Surgery FAQ

If your dog or cat is under four months of age, you do not need to withhold food. If your pet is over four months of age, they should not eat any food after 8pm.

Fleas are present in Southern California all year round. It is important to use flea control once monthly on all of your pets. We carry both Advantage and Frontline in our clinics (sold by the single dose or with discounts available when purchasing four and six doses). Your pets are exposed to areas with fleas every time they leave your house. If your pet comes in close contact with animals that have fleas, as he or she may during their surgery appointment, we recommend that you visit our clinic and purchase flea control. We are happy to apply the flea control at time of purchase in one of our clinics.

Yes! If you are able to get your dog to urinate and defecate prior to surgery it is very helpful. This will help prevent them from getting dirty because many dogs will go to the bathroom in their kennels, when they get nervous.

Yes! All cats MUST come in a separate carrier. Even if you have a great, manageable cat, she/he must be in a secure carrier. Our lobby will be filled with dogs and people that can frighten your cat and could potentially even attack your cat - bringing your cat in a carrier is the safest thing for you, your cat, and our clients. Do not carry your cat in your arms into our clinic, as it could potentially jump out of your grasp when frightened and run away. We cannot release more than one cat in the same carrier. After anesthesia, cats can be dysphoric and can fight with other cats - especially in confined areas; therefore, you must bring a separate carrier for each cat you bring into the clinic.

Yes, you should line your cat’s carrier with a towel or newspaper. Many cats will get nervous on their way into the clinic and go to the bathroom in the carrier. If you line the carrier with a towel or newspaper, it will help your cat from becoming soiled. Do not leave food, toys, or water bowls in the carrier.

The check in process can take anywhere from thirty to forty-five minutes. The weekend days are usually about forty-five minutes. Our check in process is a "group check in,” so all of our appointments for the day come in at the same time, and we check in the patients on first come, first served basis. You will need to fill out paperwork for your pet and provide us with information about any health concerns/history. It is important that you are on time because we cannot accept late check-ins.

If your dog is aggressive, see if you can bring a friend or family member to sit in the car with your dog until the clinic is ready for him/her. If you cannot bring someone with you, you should leave your dog in the car with the window slightly opened. Come into the clinic and get your paperwork to fill out. Let the receptionist know that you will be waiting with your dog in the car. The receptionist will inform you about the rest of the check in process.

If your pet is not already vaccinated, you should definitely get him/her vaccinated. Please see our vaccines page. It is not dangerous for your pet to get vaccines at the time of surgery.

We perform surgeries on animals over six years of age every day without problems. We do highly recommend that older animals get blood work performed prior to surgery to assess for possible infections, liver or kidney issues. We provide this service for $40 and it takes approximately 48–72 hours to get the results. Surgery can be performed after the results have been reviewed. Owners with senior animals will be required to sign a form that acknowledges that their pet is at an increased risk for anesthetic complications.

Yes! It is safe for your dog or cat to have surgery while in heat.

Yes! It is safe to spay your pet if she is pregnant. While performing surgery on a pregnant animal is potentially complicated, the health benefits far outweigh the risks. If your pet is pregnant, please make your appointment today. Prolonging pregnancy increases the risk of surgical complications.

Unfortunately, unless your pet has a medical issue related to spay/neuter, we cannot provide medical services at the time of your surgery appointment. Please visit our Wellness Clinics located at our Los Angeles or Mission Hills locations if your pet has a medical issue that needs to be addressed. Please call us to schedule an appointment at 310–574–5555.

Click on this file to download complete post-operative instructions.

Dogs and cats that are 20 pounds and under or less than 16 weeks of age are particularly susceptible to experiencing the surgical/anesthetic complication of hypoglycemia and hypothermia. This condition occurs more commonly in younger and smaller patients due to a number of factors. The primary factor is that, as in humans, food provides energy to keep an animal’s body systems functioning. Very young animals and smaller animals will burn through their sugar (energy) faster than older and bigger animals. Furthermore, younger animals have less sugar stored than older animals. The only way to solve this is to have the puppy or kitten eat and replenish these sugars. A secondary factor that contributes to this condition is that anesthesia lessens the ability of the animal to regulate its body temperature. Additionally, very young animals and smaller animals may have less body fat so they can become hypothermic (very cold) quickly. When these two factors are combined, it becomes a cycle that the animal cannot break. They begin to shiver to warm themselves up which uses up sugar (energy). However, they soon use up the bit of sugar they have stored and they are unable to shiver to increase their body temperature. Their temperature then drops lower. Symptoms: The general symptoms of this condition are not eating or drinking, lethargy (not having any energy), wobbling or staggering, muscle weakness and even seizures. What you can do: When you pick up your pet, make sure to take him/her home into a warm environment. Start feeding small amounts of food frequently. CAMP recommends wet puppy or kitten food as this is generally more palatable (tasty) and has high moisture content. If your pet has not eaten within 24 hours of picking them up from CAMP, you need to call the clinic or go to see a full service veterinarian immediately. In multiple pet households, it is especially important to make sure each animal is eating. CAMP recommends separating your pets while feeding to make sure each pet is receiving adequate nutrition. These animals suffering from this condition can deteriorate very quickly and death can occur. Prevention of this problem and reacting quickly if symptoms occur is crucial to your pet’s safety.

