Surgery

The ideal age to desex a puppy depends on their breed, expected adult size, sex, behaviour and individual circumstances. There is no single age that is right for every dog, and current research into the benefits and risks of different desexing ages is still evolving. The Australian Veterinary Association similarly recommends making the decision on an individual basis.

At Struggletown, our general recommendations are:

• Small and medium breed dogs: around 6 months of age
• Large breed females over 25 kg adult weight: approximately 6–12 months
• Large breed males over 25 kg adult weight: approximately 12–18 months
• Dachshunds and Corgis: individual assessment is recommended because of breed-specific considerations.

We recommend that every puppy has an adolescent health consultation at around 5 months of age so we can discuss the advantages and disadvantages and recommend the most appropriate timing for that particular dog and family.

At Struggletown, we recommend desexing both male and female kittens at around 16 weeks (4 months) of age, often at the same time as their final kitten vaccination. Cats can reach sexual maturity and become pregnant surprisingly young, so we aim to desex them before this occurs.

Early-age desexing in cats is considered safe and effective. The Australian Veterinary Association supports desexing cats before puberty, and the Cat Protection Society of NSW recommends desexing before sexual maturity at approximately 12–16 weeks.

Desexing also prevents unwanted pregnancies and can reduce roaming, fighting, urine spraying and some reproductive diseases. In NSW, owners of cats not desexed by four months may also be required to pay an additional annual permit unless an exemption applies.

The cost of desexing varies depending on whether your pet is a dog or cat, male or female, their weight and age, and whether there are additional considerations such as being in season or having a retained testicle.

At Struggletown Veterinary Hospital in Randwick, we will provide you with an individual cost estimate before the procedure so you know what to expect. Our surgical patients receive very high level and appropriate anaesthesia, monitoring, nursing care and pain management throughout their procedure and recovery.

Desexing is performed as a day procedure under a general anaesthetic. In females, the ovaries and the uterus are surgically removed; in males, both testicles are removed.

At Struggletown, your pet is examined before their anaesthetic and given a pre-medication to help them relax and provide pain relief. An intravenous catheter is placed, anaesthesia is induced intravenously and a breathing tube is used to safely deliver oxygen and anaesthetic gas. Throughout the procedure, your pet is kept warm and carefully monitored by our veterinary team, including monitoring their heart rate, breathing, temperature, blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. All surgical patients receive intravenous fluids included in your anaesthesia at no extra cost, as here at Struggletown we believe that compromising on safety is not an option. After surgery, they are closely monitored as they wake up. Most pets go home later the same day, with detailed instructions on feeding, exercise, wound care and medications.

Most pets are understandably a little sleepy on the evening of their surgery but are much brighter by the following day. The surgical wound itself generally takes around 10–14 days to heal, and activity needs to be restricted during this period.

Dogs should have only short, controlled lead walks and should avoid running, jumping and vigorous play. Cats should generally be kept indoors and activity restricted while their wound heals. It is also important to prevent your pet from licking or chewing their surgical site, and we may recommend a surgical suit or Elizabethan collar.

We will give you specific aftercare instructions when your pet goes home and advise when they need to return for a post-operative check.

There is no single answer that is right for every female dog. Traditionally, many dogs were routinely desexed at around six months and before their first season. We now know that the ideal timing can vary according to factors including breed, adult body size, orthopaedic considerations, reproductive health, behaviour and lifestyle. The AVA therefore recommends that desexing timing is decided on a case-by-case basis.

For most small and medium-sized female dogs, Struggletown generally recommends desexing at around 6 months, which will often be before their first season. For large-breed females expected to weigh more than 25 kg, we generally consider desexing somewhere between 6 and 12 months, and whether this occurs before or after the first season should be discussed individually.

This is one of the main reasons we recommend an adolescent consultation at around 5 months of age—before a decision needs to be made.

Good pain management is an essential part of desexing surgery and involves multimodal analgesia to ensure your pet is pain free and comfortable as possible before, throughout, and after the procedure.

At Struggletown we use pre-emptive pain relief, meaning pain medication is given as part of your pet’s pre-anaesthetic medication before surgery has even begun. Then we use local anaesthesia intra-operatively to again lower pain which allows us to use less inhaled anaesthesia making your pet’s anaesthetic safer.

Your pet is continuously assessed for comfort during their anaesthetic and recovery, and additional pain relief is given when required. Appropriate ongoing pain medication is also prescribed for use at home following the procedure.

Our aim is to keep your pet comfortable throughout the entire process—from admission and surgery through to recovery at home. Modern veterinary pain management means that the great majority of puppies and kittens are comfortable, eating and behaving much more normally within a short period after routine desexing.