Neutering dog - Vet vs. Humane Society?

[pooh6890]

I need to neuter my 5 year old chihuahua. I called my vet and they want to charge me around $300 to do the procedure. The Humane Society has 2 locations near me that will do the procedure for $60 to $75. My thinking is that although I am very comfortable with my vet, the Humane Society does these day in and day out. I think that both would be fine, but I want to make sure my baby will be in good hands. I know the vets that work for the Humane Society are probably volunteers so I definately trust that. Also, won't neutering him make him less aggressive towards my other dog. He is growling and nasty as he gets older. Thanks for the help all.........

 

[Disney Ella]

Depending on where you live, the humane society's vets may be staff members of the humane society. In any case, spaying and neutering is usually a fairly routine procedure and I would think that your humane society vets could handle it just fine.

 

[EthansMom]

When I volunteered for the Humane Society, the spay and neutering was done by a local vet who volunteered and the cost is pretty much the cost of the supplies to do the procedure. The Humane Society (and volunteer vet) offered this low cost option as a way to keep animal population down (so there are fewer unwanted pets). So I say to the Humane Society for their spay/neuter programs.

Around here, the local animal shelters offer a certificate for a "free" spay/neuter as part of their adoption process. We also had to sign a statement saying that we would get our cat spayed by a certain age.

 

[Belle102498]

My brother had his pup "fixed" at the Humane Society, and she has had a leaking problem ever since. I think they fixed her at too early an age. When my brother brought her home as a 7 week old pup she was already spayed. I thought the pup had to be 8 weeks before they could be adopted out, but I guess I was wrong. I had my pup spayed at my local vet. It cost around $400, and she was almost 6 months old. So, I guess to each their own

I know plenty of people who had had their pup fixed at the HS and it worked out quite well.


Just a few things to think about, but I would ask for references/recommendations from whomever I chose to operate. Get the good and the bad. If they are reputable, and care for the animals they should have no problem giving you that info

 

[puffkin]

Due to the age of your dog, I think I would go to the vet in case there are any complications. If it were a puppy, I would use the HS. JMHO.

 

[happygirl]

I would check with other vets I think 300 hundred is outragrous. I don't see anything wrong wtih using the HS

 

[Disneycrazy!!]

I think it will be fine at the Humane Society, I have had lots of cats spayed there and know people who have had their dogs spayed there and all is fine. Some Humane Society have volunteer vets and some have full time Vets on staff.

I used to work at a Vet office and I can tell you this....no surgery is a guarantee that there won't be any problems....99 % of the time everything goes perfect but you do have things that can go wrong.

Don'tt be surprised if the dog's moodiness doesn't go away...it may mellow him out some, but as some dogs age, they just get grumpy and like to be left alone. They don't feel as good as they use to and want personal space.

 

[daisax]

That's a small dog. The HS is likely to use a cheaper anesthetic. The skill level of the vet doing the procedure is probably going to be fine, but given that it's an older dog and a toy breed, I would take the anesthesia risks seriously, and probably do pre-surgical bloodwork to make sure the kidneys/liver were clear before surgery (which in my area would be even more money, but in your case MIGHT be included in the fee your vet is suggesting). Your vet's estimate might also include pain medication which is not provided in the HS cost.

At 5 years old, there might be some reduction in aggression towards (and from) strange dogs (eventually - it wouldn't be immediate) but if your dogs already have a history, there are social and emotional factors there that won't go away. You don't say how much of an age difference there is, but it's likely they are battling for dominance, and it's not an issue of him getting nasty as he gets older but the younger dog reaching sexual maturity and deciding he would like to take over. He will not decide to give up top dog position to the younger one simply because of the surgery, and if the younger dog is intact he may increase his desire to take over after the surgery.

 

[pooh6890]

That's a small dog. The HS is likely to use a cheaper anesthetic. The skill level of the vet doing the procedure is probably going to be fine, but given that it's an older dog and a toy breed, I would take the anesthesia risks seriously, and probably do pre-surgical bloodwork to make sure the kidneys/liver were clear before surgery (which in my area would be even more money, but in your case MIGHT be included in the fee your vet is suggesting). Your vet's estimate might also include pain medication which is not provided in the HS cost.

At 5 years old, there might be some reduction in aggression towards (and from) strange dogs (eventually - it wouldn't be immediate) but if your dogs already have a history, there are social and emotional factors there that won't go away. You don't say how much of an age difference there is, but it's likely they are battling for dominance, and it's not an issue of him getting nasty as he gets older but the younger dog reaching sexual maturity and deciding he would like to take over. He will not decide to give up top dog position to the younger one simply because of the surgery, and if the younger dog is intact he may increase his desire to take over after the surgery.

I believe the pain medication and pre-testing is included in the $300. I will call them. I definately trust the HS doing the procedure. I know people that have gone there with no problems. But, yes due to the age and he is overweight, I think I would feel more comfortable at my own vet's office. I have to weigh all the options. The cost doesn't matter as much to me as making sure he is fine afterwards. I know I need to get this done, but he is such a pain about medicine and being picked at, the aftercare will be awful.

