FAQ

Why should I choose you?

We are a High Quality High Volume Spay and Neuter clinic (HQHVSN).  Dr. Hancock and Dr. Potter together have performed over 80,000 spays and neuters.  Cumulatively, our veterinarians, certified veterinary technicians, and office staff bring over 30 years of experience in spay and neuter services to our practice.  This kind of specialization allows us to perform the highest quality spay/neuter surgery at a lower cost to you.  We consider ourselves to be leading experts in our field, and believe that spay/neuter surgery should be affordable to everyone without compromising patient care.

Here at The Spay & Neuter Center of New Jersey, we understand how busy you are and that you have taken time out of your day to make a commitment to your pet's health.  We strive to accommodate your needs and make the day as stress free as possible for both you and your pet.  If you need anything from us, just ask!  We are here to help.

Do I need to spay or neuter my cat or dog?

No, but you should.  Spaying and neutering your pet is the most effective plan we have to combat pet overpopulation.  At least 3 million dogs and cats in shelters are euthanized every year.  Every time a dog or cat has a litter, it is contributing to the problem.  The sad reality is that there are not enough homes for all of them.  We are tackling the pet overpopulation problem one surgery at a time.

There are also several health benefits for your pet.  If you have a female dog, you will eliminate the risk of uterine and mammary infections.  If you spay your dog early in life (before 1st or 2nd heat), you have almost entirely eliminated her risk of mammary cancer.  If you have a male, you have eliminated or reduced the risk of prostate infection, testicular cancer, certain kinds of growths and hernias, roaming, aggressive behaviors, and inappropriate urination.  Please refer to ASPCA's 10 Reasons to Fix Your Pet.

Is it safe?

Yes.  It is safe.  However, any procedure has risk of complications.  Although risk is extremely low for spay and neuter surgery, it still exists.  Here at The Spay & Neuter Center of New Jersey we have some of the most experienced spay and neuter surgeons and supporting staff in the area.  Your pet is in the best of hands.  Should a complication arise, our team is the best qualified to handle your pets' needs with both compassion and expertise.

How soon can my pet have the procedure?

The Spay & Neuter Center of New Jersey is a proponent of pediatric spay and neuter.  This guideline is supported by the ASPCA and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians.  This means that we will spay or neuter any dog or cat that is over 2 lbs or 2 months of age and is weaned.  It is a shorter procedure for our pediatric patients and they recover much more quickly.  There is some new data that supports waiting until maturity for certain large and giant breeds.  Although the possible benefit of waiting to sterilize large and giant breeds exists, there can be some drawbacks to waiting as well.  If you have any specific concerns, please discuss them with your veterinarian so that you can make the most informed decision for your loved one.  For more information, click here.

Do you perform a physical exam prior to the procedure?

Yes.  Every animal is examined by a veterinarian for overt signs of illness, respiratory, or cardiovascular problems prior to the procedure.  The only exception to this rule are feral cats, who are still visually inspected by the veterinarian for signs of illness prior to anesthesia.

How do you know my pet is healthy enough to have anesthesia and surgery?

Your pet should have been previously examined and given a clean bill of health by your local veterinarian.  In addition to that, we do not accept patients over 5 years of age without recent bloodwork and record of a recent physical exam from your veterinarian.  On the day of your pet's procedure, we will take a brief history and perform a physical exam prior to anesthesia and surgery. These steps all help ensure that your pet is a good candidate for the procedure.  If the veterinarian has any reservations about your pet's safety, they will delay surgery on your pet and speak to you about their concerns.

What if my pet has a complication?

Although the complication rate for spay and neuter surgery is very low, it can happen even if you follow all of the discharge instructions correctly.  Fortunately, most complications from spay and neuter are not life-threatening, and usually do not require additional surgery.  If you have any questions or concerns about your pet's recovery, you can call us and schedule a recheck during our regular business hours.  We do not charge for recheck exams; only for additional medications and treatments as needed.  If it is after hours or over the weekend, please email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.  The majority of the time, our doctors are able to answer your questions through email and assess if your pet needs to come back in for a recheck.  Should a complication occur, your pet is in the best of hands with us.

Do you perform scrotal ablations?

Sometimes a large mature dog can benefit from this procedure.  A scrotal ablation is when we remove the entire scrotum during your dog's neutering.  This has a more cosmetic result in an adult dog and will decrease post operative swelling.  However, scrotal ablations do take more anesthesia and surgical time (and therefore cost more) and are not entirely without complication risk.  If you are interested in this procedure for your large male dog, please ask a staff member prior to scheduling for more information and pricing.

Why does my large dog cost more than a small dog?

Large dogs require more anesthetics and more suture than small dogs.  They are also more labor intensive.  Our pricing is determined by what it costs us to perform spay/neuter surgery safely on your pet.

Why do you tattoo dogs and cats?

Tattooing dogs and cats with a thin green line adjacent to their surgical incision has become standard of care in shelters, rescues, and spay/neuter clinics across the country.  In fact, it has been standard of care in other countries for years.  In females, this green line is visible long after a spay scar fades.  For males, it helps us identify a dog that has been neutered vs. a dog that has undescended testicles, which is more common than you think.  Tattooing pets may save them from needless anesthesia and surgery if they are ever separated from you.  We can only hope that this will become standard of care in private practice as well.

Do you offer non-surgical neutering?

Not at this time.  Recently, a new product called Zeuterin has been labeled for male dogs.  It is zinc based, and kills testicular tissue with a small injection.  We do believe this product holds great promise in the future.  However, it is not without side effects and does not eliminate the need for your dog to be sedated.  The procedure also preserves more testosterone, which may be a detriment to dogs with testosterone related behavioral problems (marking territory, roaming, etc.) There is long term data for up to 5 years, but we would like to review further investigations before we recommend it or offer it in our clinic.

For more information, please click on our new patient center.

Location

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Office Hours

By appointment only

Holmdel Office

Monday:

7:30 am-3:00 pm

Tuesday:

7:30 am-3:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:30 am-3:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-3:00 pm

Friday:

7:30 am-3:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonial

  • "Extremely nice and helpful! I was nervous about my dog going in for his neuter surgery, but they alleviated my nerves. Post surgery you have access to the vet’s emails for any questions or concerns! Would recommend 👍🏻"
    Ali M.