Pre-Operative instructions

Spay/neuter surgeries are performed Monday through Friday. Dogs need to be dropped off at 8:00 am on the day of their appointment, and cats need to be dropped off between 8 and 8:30 am.

Cats are fixed on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, stay overnight and need to be picked-up at 7:30 am the morning after their spay/neuter surgery.

Dogs go home the same day as their spay/neuter appointment and need to be picked up at 3 pm.

We have a cash only policy. Payment is due when your pet is dropped off for his spay/neuter surgery.

If your pet is OVER four months old, do NOT allow him to eat any food after midnight the night before his spay/neuter surgery. You can give him water.

If your pet is LESS than four months old, feed him at 6 am on the day of his spay/neuter surgery. Please note the exact time he ate the food so you can give our clinic staff this information when you check in. You can also give him water.

Cats must be in a carrier or a secure box that has breathing holes and is comfortable for the cat. Feral or stray cats must be in a live trap. (Humane live traps are available through Humane Ohio.)

Dogs must be on a leash or in a carrier.

Please leave your pet in the car until the check-in process in complete.

Please come into the clinic. You will need to read over the agreement, sign/date the paperwork and pay with cash. Please bring all the documents we talked about over the phone when we set-up the spay/neuter appointment.

Please allow 30 minutes for the check in process.

If you need to cancel your appointment, please call us as soon as possible.

Our staff will go over other details on the phone with you regarding age, temperament, physical health, and vaccines.

Post-Operative Instructions

Keep your pet separated from other pets for 7-10 days. No playing, running or rough housing during this time period. Keep your pet in a clean, dry place, preferably indoors.

Put your dog on a leash to go outside to potty for the next 7-10 days.

No baths or swimming for two weeks; the incision must stay dry.

Feed your pet his regular cat/dog food for 7-10 days. Do NOT feed table scraps or change your pet's diet during this time period.

It's VERY important that you check you pet's incision when you get home and twice a day for 7-10 days. Redness and swelling should be minimal and should get better each day. Make sure there is no drainage or bleeding from the incision. This is NOT normal and if you see this, you should call us right away.

If you see your pet licking the incision, it is VITAL that you purchase an e-collar (a cone for around the head) and put it on your pet immediately. If this instruction is not followed, the incision can be licked open and will become infected. This is considered self trauma and Humane Ohio will NOT cover your cost if it leads to a trip to your regular vet or to an emergency vet. E-collars can be purchased at Humane Ohio or at any pet supply store, but be sure to take your pet with you for proper fitting.

If your pet has diarrhea, is vomiting or is lethargic, you should call us right away.

Every animal has a tattoo - this is a dark grey mark on their abdomen.

Stitches are dissolvable; they do not need to be removed.

If you have a question(s) that will not affect the health of your pet, please call our clinic at 419-266-5607 during our clinic hours (7:30 am - 3:30 p.m. Monday - Friday). Our emergency phone number is on the pink post-operation sheet that you received. Emergency phone hours for Humane Ohio are Monday - Saturday, 7:00 am - 8:00 pm. Please leave a message if there is no answer; a licensed vet tech will return the call during emergency phone hours. Please use this number for true emergencies only.

If your pet requires emergency care that does not fall within Humane Ohio's emergency phone hours (Monday - Saturday, 7:00 am - 8:00 pm), please call or visit your regular veterinarian or local emergency vet clinic. Emergency clinics listed below.

• Toledo area: Animal Emergency & Critical Care Center of Toledo, 419-473-0328
• Sandusky area: York Animal Hospital, 419-483-7480
• Ottawa area: Animal Emergency & Critical Care Center of Toledo, 419-473-0328
• Michigan area: Animal Emergency Clinic of Ann Arbor, 734-971-8774
OR

• Michigan area: Affiliated Veterinary Emergency Service, 734-284-1700
• If you live in another area, please check your local phone book.

Each client is responsible for paying the cost of this visit directly to their vet or the emergency clinic. Humane Ohio's veterinarian will review the report and discuss it with the emergency veterinarian to determine if it's a spay/neuter surgery related issue, but Humane Ohio's vet makes the final decision on what will be covered. If Humane Ohio determines that it's a spay/neuter surgery related issue, we will reimburse our client the cost of the visit.