When scheduling, clients are alerted to get pre-medication for aggressive dogs. 

You will be asked for the medication names and doses below but in addition to supplying the information here, please clearly alert our staff that you have used pre-meds and the time you give them.

If you remember, please also bring the prescription bottles or photos of the prescription label that shows the information.

We do our best to accommodate our clients but dog-aggressive dogs may be turned away for the safety of other dogs in the building. Please muzzle your dog right before you exit your car to come into the building. 

Bernese Mountain dog
Cardigan Welsh corgi
Chesapeake Bay retriever
Chinese crested
Collie
Coton de Tulear
Doberman pinscher
German pinscher
German shorthaired pointer
German wirehaired pointer
Golden retriever
Greyhound
Havanese
Irish red and white setter
Irish setter
Kerry blue terrier
Kooiker hound
Kromfohrlander
Manchester terrier
Papillon
Pembroke Welsh corgi
Pointers
Pont Audemer spaniel
Poodle
Scottish terrier
Shetland sheepdog
West Highland white terrier

Dogs of this breed sometimes, though rarely, carry a bleeding disorder called VonWillebrand disease. Because of this, we often do a complimentary test on these breeds that involves drawing bood to see how long it takes to clot. 

In dogs that take longer than 5 minutes to clot, we recommend a more reliable test called a Buccal Mucosal Bleed Time (BMBT) that can be done under anesthesia before we start surgery. As of 11/4/23, the cost for this test is $25.30. 

It saves us time to find out in advance if you are okay with us running this test if your dog is found to be slow to clot. 

TODAY'S TRIVIA: Mixed breed cats, like barn cats and wild cats, are named by the length of their hair. They are called a domestic short hair (DSH), domestic long hair (DLH) or domestic medium hair (DMH).

Retained Testicle Policy

Testes that cannot be felt almost always result in the cat being turned away from the clinic due to the time required to perform the surgery.

Testes that can be felt but are not in the sac, can be removed for an extra charge at the doctor's sole discretion. 

Retained Testicle Policy

Testes that cannot be felt will result in the pet being turned away from the clinic due to the time required to perform the surgery.

Testes that can be felt but are not in the sac, can be removed for an extra charge at the doctor's sole discretion. If you would like to see if the doctor is willing to remove palpable (able to be felt) retained testicle(s) for an extra fee, AND you are not concerned about potentially being turned away after you drop off, please continue. the price for removal, if the doctor choses to do so, can be found near the bottom of our price calculators:

Cat Price Calculator

Dog Price Calculator 

Whether pregnant or in heat, female cats will be spayed at no extra charge.

Male cats with retained testicles will only be neutered if we can feel the testes and there will be an extra charge. That charge can be found here: Cat Price Calculator

Recommendation and Regarding Heat Cycles in Dogs

Female dogs have vaginal bleeding when in heat. Dogs spayed during or within 9 weeks of the end of their heat cycle can exhibit signs of false pregnancy. These signs can include aggressive behavior. We recommend waiting until 9 weeks after the bleeding stops before having the surgery, unless she is housed with or exposed to intact male dogs, including littermates.

There is an added fee to spay dogs in heat and, in some rare cases, the doctor may opt to send the dog home rather than do the spay while she is in heat. In these cases, you will not know she is going to be sent home until after 10 am when the doctor completes pre-operative exams.

Signs of Heat

Dogs in heat will have a swollen vulva, increased attention from intact males and/or vaginal bleeding.

The Total Heat Cycle Lasts about 3 Weeks

Usually, the vulva swells first, they start bleeding a week later, the bleeding last a week and, if not bred, the vulva swelling regresses and the heat cycle ends about a week after the bleeding stops.

Age of First Heat/Frequency of Heat Cycles

Dogs generally go into heat every 6 months with the first heat cycle starting between 5 months and 1 year old.

Pregnant Dog Policy

Pregnant dogs can be spayed for an extra charge. Sady, fetuses are aborted and euthanized. We have no way to check dogs for pregnancy at our office. If you are unsure of pregnancy status and do not want fetuses aborted, please see your regular veterinarian before scheduling spay/neuter surgery.

