# Post-neuter care: Did your dog stay at the vet's overnight?



## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I need to get Casper neutered soon. I went in to the vet's to make an appointment, and the receptionist told me that I'd have to drop him off Monday night, the vet would do the neuter Tuesday morning, and I could take him home Wednesday morning. I said I didn't want to leave him overnight, and she told me I could drop him off Tuesday morning instead as long as I made him fast after 8pm the day before (which is not a problem), but he'd still have to stay Tuesday night. 

I told her that I didn't want to leave him at all, and she gave me this little speech about how it's "harder on you than it is on him" and "most people think their dogs will be upset, but they're fine." That's not my issue, though. I don't see the point in leaving him overnight when there's no one even there to watch him. Chances are he would just curl up and sleep, but if he did jump around in the cage and hurt himself, who would know? At least if I have him here, I can keep a close eye on him, keep him calm in his own crate, and watch his stitches for issues. 

Anyway, I didn't make an appointment yet because I wasn't happy about that rule. I will talk to the vet directly and see if she'll let me take him home (she's looked after my animals since 1994 and knows how much I know about dogs and how good I am with mine -- she comments on it during every visit). For those of you who have gotten your dogs neutered, did you have to leave them overnight, or did you get to take them home the same day? Were there any issues, or any things you had to keep a close eye on?


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

I've never had any of my dogs (or cats) left overnight after a spay or neuter. I was told to contact them if there was any redness/seepage around the incision and sent home with some painkillers, and that's it. I'm not sure why leaving an animal alone in a cage at a clinic is supposed to be better than having them in a crate at home under supervision.

I'm assuming there's an extra charge involved, too.


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## secondchance (Sep 9, 2008)

In the clinics I work in spays and neuters are day surgeries. With the exception of cases that have complications (I don't think I've ever actually seen one need to be transferred but we do transfer our other major surgeries that need fluids/extra pain meds) and those that do we transfer go to our 24 hour facility where a doctor and technician are on staff overnight.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Yeah, that's what I thought. I'll talk to my vet directly -- she's always been great. I have a friend who volunteers at this clinic and she also thought I would be able to take Casper home before closing time on the day of his surgery. If for some reason they won't let me, I'll just go to another vet -- I'd prefer to get it done by my vet, as I like her a lot, but it's a simple procedure and I'm sure any vet would be fine.

Pai, I didn't ask if there was an extra charge for those nights, but I would imagine there is, yeah... and that's stupid, because it's not like I'm paying extra for someone to be there watching him.


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## waterbaby (Jan 20, 2009)

The vet clinic I worked at made people leave their pets overnight for spay/neuter. We charged for the overnight. It's a total scam, IMO. I was the night tech and I did check on all the animals (and took their temperatures - we probably charged for that too), but it was absolutely unnecessary. I would insist on bringing my pet home or find someone else to do the surgery.


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## DJsMom (Jun 6, 2008)

Crantastic said:


> I don't see the point in leaving him overnight when there's no one even there to watch him.


When my dughter had her dog neutered she was told he would have to spend the night afterward, but it was the same place I had DJ neutered at a year or so earlier & I don't recall that he had to stay over night. So she called the vet back & was told that there was no one in the clinic over night, so she gave them the same argument you did & they agreed that she could take the dog home as long as there were no complication, which there weren't.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I asked my friend (the one who volunteers there) about it, and she said that if people talk to the vet directly instead of going through the receptionist, the vet will often let them take the dog home the same day. She'll even make sure that dog's surgery is done early so it has more recovery time before they close. I'll just talk to her when she's back from vacation.


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## surftb15 (Dec 23, 2009)

I just got my male neutered the other day.
I dropped him off in the morning and picked him up around 4 pm. They need to keep him there for a little while after the surgery to check the incision site. But overnight is unneccessary


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Yeah overnight is really unnecessary for a spay or neuter imo. I've never had a pet that wasn't picked up that afternoon.


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

I work for my vet, and this is how it goes. We tell the clients, no food after 9pm the night before surgery and none in the morning, water is okay. Drop the pet off between 7:30a-9a. Surgery is usually done between 10:30a and noon. We tell them to call around 3pm to see how they are doing and how awake they are. Usually they are doing quite well. Pick up time is between 4-6pm. There is NO reason to bring them in the night before unless it is convenient for you, and you would be charged for boarding. No reason to spend the night after surgery. If there are complications which are rare the pet would be sent to emergency for monitoring.

Have to agree it is harder on the Mom's. LOL 

Whatever you decide wish you and Casper the best.

p.s. None of my dogs or cats have ever spent the night before or after spay/neuter surgery.


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## That'llDo (Apr 13, 2010)

I just had Rigel done, and I dropped him off at 9am, and called at 3 pm to find out his pick-up time, and he was already ready to go. They gave him a long-lasting analgesic, and I took him home that afternoon. He was a little loopy still, but wanted to play by the evening. I've never had to leave a dog overnight for a neuter.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

I have left pets overnight, mostly on days I had to work late and couldn't pick them up the same day. My vet doesn't charge extra for it. But I see no reason for it except convenience, and that's what I would tell the vet if they insisted.


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## Reiko89 (Jul 2, 2010)

My parents just had two dogs neutered on two different days by the same vet, they do have an emergency tech that stays over night every night to monitor all surgeries. My parents felt that the staying over night thing was a VERY good idea, especially since they're both disabled and the dogs are both small, it would be very hard for them to constantly keep an eye on them the entire night, bending over, picking up, examining etc. They loved the idea and they already scheduled their female puppy to have a spay at the same office next month.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I had to take Crystal in today to get her tooth looked at (she has a slab fracture on a premolar and although it's asymptomatic now, she has to have it extracted) and I booked Casper's neuter for October 5. The other receptionist said I could drop him off and pick him up the same day, no problem at all. The vet I saw today (not my usual one) confirmed this... so it looks like everything will be fine.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

I've only had to fix Jonas and Smalls, neither of which stayed over night. Smalls had spay complications, so unless there was someone to watch her in the clinic over night she likely would have just died. Jonas I picked up in under four hours and that vet was VERY nice to me. They allowed me to hold him while he was initially sedated and until he was out THEN they took him back to be done.


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

Crantastic said:


> I had to take Crystal in today to get her tooth looked at (she has a slab fracture on a premolar and although it's asymptomatic now, she has to have it extracted) and I booked Casper's neuter for October 5. The other receptionist said I could drop him off and pick him up the same day, no problem at all. The vet I saw today (not my usual one) confirmed this... so it looks like everything will be fine.


Sorry to hear Crystal needs a tooth extracted. I'm sure Casper will do quite well (Oct 5), sending good thoughts for him.

Each vet has their own way of doing things. In the "old" days it was quite common to bring the pet in the night before and after surgery they spent the night. Nowadays most vets will have you drop the pet off in the morning and pick up that night. Times have changed.


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## doginthedesert (Jun 18, 2010)

My vet gives you the option to leave them overnight if it makes you more comfortable, but they do not charge anything. In their words "it makes some owners feel better, but we do not feel right charging for an overnight stay after a minor surgery when we are not staffed after 8pm." I like that they leave it up to the owners with no financial incentive.

Did I mention I love mt vet?


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## Patt (Feb 12, 2008)

doginthedesert said:


> My vet gives you the option to leave them overnight if it makes you more comfortable, but they do not charge anything. In their words "it makes some owners feel better, but we do not feel right charging for an overnight stay after a minor surgery when we are not staffed after 8pm." I like that they leave it up to the owners with no financial incentive.
> 
> Did I mention I love mt vet?


Cool vet!!


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