While most animals recover without incident from a spay surgery, a few will have some bruising and swelling. Female Dogs/Cats Bruising around the incision area can occur in any age or size female patient. The area around the incision may become purplish and the bruising may extend farther out along the belly area. The bruising will most likely get worse within the first 24-36 hours after surgery becoming more purple/ black and increasing in size. Subsequently, the bruising will remain the same for about 48-72 hours before it begins to resolve. While resolving, the bruise may change colors. If at any time you notice your pet becoming lethargic, having pale gums, or panting/breathing shallowly, please call the clinic during business hours or the after-hours accordingly. What can you do? Begin by icing the bruised and swollen area. Use a bag of frozen peas or a plastic bag filled with crushed ice. Ice the area for 3 to 4 minutes 3 to 4 times daily. Do not keep the ice on the area for more than a few minutes at a time. Additionally, it is very important to keep your pet as calm as possible. For dogs, please keep in a small crate and take her out for leash walks only.

Castration & Post Operative Swelling While the female spay is the more invasive sterilization procedure, the male dog castration surgery has the potential for more post-surgical complications. If your dog is older than one year, a bigger breed of dog, and/or an active dog, the factors can increase the risk of having complications. Hemotomas Dogs that are older and/or larger have an increased blood supply to the reproductive area and more developed musculature which can result in additional tissue trauma in this area when castration is performed. The result can be post-operative swelling of the scrotal sac. Also, if your dog is very active, this can cause blood pressure to rise and skin capillaries to break open and bleed within the healing scrotal tissues. When the testicles are removed from the scrotal sac, it creates a pocket of dead space-the empty scrotal sack. If any bleeding occurs from skin capillaries, gravity pools the fluid into the scrotal sac where it clots. This is called a scrotal hematoma. This is why it is very important to limit your dog’s activity level after surgeryWhile most animals recover without incident from a neuter surgery, a few will have some bruising and swelling. A scrotal hematoma, while alarming to look at, is not life threatening. If this complication occurs, please come to one of our CAMP locations and have your dog assessed by a doctor. The veterinarian can advise you on a course of action to help your pet through his post-surgical complication free of charge. Bruising / Swelling While bruising and swelling of the incision and scrotum sac can occur in any male dog, it usually occurs in large breed, older dogs. The area around the incision may become purplish and the bruising may extend farther out along the pre-scrotal area. The bruising will most likely get worse within the first 24-36 hours after surgery becoming more purple/black and increasing in size. Subsequently, the bruising will remain the same for about 48-72 hours before it begins to resolve. While resolving, the bruise may change color. The scrotal sac may swell initially after surgery. It may continue to swell for 24-36 hours, remain swollen for 48-72 hours, and then gradually begin to reduce in size. If at any point you notice thick fluid oozing from the incision or that the scrotum sac becomes hard and rock-like, call the clinic during business hours or the after-hours line accordingly. What can you do? Begin by icing the bruising and swollen area. Use a bag of frozen peas or a plastic bag filled with crushed ice. Ice the area for 3 to 4 minutes 3 to 4 times daily. Do not keep the ice on the area for more than a few minutes at a time. Additionally, it is very important to keep your dog as calm as possible. Keep your dog in a small crate and take him out for leash walks only.

You can feed your pet small amounts of food the night of his or her surgery. Please note that anesthesia can upset your pet’s stomach. Do not be alarmed if your pet doesn’t seem to have an appetite or if they vomit. Start by offering your pet a SMALL amount of water. If your pet can keep that down, then you can offer more water. If your pet consistently holds down the water, then offer a small amount of food. Your pet’s pain medication should be started the morning after surgery. It is very important that your pet is eating and drinking prior to administering the pain medication. If your pet will not eat or drink after surgery, you should stimulate their appetite with an aromatic wet food or a piece of chicken breast or tuna. It is very important to contact our clinic for assistance if your pet will not eat or drink for more than 24 hours at 310–574–5555.

If your pet will not eat or drink after surgery, you should stimulate their appetite with an aromatic wet food or a piece of chicken breast or tuna. It is very important to contact our clinic for assistance if your pet will not eat or drink for more than 24 hours. We also recommend human baby food in chicken flavor to help stimulate your pet’s appetite. If your pet is reluctant to eat on his or her own, we recommend swiping a small amount of baby food onto your dog’s or cat’s gums (where your pet’s teeth meet skin in their mouth). Repeat this every 30 minutes until your pet has consumed half of one jar (for pets under 20lbs) or one full jar (for pets over 20lbs). We perform free rechecks on our surgical patients. If you are concerned, please call our clinic at 310–574–5555 and let us know you need to come in and see the doctor.