Pregnant Cat Policy

Pregnant cats can be spayed at no extra charge. Fetuses are aborted/euthanized. We have no way to check cats for pregnancy during clinics. If you are unsure of pregnancy status and do not want fetuses aborted, please see your regular veterinarian before scheduling spay/neuter surgery.

Health Policy
The clinic is for healthy pets. If the veterinarian has concerns when your pet is examined before surgery, surgery may be declined. If you are concerned about being turned away after taking a day off work, please do not schedule a clinic appointment.Please see your regular veterinarian and reschedule with us at least 2 weeks after the condition has resolved. 

Pain-Relief

Pain Relif Medications are STRONGLY recommended. Cats get a dose of pain relief that lasts until the evening of surgery and recover faster when they get additional relief at home. 

VACCINES

Distemper

We recommend Distemper Vaccines at 2, 3, 4 and 16 months of age and then no more frequently than every three years thereafer. Your pet does not need yearly distemper vaccines - that is VERY old-school. Vaccines are NOT required to come to the clinic. Vaccines protect pets that are vaccinated so that exposure to unvaccinated pets does not cause rabies or distemper. 

Rabies

Rabies vaccines can be given at or after three months of age. The first vaccine gets a 1-year license. Subsequent vaccines can be licensed for 3 years but only if you bring a former rabies certificate. That certificate can be expired and still work to get the three year license.

Other Vaccines

The above vaccines are considered core (necessary) in our area. Non-core vaccines are not available at the clinic at this time.

E-Collars

We carry the plastic cones for dogs and soft blue collars for cats and very small dogs. From our large inventory, our staff selects the e-collar size they feel best matches your pet.

E-collar's are non-returnable/non-refundable. We cannot guarantee durability nor efficacy because no e-collar is indestructible and no e-collar works on every pet every time. 

Microchips

The Insertion Procedure

We simply injects a microchip for pets, about the size of a grain of rice (12mm), beneath the surface of your pet's skin between the shoulder blades. The needle is larger than most so at Ace of Spays we do this while pets are anesthetized.

How Microchips Work

A microchip is a permanent pet ID. The microchip itself has no internal energy source, so it will last the life of your pet. It is read by passing a microchip scanner over the pet's shoulder blades. The scanner emits a low radio frequency that provides the power necessary where the chip is located to transmit the microchip's unique cat or dog ID code and positively identify the pet.

If your pet gets lost and is taken to an animal shelter or veterinarian, they will scan the microchip to read its unique dog or cat ID code. This is the registered number used by the chip company to identify the pet and retrieve your contact information, which is given to the shelter or clinic.

Awkward Legalities Around Chips

1. Microchips alone do NOT prove ownership. Paired with proof of purchase and the invoice for placing the chip they can be useful in this regard but they are mainly used to return lost pets to clients.

2. Veterinarians have a legal relationship with the person presenting a stray pet. This legality prevents the veterinary office from reporting the pet as found, even if microchipped. Instead, the veterinarian provides the chip information to the client so that they can look for the previous owner if they chose. 

FIV/FeLV Testing

Positive results should be verified with additional testing.

False FIV (but not FELV) positives in cats under 6 months old

• The test can be run on cats of any age but positive FIV results in cats under 6 months of age are not true positives. If the queen (mother cat) has FIV, her kittens will test positive for 6 months even when they do not have the infection. A positive FIV test after 6 months of age is suggestive of FIV and should be followed up with additional testing.

Heartworm Tests

Heartworm testing is not needed in dogs under 6 months of age because it takes 6 months after exposure before the test becomes positive.

Heartworm Preventatives

We can provide a 6 month supply of preventatives while at the clinic for any dog between 4-8 months of age without the need for a test.

For fully grown dogs with negative test results, we can also provide up to a year supply of heartworm preventatives through our online store. 

If interested in access to heartworm preventatives through our Pathways to Wellness online store, please click the last box below and then fill in the pop-up with the brand you prefer. We generally use triheart.

What We Offer at Clinics

We offer advantage multi by the month for cats and we apply it at the clinic.

We offer Nexgard by the month or by the 3-month box for dogs. We do not administer it at the clinic.

