper but that makes me a little iffy. My last vet for my Eskie was going to (over)charge me $500 to spay her (a 20 lb dog) and then I found out I could get it done at the spca for $40, but I never ended up getting her spayed after all. I called around this time for the pups and got some prices from various vets and did find some much lower but if I can save the money and have them taken care of properly, of course I'd rather that.

My biggest fear is about the Pyr's metabolism being so slow, they don't need as much anesthesia as another dog of the same size would and doing that could kill them. I would be more inclined to trust a vet, once I found one I liked and I felt had enough knowledge to choose them (I'm still looking for a new vet) rather than a place that treats spay and neuters pretty equally despite the breed. I could discuss this with them but I don't know that it would help my confidence any.

Just wondering what the experience was like if you've had this done there or any other feedback (besides not agreeing with altering at a younger age) would be appreciated. 

[Nicole]

Hmm...well, I'm not sure how it works at yours, but where we live, its not the actual SPCA/Humane Society that does the surgery. They basically subsidize the cost of the surgery. An actual vet in the community does the surgery.

Actually, even if your SPCA did it, it would still have to be a vet.

I've had all of my pets altered with the SPCA subsidized rates, and never had any problems. Of couse, the vet that did the surgery is also my personal vet, and I love him.

[mama23+pyrs2]

Right, yeah I know it would be a vet but I wouldn't be able to talk to him personally I'm sure. I had a cat fixed at one in another city when I lived there and it was kind of like you walk in, fill out the paper and drop them off sort of thing. That's my only experience with it though.

[Nicole]

oh, ok. Well, at ours, they just give you a certificate, which you take to the vet. So, its just like any other spay/neuter surgery except cheaper! 

Maybe you could call them and find out?

[mama23+pyrs2]

oh, ok. Well, at ours, they just give you a certificate, which you take to the vet. So, its just like any other spay/neuter surgery except cheaper! 

Maybe you could call them and find out?

Ohhh, well that's awesome, no they don't do it that way here. There is one not far from me and I've called to get the costs and info etc, it all automated. I know you have to pick your pet no later than such and such a time or they send them over to the adoption center.

Well it looks like they updated their phone lines and now they have pics of the facilities online, looks like a regular vet office at least haha

[mama23+pyrs2]

I know a few people who have used the SPCA clinics and really liked them.  Of course, I'm sure they vary from place to place.  I would call the clinic, and if you don't get a person, leave a message.  If they don't call back, I wouldn't go there personally.

I would also call your local Humane Society.  Almost all offer the type of certificate Nicole is talking about, where they work with local vets for reduced rates.  They generally only cover the cost of the actual surgery and regular anesthesia, but that really helps.  Because of the drastic discount on that, I was able to have one of our dogs neutered with all the bloodwork, monitoring, aftercare, etc. for under $100.

I believe this is the Humane Society where I live and I know the place I took my cat in Orlando that I had mentioned before was a Humane Society but that's not how they worked, I've never heard of a certificate, it's a seperate facility always, but that would be really cool if they did. I'll check into it further.

Thanks guys!

Ok, well I was wrong but the Humane Society here works with the SPCA for that, so this facility and one other one that is about 40 mins from me are the only low cost spay/neuter in my county.

[schelmischekitty]

if you haven't already, you may also want to check on weight limits.  i know ours won't take dogs over 80lbs (which figures ha ha).  ours also does packages with shots included all at the same time.

[mama23+pyrs2]

if you haven't already, you may also want to check on weight limits.  i know ours won't take dogs over 80lbs (which figures ha ha).  ours also does packages with shots included all at the same time.

Yeah this one just says over 70lbs for females and over 60 lbs for males, for the high end of the weight range. But I'm pretty sure they'll be in the 40-69, 40-59 lb range when I get it done..in about another 2 mos. I plan to take them there next week for their last set of vaccines so I can talk to them about it then I guess.

[bigdogs@5501]

My daughter works at the local SPCA (well local for us anyway) and I had Bella and Zoey spayed there for a fraction of the cost. This SPCA has 2 full time Vets that work there and my daughter knows both of them very well, so my girls got really good treatment.We also had Jake neutered at the SPCA. We have a low cost clinic in another town and I had the 2 rescued Danes spayed and neutered at that clinic. No problems. Who ever you use-just make sure that you can talk to them and get info as to wether they have had any experiences with Pyrs. I know that we are going to get Tug neutered- just not sure when and where yet- I am going to probably hold off until he is 8-9 mos old, unless he becomes a problem male child, then it will be earlier.

[ZooCrew]

I tried to get one of those certificates when I had Gunther done, but since I didn't live in the right city, I wasn't eligible.

However, I was told to look online at the humane society's website and found they had a Spay/Neuter Assitance Program (SNAP)  A number of vets in the area participated, however only a very few did dogs over 50 lbs for the reduced rate.  I had to drive aways to get to one that would do him.  Gunther ended up being I believe $80 but I got dissolvable sutures (so I wouldn't have to go back) and had him microchipped as well so it ended up being around $135.........still alot cheaper than the $550 I was quoted at my own vet's office.