As far as the other dog, he is a yorkie and the sweetest dog ever. They are both 5 years old. The yorkie lets him pretty much do whatever he wants because he is so sweet. It's really the other dog that I have to keep an eye on. He seems to be getting more aggressive though, so I think for health reasons too I should do this.

 

[rparmfamily]

How about if you talk to your own vet about your concerns (age, overweight) and also the HS and see what they suggest. Maybe your dog is at a higher risk for surgery and the HS won't even do it?

 

[DianeV]

Most places that are charging $100 or less are not doing pre-bloodwork to make sure your pet is ok to be put under anesthesia, they are not giving fluids during and they dont give out pain medication for after.

 

[manning]

Don'tt be surprised if the dog's moodiness doesn't go away....

You mean he'll know what he is missing

 

[Aisling]

I paid $300 for the vet to neuter my 6 month old dog. I went back and forth in my mind if I should use the Humane Society which only charges $75. I was afraid that if something went wrong, then maybe he'd be better off at his vet. Probably not rational, since the HS uses licensed vets, but call me way too overprotective.

If I were short of money, I would have said an extra prayer (for myself to be calm), and used the HS. I know many people who've used the HS for neutering/spaying with no problems at all. It's such a routine procedure, even with older dogs.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

$300.00 is expensive.

I just had my 6 yo collie spayed last November thru our vet and total including bloodwork was a little over $200.00.

Usually its more money because of the weight of the dog and the cost of anesthesia. Last time I checked a collie weighted significantly more than your guy even if he is overweight.

I would ask your vet for a breakdown of all the charges also.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

We just got our college niece's 5 month old dog spayed just a couple days ago through a local Animal League that worked with our regular vet, so the regular vet performed the operation. I thought it was great Karma bc we donate to these animal places, and I sometimes wonder whether or not the money goes where it should. Please make donations if you can bc they really are wonderful. I made a $100 donation and they only charged her for the pain medication for the dog. My regular vet wanted over $500 to spay the dog. My niece already got in over her head with this dog when it got sick recently and the vet charged her an arm and a leg literally, the price was absolutely insane, I think vets are raising their rates also along with the rest of the economy. (We had tried to talk her out of getting a dog). Please make donations to these places bc they really are putting their money where they should go. And also, please have your pet spayed and neutered!

 

[ntsammy5]

I had an aunt who neutered her own male cats! They used to call her Crazy Mary for obvious reasons.

 

[pooh6890]

So I checked with the vet for the breakdown. Between $78 and $91 for the bloodwork and pre-surgical. Pain meds are $47. Cost to neuter around $180 so they said the total would be somewhere between $290 to $320, depending on the blood work to see what anesthesia will be used. Honestly, I think that I would feel more comfortable at my own vets (I know and like all the people that work there....website is www.southkendall.com. They are caring and know me and my dogs. I too think that $300 is expensive. But, then again, it seems that they charged me around $180 total for all their tags, vaccinations, etc. back in December. I just want to know that my sweeties are well taken care of.

 

[bballmom56]

Many years ago, I had a cat neutered by our vet at the time. Something happened because when we picked him up, they said he had trouble with the anesthesia or coming out of the anesthesia, I don't really remember at this point. But that cat was never the same. His whole personality changed. He went from a friendly, laid back cat to a somewhat neurotic nervous cat. It was almost like he had had a lack of oxygen (which I suppose is possible if he had too much anesthesia or a bad reaction to it?)

I had one of my current cats spayed at a low cost clinic and had no problem. Both of our dogs we have adopted were neutered/spayed by a rescue group clinic before we got them.

 

[Brianne]

We used what's called the "neuter scooter" out here. They picked the boys up at a central meeting point, had the procedures done, then we picked them back up in the late afternoon. I don't remember it being much more than $75 or so for the both of them & it all worked out just fine. Our girl was already spayed when we adopted her so we never went through that with her. I don't know how much they charged for dogs, but I don't think it was much more.

Ultimately it comes down to your comfort level though. If you feel better about your vet doing it, then it'll be the best $300 you'll spend.

 

[DMickey28]

We used what's called the "neuter scooter" out here. They picked the boys up at a central meeting point, had the procedures done, then we picked them back up in the late afternoon. I don't remember it being much more than $75 or so for the both of them & it all worked out just fine. Our girl was already spayed when we adopted her so we never went through that with her. I don't know how much they charged for dogs, but I don't think it was much more.

Ultimately it comes down to your comfort level though. If you feel better about your vet doing it, then it'll be the best $300 you'll spend.

Am I the only one that finds the term "neuter scooter" very odd? I picture this drop off point in the middle of a field, a panel van picking up the dogs and then dropping them back off ...

Our dog was 6/7 years old when he was found as a stray and brought to a local shelter. He was neutered there and has been fine. The vet that volunteers as the shelter is his regular vet now anyway.