 

Adult Pets Are Eligible for Entry into Our On-Line Store

Based on having seen your pet for surgery, we can offer you a years worth of flea and tick preventatives if your pet is fully grown. If interested, click the last box below and then fill in the pop-up with the preventative you prefer. We generally recommend Advantage Multi for cats and NexGard for dogs.

We STRONGLY recommend at-home pain relief medication. It is the first option on extra services above.

We do not include it in the price because it is hard to administer to feral cats but we do recommend it, especially for females.

A spay is a complete hysterectomy--it's not a "nothing" procedure. Cats in pain are often quiet and do not want to eat. Please strongly consider getting this medication for your female cat.

The procedure for males is not as involved but remains a surgery so pain-relief is nice. 

E-Collars- Sorry, No Guarantees. No Returns.

We cannot guarantee durability nor efficacy because no e-collar is indestructible and no e-collar works on every pet every time. As such, we do not issue refunds when collars fail.

Microchip Lifetime Registration

HomeAgain, the microchip company, will send an an e-mail offering extra services. Though this e-mail is ambiguous, they have ASSURED us that all pets remain on the lifetime registry regardless of whether you sign up/upgrade your plan or not. 

Microchip Form Needed

On the thank you page, you will find a link to fill out the microchip form. It should prefill most information for you. We need this form to submit the information to HomeAgain.

Some Sad Truths About Chips

1. Microchips alone do NOT prove ownership. Paired with proof of purchase and the invoice for placing the chip they can be useful in this regard but they are mainly used to return lost pets to clients.

2. Veterinarians have a legal relationship with the person presenting a stray pet. This legality prevents the veterinary office from reporting the pet as found, even if microchipped. Instead, the veterinarian provides the chip information to the client so that they can look for the previous owner if they chose. 

Potential Complications of Spay/Neuter Surgery 

Early in Dr. Cobb’s career, she tracked surgical complications during a set time. The unofficial study incorporated 8000 surgeries performed at various shelters using typical shelter high-volume techniques. Rates for rare complications are shown in brackets. Ace of Spays provides significantly better care. 

NOT UNCOMMON 

● Scrotal bruising and/or swelling in males that resolve without treatment 

● Self-inflicted trauma to the surgical site including suture removal by the pet, skin  infections caused by licking and other damage; help prevent these problems by purchasing an e-collar 

● Hematoma or seroma (non-painful swellings near the incision or in the scrotum) that resolve without treatment 

● Minor swelling and redness around the incision that resolves without treatment 

RARE 

● Anesthetic complications resulting in death (1/2500 animals) 

● Other anesthetic complications resolving with treatment (1/5000) 

● Hernias in females – breakdown of the internal structures (1/8000) 

● Infections in the abdomen or the remaining small piece of uterus (1/8000) 

● Bleeding during or after surgery either internally, from the incision or from the  vulva-resolved surgically (1/1000) 

● Infection in the skin near the incision or sutures (1/8000) 

● Adhesions or other complications which may impair gastrointestinal or urinary  tract (0)

● Surgical complications resulting in death (0)

● There is also the possibility of unforeseen complications.

Vaccination Reactions

Most pets do well with vaccination. Muscle soreness, sluggishness, loss of appetite +/- mild fever are occasionally seen for the first day or two. On rare occasions, pets have an allergic reaction. Hives and/or facial swelling are the most common signs. Pets with these reactions should be treated promptly as the condition can, on rare occasions, progress. On very rare occasions, pets have allergic shock reactions to shots. This may be seen as difficulty breathing, weakness, collapse or even death. These severe reactions generally occur within 5 minutes of vaccination but can take longer. These reactions can occur in pets that have been vaccinated in the past without problems. Cats can develop sarcomas (tumors) at rabies and FeLv injection sites (reportedly 1/10,000 shots). These tumors are very difficult and costly to treat and can result in euthanasia. There are reports of dogs developing immune-mediated anemia from vaccinations. This reaction is rare but can be deadly. Speak to your veterinarian before vaccinating. Core vaccines in our area are rabies and distemper. Both provide very strong protection against deadly diseases. At Ace of Spays, any requested vaccinations are given as the pet is recovering from anesthesia to prevent anesthetic complications from vaccination.