​SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES

We are proud to offer low-cost spay and neuter through our year-round Myrna Mitchell Spay/Neuter Program.

Animals can reproduce BEFORE they are a year old – cats can reproduce when they are 4 months old, and dogs when they are 6 months old.  They can become pregnant more than once a year.

Spay/Neuter Surgery Form
Please fill out this form to request an appointment, we will then call you to schedule. Tax will be applied, and a total will be given when we call, prepayment is required. Be sure to tell us about any special health concerns or conditions your animal might have. Notice: No checks accepted. Payment options are cash, credit/debit card, or pay online.

Male Dog Neuter Package $85 - includes neuter surgery, rabies vaccination, DAPP booster, flea treatment & pain meds
Female Dog Spay Package $95 - includes spay surgery, rabies vaccination, DAPP booster, flea treatment & pain meds
Pit Bull/Pit Bull mix Package FREE - includes spay/neuter surgery, rabies vaccination, DAPP booster, flea treatment & pain meds
Cat Surgery Package FREE - includes spay/neuter surgery, rabies vaccination, FvRCP booster, flea treatment & pain meds 
Note: Out of county cat package $40.00. In city/county spay is $30 extra if female is in heat at time of surgery. City license may be required.

Special Spay/Neuter Pricing if owner is on disability AND makes less than $1000/month:
Male Dog Neuter Package $35
Female Dog Spay Package $35
Pit Bull/Pit Bull mix Package FREE
Cat Surgery Package FREE
Note: Spay is $30 extra if female is in heat at time of surgery.

Payment must be made in advance.

What do I need to do before and after my animal’s spay or neuter surgery?

BEFORE your animal’s spay or neuter:    

• The night before your animal’s surgery, your animal cannot eat anything after midnight. At midnight, be sure to remove your animal’s food, and place your animal in a room or carrier where they do not have access to any kind of food. For safety reasons, it is very important that your animal have an empty stomach.

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AFTER your animal’s spay or neuter:

• Give your animal any pain medication prescribed by the FCHS vet.       
• Be sure to follow any special instructions the FCHS staff give you.     
• The first 24 hours after surgery - your animal will probably be sleepy and seem “out of it” for the first day after surgery. Keep your animal inside and keep a close eye on him or her during this time. Your animal may have trouble balancing so keep him or her away from stairs. Offer your animal small amounts of food and have plenty of water available, but don’t be surprised if he or she does not eat or drink much. It is best to keep young children and other animals away from your animal during this first 24 hours.      
• The week after surgery – try to keep your animal as quiet as possible and keep him or her indoors if possible.    
• If your animal develops any complications, please get in touch with us or your veterinarian ASAP. 

Why is it important to spay or neuter my animal?
Spaying or neutering has health benefits for your animal, like reducing the risk of certain cancers. Spayed or neutered animals are also much less likely to have behaviors like roaming or “marking” territory. 

The sad reality is that there are not enough loving homes for all the cats and dogs.  Dogs and cats that have not been spayed or neutered can have LOTS of litters VERY quickly, and there are just NOT enough homes to go around. The lucky ones wind up at a shelter like ours, where they are cared for and have a chance of being adopted. The unlucky ones are dumped or abandoned. Their lives are often short and unhappy.

Even one litter is too many. If your dog or cat has one litter, and you find homes for all the babies…..those babies will grow up quickly and start having litters of their own, and you have no way to control what happens to those puppies or kittens. Chances are extremely high that some of your pet’s children and grandchildren will wind up homeless.

Please DON’T contribute to this problem – be part of the solution! Spay and neuter your animals, and encourage everyone you know to do the same.

If you know of stray animals that aren’t fixed – please take advantage of our low-cost spay neuter program to fix those animals, or for an even lower price, connect with one of our area’s feral spay-neuter programs like Spay Our Strays or Woodstock TNR that assist with cats. 

Are spay and neuter procedures safe?
Yes – spay and neuter surgeries are performed by a licensed veterinarian.  These surgeries are very common procedures that are generally quite safe.  Like any human or animal medical procedure, spay and neuter does carry some risk, but those risks are very low when the surgery is performed on a healthy animal by a licensed veterinarian.  All FCHS spay and neuter surgeries are performed by our licensed veterinarian Dr. Melinda Davis, who has years of experience performing spay and neuter surgery. 

It is also very important that you do your part to help keep your animals safe during spay or neuter surgery – be sure to follow our pre-surgery instructions and tell us ahead of time about any health problems or illnesses your animal might have. 

Is my animal too young or too old to be spayed or neutered?
The magic numbers are “two and two” – two pounds and two months. Animals can be safety spayed or neutered once they weigh two pounds and are two months old. Because cats can reproduce at four months, and dogs can reproduce at six months, we recommend spaying or neutering cats between two and four months of age, and dogs between two and six months of age.
An animal is never too old to be considered for spay or neuter surgery, and it is possible to safely spay or neuter senior animals who are seven years or older. The most important question is not the animal’s age, but the animal’s overall health. We are happy to talk to you about your specific animal’s health concerns. 
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