No. Usually when a dog is shaking/shivering after surgery, it is not due to pain or cold. During surgery, each animal is given two types of pain control. The after-effects of these types of anesthesia include increased vocalization, shaking/shivering, and apparent disorientation. The best way to assist your pet is to get them to eat small amounts of food frequently, put them on your lap or sit next to them on the floor and speak reassuringly while petting them. They need some TLC!

Your cat is experiencing a disorienting after-effect of the anesthesia administered during his or her surgery. Allow your cat to hide, but check on him/her every 30 minutes. Keep the area where your cat is hiding dimly lit and quiet. Please place food, water, and a litterbox nearby. Do not attempt to handle your cat unless your suspect a problem. We perform free rechecks on our surgical patients. If you are concerned, please call our clinic at 310–574–5555 and let us know you need to come in and see the doctor.

You cannot bathe your dog or cat until two weeks after the procedure. In general, your pet’s incision will heal in two weeks. Bathing them prior to complete healing could cause complications. If your pet is very dirty, you can get soapless shampoo pet cleaner at the pet store, but do not use it around the incision.

The e-collar/cone needs to stay on your dog for two weeks. In general, your pet’s incision will heal in two weeks. The cone will protect the incision from getting licked open and infected until it is healed. If you are able to directly supervise your dog and stop him/her from licking the incision, the cone can be removed. When you are not directly supervising your pet, especially while you are sleeping, you MUST keep the cone on.

A small amount of swelling at the incision site (ranging from a marble size in small cats to a walnut size in bigger dogs) is normal. This swelling is caused by the suture knots or the body’s reaction to the suture as it is breaking the suture down. If the site is painful or you notice redness or discharge from the incision, please bring your pet in for a recheck. We perform free rechecks on our surgical patients. If you are concerned, please call our clinic at 310–574–5555 and let us know you need to come in and see the doctor.

If your pet is licking its incision, immediately place an e-collar/cone on him/her. Licking the incision can cause it to open, become infected and/or swollen. You can pick up an e-collar/cone from our clinic or purchase one from a pet store. The e-collar/cone needs to stay on your dog for two weeks. In general, your pet’s incision will heal in two weeks. If you are able to directly supervise your dog and stop him/her from licking the incision, the cone can be removed. When you are not directly supervising your pet, especially while you are sleeping, you MUST keep the cone on.

If you notice excessive redness, discharge, or if the incision is open, please call us at 310–574–5555 so we can schedule your pet’s recheck appointment with a veterinarian. We perform free rechecks on our surgical patients.

A small amount of blood in the stool is generally normal for a dog or cat that has undergone a stressful situation and/or anesthesia/surgery. If the blood is excessive or you are worried, please give us a call at 310–574–5555. We recommend a bland diet of chicken breast, white rice, and plain nonfat yogurt to help return your pet’s stool to normal.

Yes, this is completely normal. Even if male dogs have been neutered, they will still get erections. Many dogs will still exhibit mounting behaviors. These behaviors are usually reduced by neutering male dogs when they are young. If your dog exhibited mounting behavior prior to neutering, he is unlikely to stop after neutering.

If you are seeing what appear to be testicles on your dog post-surgery, there are typically two possible reasons why. First, if your dog was over 6 months old when he was neutered, the scrotal sac may appear slightly swollen after surgery. This is completely normal. If there is any inflammation from the surgery, it will fill the empty scrotal sac, giving the appearance of intact testicles. Secondly, you may be noticing a completely normal part of the male dog’s anatomy called the bulbus glandis. The bulbus glandis is part of the penis/erectile tissue that swells up inside the female dog during mating, connecting the male to the female. It is completely normal for this tissue to swell up when your dog is excited.

Post-surgical discomfort may cause some pets to urinate in the house after their procedure. This behavior will resolve as your pet heals from the procedure (in 2–3 weeks). If your pet is straining, if there is blood in the urine, if the urination frequency increases, or if your pet is pain while urinating, it is possible your pet has a urinary tract infection. Urinary tract infections can be present without symptoms prior to surgery and can worsen post-surgery due to anesthesia. If you suspect your pet has a urinary tract infection, you should see your veterinarian and have the urine checked for an infection as soon as possible. You should talk to your veterinarian if your pet is experiencing long-term incontinence.

Fleas are present in Southern California all year round. It is important to use flea control once monthly on all of your pets. We carry both Advantage and Frontline in our clinics (sold by the single dose or with discounts available when purchasing four and six doses). Your pet is exposed to areas with fleas every time he/she leaves your house. If your pet comes in close contact with animals that have fleas, as they may during its surgery appointment, we recommend that you visit our clinic and purchase flea control. We are happy to apply the flea control at time of purchase in one of our clinics.