Soft-Tissue & Spay and Neuter Surgery in Ruston, Louisiana

Lagniappe Animal Health houses a state-of-the-art surgery suite that doesn’t look much different from what you’d see in a human hospital. We routinely perform spay and neuter surgeries, tumor removals, and more to provide your pet with a better quality of life. Our equipment and protocols enable us to keep your pet safe and comfortable as much as possible. From pre-anesthetic blood work and constant monitoring of your pet’s vital signs to comprehensive pain management and after care, we leave no stone unturned when it comes to reducing risk.

Dr. Ratliff and her capable staff are committed to treating your pet like a cherished family member. We’ll do all we can to relieve their stress and make their surgery an easy process. If you have concerns or questions regarding your pet’s surgery, you can contact us at any time!

Call (318) 255-3303 to speak with our team or schedule a post-surgery follow-up appointment.

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Doctor Performing Surgery

Types of Surgeries We Provide for Dogs and Cats

Our veterinary team can perform a variety of soft tissue surgeries for dogs and cats. Whether your pet needs treatment for an injury or a routine spay/neuter, we can help!

Our surgical services include:

  • Spaying and neutering
  • Bladder stone removal (cystotomy)
  • Mass/tumor removal
  • Amputations
  • Cherry eye correction (third eyelid prolapse)

How Long Will My Pet’s Surgery Take?

The amount of time your pet spends in surgery depends on what kind of procedure they’re having. The more complex it is, the longer it will take. In most cases, we can expect a procedure to take an hour or less. Your companion will be discharged  in the afternoon when they have fully awakened from the anesthesia and are able to walk, eliminate, and drink water without any trouble.

Is My Pet Too Old for Surgery?

Brown Dog Sitting

Barring any underlying health issues, old age should not prevent your dog or cat from undergoing surgery if it will improve their quality of life. At Lagniappe Animal Health, we understand that the thought of putting an older pet through surgery can be cause for some concern. We take great care with our patients, providing treatment that is tailored to their individual needs. This includes general anesthesia for surgeries--we assess each patient and create a personalized protocol to maximize their health and safety.

If surgery is an option for your senior pet and you have questions about their safety, please call us at (318) 255-3303.

Why We Recommend Spay and Netuer in Ruston, Louisiana

Spay and neuter surgeries are services we consider essential to the health and well-being of all pets in our community. While the issue of pet overpopulation has somewhat improved over the years, it still remains a problem, especially for the many dogs and cats that struggle to find loving homes. Here in Ruston, LA, we recommend spaying and neutering your pets to curb unwanted pregnancies and overpopulation. This has the added effect of helping to ease crowding in shelters and preventing the needless euthanasia of healthy animals.

Want to meet with your vet to talk about spaying or neutering your pet? Call (318) 255-3303 or make an appointment online!

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What are Some Benefits of Spaying and Neutering?

Yorkie Puppy

In addition to reducing pet overpopulation, spay and neuter surgeries can also benefit the health and behavior of individual dogs and cats. Unfortunately, it isn’t uncommon for pets to be surrendered to shelters due to disruptive and difficult behaviors brought on by hormones. These behaviors generally include:

  • Aggressiveness
  • Urine spraying
  • Vocalizing
  • Escaping the yard/house and roaming to find a mating partner
  • Mounting furniture or other pets

Also, pets that are not spayed and neutered are more at risk for these health problems:

  • Mammary gland tumors (females)
  • Ovarian and uterine cancer (females)
  • Pyometra (a serious uterine infection that affects females)
  • Testicular and prostate cancer (males)

When is it Appropriate to Spay or Neuter My Pet?

At Lagniappe Animal Health, we recommend spaying and neutering dogs and cats at approximately 6 months old. For most pets, this is when they reach maturity, but (in the case of females) have yet to experience their first heat cycle. The more heat cycles a female dog or cat has, the greater their risk for reproductive cancer.

However, extra-large and giant dog breeds usually have to wait until they are about 12 months old to be spayed or neutered, because they need more time to finish growing. Their growth is fueled by their reproductive hormones; spaying or neutering too soon might disrupt their growth and result in joint deformities.

To discuss your pet’s spay and neuter options, give us a call today at (318) 255-3303!