General Surgery at Babcock Hills Veterinary Hospital

Babcock Hills Veterinary Hospital has an experienced surgical team as well as a state-of-the-art surgical suite where we are fully equipped to perform many different types of surgical procedures in addition to spays and neuters. All  surgical procedures are scheduled Monday through Friday by appointment and most procedures can be scheduled within days of your call. For the safety and well being of your pet and others in our care, we require all pets brought in for surgery be current on their vaccinations.

Spay & Neuter

At Babcock Hills Veterinary Hospital, we offer spay and neuter services to all breeds and sizes of cats and dogs. Spaying or neutering your pet can be performed as soon as your dog or cat reaches sexual maturity, which is typically about six months of age. New data suggests that there are certain breeds of dogs that benefit from being spayed or neutered at an older age than was previously recommended. The decision should ultimately be determined by your veterinarian and you, based on your pet’s overall health, breed, weight, and lifestyle.

The Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Your Pet

We recommend spaying and neutering all cats and dogs. It is estimated that up to 8 million cats and dogs are surrendered to shelters and rescues each year across the United States. Spaying and neutering your pets helps prevent pet homelessness.

Sterilizing your pet also helps maintain your pet’s health. Spaying or neutering your pet significantly reduces their risk of getting certain cancers later in life and can completely eliminate the risk of pyometra infections in female dogs and cats. 

Sterilizing your pets may also result in better behavior. Most male cats and dogs will no longer have the desire to roam or fight other cats and dogs over a potential mate. They may be less aggressive as a result of the absence of the hormone testosterone. Female cats and dogs will no longer have heat cycles and be attractive to intact male dogs.

Pre & Post Surgery Care

When you schedule your pet’s surgery, our Client Service Representative will give you pre-operation instructions. The night before the surgery, your pet can eat up until 10pm. After that, take up their food bowl so they can begin fasting. Water is still ok to have, just not in excessive amounts. The morning of the procedure, drop-off time is between 7-7:30am. 

After your pet’s surgery, one of our veterinary technicians will provide you with aftercare instructions. We advise that you prevent your pet from being overly active for 10-14 days after the surgery and keep your pet from licking or biting the surgery site. You will also want to keep an eye on the incision to make sure it is not seeping fluid or abnormally red. Should any problem develop, we would want to see your pet to address any concerns. There is no charge for a post-surgical recheck exam on a surgery our doctors have done.

To schedule your pet’s surgical procedure, call us at 210-697-8581. We perform routine and emergency surgeries during normal business hours during the week.