ARC | Spay and Neuter

Pre-Surgery Instructions

Your pet’s safety is our number one priority. If your pet suffers any medical issues, please report any medical issues.
*We do not spay/neuter dogs over 120lbs*

A $25 non-refundable deposit is required

The $25 holds your appointment time and goes towards the surgery cost. If you need to cancel call or email booking@arcsrq.org 24 hours prior to your appointment to receive the $25 dollar deposit as a client credit for when you rebook.

Check-in times

There is a 45-minute check-in process. Check-in time varies for dogs and cats.

• Dogs: 8:00am

• Cats: 8:30am

Pick-up times

There is a 45 minutes discharge time. Pick-up time varies for dogs and cats.

• Dogs: 4:00pm

• Cats: 4:15pm

No food after midnight the day before the surgery

Pets must have food withdrawn the night before surgery by midnight. They can have water until 6am the morning of their surgery.

Proof of rabies vaccination is required

If your pet is receiving a rabies vaccination, you may skip this step. However, if they are current with their rabies, you must provide proof of rabies vaccination from either the clinic or vet that administered the shot. County tags will NOT be accepted as proof. Without proof of rabies, your pet will receive a rabies vaccine at time of surgery.

Umbilical hernia?

There is an automatic $15 charge to repair the umbilical hernia in addition to the cost of surgery. There is no additional charge if your pet is a cryptorchid (testicles have not dropped). However, please note this condition on appointment request form.

Payment is cash or credit cards only

Please note that we only accept cash & credit cards as payment. No checks or money orders, etc.

Need to cancel?

Call us 24 hours before surgery or email us at booking@arcsrq.org. We must be notified of cancellations at least 24 hours before surgery; any less is considered a no-show. Should you not show to two appointments with less than 24-hours notice you will no longer be eligible to use our services.

Post-Surgery Instructions

It is extremely important that you follow these instructions to ensure that your pet properly heals post-spay/neuter surgeries. We cannot be held responsible for complications resulting from failure to follow post-op instructions, or for contagious diseases for which the animal was not previously properly vaccinated.

Recovery period lasts for 7 to 10 days

No running, jumping, playing, swimming, or other strenuous activity. Keep your pet quiet. Dogs may have a slight cough for a few days after surgery.

No baths during the recovery period

Pets must be kept indoors where they can stay clean, dry, and warm. Dogs must be walked on a leash and cats must be kept indoors.

Check the incision site twice daily

Redness and swelling should be minimal. Your pet received a green tattoo next to their incision. This tattoo is a scoring process in the skin; IT IS NOT AN EXTRA INCISION.

Do not allow your pet to lick or chew at the incision

If this occurs, an Elizabethan collar (cone) MUST be applied to prevent additional licking and chewing that could cause infection.

‍If your dog had a scrotal castration, they may have small amounts of drainage/discharge for up to three days.

Appetite should return gradually within 24 hours of surgery

Lethargy lasting for more than 24 hours post-op, diarrhea, or vomiting are not normal and your pet should be taken to your regular veterinarian.

Do not change your pet’s diet during recovering period

Do not give them junk food, table scraps, milk, or any other people food during the recovery period. This could mask post-surgical complications.

Check back in within 7 to 10 days after surgery

We recommend that your pet receive a postoperative examination with your regular veterinarian, to establish your pet with a primary care doctor for future medical procedures and preventative care.

If there are any questions or concerns directly related to the surgery during the recovery period, please call this office at 941.957.1955 ext. 208.

If there is an emergency after hours, contact your regular veterinarian or 941.748.0202 for Bradenton residents and 941.923.7260 for Sarasota residents.

ARC will treat at our clinic, at minimal cost, any post-op complications resulting directly from the surgery, if the above post-op instructions are followed in full. Your regular veterinarian must address illnesses or injuries that are not a direct result of surgery. Please call for an appointment as soon as you see cause for concern.

Schedule a Surgery

Use our easy form to set up a surgery for your pet.

Appointments will be confirmed email. Your appointment will be confirmed by a staff member either by phone or email within two business days. You DO NOT have an actual appointment until you receive this confirmation.

Book an appointment

No. 1

Good for your pet

Females:
After surgery your sweet girl may have a longer and healthier life. Spaying your female may prevent uterine infections and breast tumors. These tumors are typically cancerous in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. It’s important to get her spayed before her first heat!

Males:
You help your guy avoid testicular cancer and prostate problems when you have him neutered. He will be more likely to stay close to home and less likely to mark his territory by spraying urine all over your house. You may also avoid some aggression issues if you neuter him early.

No. 2

Prevent unnecessary death

By spaying or neutering your pet, you prevent countless future generations of unwanted dogs and cats from entering a world that has no room for them.
‍
Every day on average in this country more than 4,000* healthy animals are euthanized. There simply aren’t enough loving homes to adopt all these animals. Animal lovers who work in shelters must choose which animals will be euthanized and which have another day to live. Often highly adoptable animals are killed simply because their “time is up.”

They are euthanized simply to make room for another animal. Those that don’t make it to shelters rarely survive for more than a few years on their own, dying from starvation, disease, climate and accidents.

* Despite this disturbingly high number, be aware that a mere 20 years ago, 50,000 animals were euthanized in this country on a daily basis. The 80% reduction is largely due to increased low-cost spay and neuter programs across the country. Pet owners like you are making a difference.

No. 3

Good for your community

Typically, a single city will end up spending millions of dollars a year to manage and take care of unwanted animals.

For those of us who are animal lovers, spay/neuter programs like those offered by ARC ease the emotional cost that comes with the knowledge that thousands of animals are killed each day due to overcrowding.

And those who aren’t drawn to animals should understand that spay/neuter programs are a way to ease the economic cost of animal control services in their communities.

Subsidized programs like ours ensure that everyone has access to low-cost spay/neuter surgeries that are proven to reduce the homeless pet populations in communities where they are offered.

“What a great group of people. They are amazingly kind and truly care about the animals and their
parents.”

Shaunda M, Google Review

“This place is great. The staff is amazing. Always kind. Thank you for what you do.”

Cathy G, Google Review

“This organization is top-notch! First, excellent customer service, before/during/after our puppy was neutered. Second, excellent operation, with no complications following it.”

Ethan F, Google Review

“Fantastic staff of professional, experienced handlers, administration, and veterinarians who offer low cost spay/neutering, microchip services, and more.”

Stella S, Google Review

Myths and facts of spay and neuter

Last year, more than 35 different rescue groups came to ARC for spay/neuter services. Our team cared for more than 4,598 dogs and cats who were on their way to loving homes. ARC is honored to be the spay/neuter resource for so many wonderful organizations, but we want to do more.

“My pet will get fat and lazy.”

The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don’t give them enough exercise. It is not caused by a spay/neuter surgery.

“It’s better to have one litter first."

Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, it shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier and neutered males have a lower incidence of some cancers.

“I want my dog to be protective.”

Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog’s natural instinct to protect home and family.

“I don’t want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.”

Pets don’t have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet’s basic personality. Your pet won’t suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered. Neutering will decrease sexually orientated behavior (aggressiveness, fighting, roaming and urinary marking) which is undesirable.

Spay and Neuter

The most effective way to end the senseless killing of innocent animals is to ensure everyone has access to free or low-cost spay/neuter services.