Neautering--- to give pain meds or not?

[Lachesis]

Im going to be making a appt for Max here soon to get neautered (since I have one male and 2 females--- the females will be getting done, just not @ the same time, since it will cost me around $500 for all 3)

Should I request pain meds for him? He is 12 weeks old and the vet does not routinely do shots or pills for pain meds :( However reading on other boards, it sounds like most ppl request this....

Id like your opinions....

[yumyum6970]

wow that is alot of money! I am not sure about the male as far as pain medicine. But I know when we had Yum Yum spayed and we bought her home she was not the same..she was hung over really bad. She did not look like herself and was very scared.

http://pepeirce.tripod.com/thekittycorner

When sydney got home after his "operation , he was sleepy and quiet ... . But he did not need any painkillers , just a lot of resT 8
The next day he was again the old himself as before !!!
Good luck !!!!

[sasvermont]

I am surprised it is so much. Usually more for a female, but certainly that much! Yikes.

I didn't have my Abys done until they were 6 months old. Abys mature much more slowly than other breeds. I shipped them off together, so they would have company.

They are sedated for the proceedures and as far as I could tell, they were not in any pain afterwards.

I forget the total price for the two, but it seems to me it was $5o for the male and $85 for the female!

[Lachesis]

Females it's $200 and the male is $100. And since I have one male, I figured it's safe to do his first. I will be getting the females done before summer tho.... Just a lot of $$$ to shell out @ once.

[LoudLou]

$500!! http://www.plauder-smilies.de/eek2.gif

I knew things were expensive in Alaska but, WOW! Are there any program in the community that will help with the cost? We have a program here that lets you volunteer at the Humane Society to work off the cost... also our vets (We only have 3 on town) will give discounts if you bring all your fur-kids in at one time. Maybe if you ask your vet , they'll work something out with you to get the cost down.

[Lachesis]

I will double check tomorrow but when I called the 3 places I was told there are no discounts for spaying. :( Believe me I was hoping for a break.

[K & L]

We just gave our last 2 kittens pay meds after being fixed. My husband & I decided it wasn't for the best. Seems they tried to jump and climb more because they couldn't feel the pain. We had to seclude them more because of this.

[Lachesis]

Oh good thought. I didnt think about that!!!

How long did it take to recover?

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Lachesis
Should I request pain meds for him? He is 12 weeks old and the vet does not routinely do shots or pills for pain meds :( However reading on other boards, it sounds like most ppl request this....

Id like your opinions....

Lachesis, I'm a little confused. Are you talking about pain meds for after the operation or during the operation. I would think it is normal procedure to put them under during. If not, I would definitely question somebody. If you're talking about afterwards, I don't know as they are necessary, and like K&L said, it might actually aggravate the situation. It was 1986 when Tubby was done. I remember he was groggy when I brought him home, but the next day he was up and at 'em just like normal, and hasn't stopped since. :D

[Edwina's Secretary]

I agree with K&L. Pain is not always something that should be masked with medication -- animals or people! Pain is the body's way of communicating "slow down", "don't use this leg right now", "Need to heal". Not getting these messages can result in a longer recovery!

[Lachesis]

Thanks for all the comments!! I really appareciate them...

you're welcome !!!

[Former User]

How old is Max? Casper was done when he was almost 6 months, and Kitty when she was 8 months old. We didn't give any painkillers, just few pills from the vet agains infections. Casper was groggy for a day, then he was back to his normal self. Kitty on the other hand, was feeling blue for couple of days, and I think it took a whole week before she was back to herself! She did do her normal stuff, play, run etc. but was a bit slow, and tired of course! I can't believe the price! $500??? WOW!!! Now that's alot! For Casper the operation was $39 and for Kitty $71

[luckies4me]

Well having worked in several vet offices, I would personally not spay a cat unless I planned on giving her pain medicine. A spay is a very invasive and painful procedure. :( Neuters however do not involve going into the body and they experience very little pain. I would opt for the pain meds personally. But this is just my opinion. I have seen several cats given pain meds that still bounced around with no ill results. In fact all my females were active the next day. This shouldn't be a problem unless a cat starts licking the sutures or pulling on them. They will heal in the same amount of time whether they have pain meds or not.

[AvaJoy]

The boys seem to have an easier time postoperatively than the girls, because the female spay surgery is MUCH more invasive. Recuperation for the boys is faster and not as painful.

My Debra took about a week to feel better, and it made me think that I SHOULD have requested or at least inquired about pain meds to ease her recovery . . . I felt badly to watch her suffer and called the vet's office. They reassured me that a week is not out of the ordinary for a female.

Makes me sad when I TNR a female and then know I have to release her right away . . . I always hope and pray that she recovers quickly and does not fall prey to anything in the meantime.

[halliecat]

Wow! That is expensive! My vet would have charged about $250 for a spay. I took my cat to the Humane Soceiy here and they charged $30. Cats had to have all their shots and there was a seven week wait but it was worth it.

Hallie did not have pain meds she was her same self the next day.

[catnapper]

I don't think thats so expensive. Pouncer was $115 for his operatrion, but it included everything - pain meds too. Poor little fellow was hurting a bit afterwards. They administered the meds, so I never had to do anything. He only got the meds at the vets after the operation and they lasted for 24 hours (a time released thing) and after that, he still slept most of the day. You could tell that he still felt miserable, but I knew that he'd be fine within a day or two... and I knew that if I had given him more meds, he would have been trying to chase Allen around the house!

12 weeks sounds so young to me. I know that they can do it at 6 weeks old. The one rescue I looked at did recommend to have it done so young, the other did not. I guess its a matter of opinion.