We recently acquired our two and a half year old Basenji, Gracie. We had our Vet appointment last week and scheduled her spaying for the end of August. This Vet who has been our Vet for the past 20 plus years is now keeping surgery animals overnight. We have never had a pet kept overnight for spaying or neutering. The clinic does not staff overnight . They add to the fee an Elizabethian collar. I questioned this new overnight policy and the collar, which we have never used in the past, and was told the surgeon, our Vet, would have to approve allowing Gracie to come home the same day and we would have to sign a release form. There is an emergency Vet clinic associatied with our Vet group in our area if we should end up with an emergency.
Does anyone have any thoughs on this issue?
Neither of my bitches stayed in overnight after a spay. Since the clinic is not staffed, IMO they are better off with you at home, assuming you supervise. My girls slept with me, so no Elizabethan collar, either. I am very aware of what my dogs are doing at night, as I am a light sleeper!
Ask the clinic if they will guarantee the dog's safety and pay you if anything untoward should occur. I am sure they will say no, they won't. I have heard one particularly gruesome account of a spay that went wrong because of an unstaffed overnighter. The bitch got out of the collar, and since she was groggy and on pain meds, she pulled her stitches and proceeded to eat her intestines! By the time someone showed up, she was beyond saving. Granted this was an unusual case, but a very good argument for not leaving a dog post op in an unsupervised setting…..
OMG that scared me to death. Gracie is definitely an escape artist, removing collars regularly. We are now on our fourth type of collar and hoping we have found it. I would definitely be with her, and she is happy in her kennel so I am sure she would do well at home. Our 15 year old male doesn't bother her at all.
Frankly, vets who want dogs to stay overnight, in general, just think owners are too stupid to keep them quiet. Vets who want dogs to stay overnight in an unsupervised facility both think you are stupid and are too greedy to care about your dog's safety. I have probably had 40 bitches spayed, mostly rescues, over the last 25 yrs and have never had ONE stay overnight.
I would NEVER leave a dog overnight ESPECIALLY if the clinic is NOT STAFFED??? Someone would have to explain how that could be in the best interest of the dog/cat, to be someplace with no supervision?
I too have never had one stay overnight for a spay or neuter, ever…. And as far as the E-Collar, I would just refuse to pay for it, therefore, they can keep it.
Dolce just got spayed 2 weeks ago. The place I work at does not require them to stay over night they don't see the reason. Even though the Doctor does comes by every night at 10 pm to medicate the hospitalized animals no one is there all night. I slept with Dolce while she had the e-collar on for a few days but then I took it off because she didn't care to lick her surgery site, she only wore it when I was not able to watch her. The only issue I had with her is that she was still super rambunctious so I was trying to not have her jump and run as much so she could heal properly. Now her stitches are out and she is doing great. If they do your dogs surgery in the morning, even in the afternoon she should be fine with in a few hours. She might be a little dopey from meds but Dolce acted as if nothing happened.
Both of my girls came home with me after being spayed. No way I would leave them - especially unstaffed. I had one recently that I suspected had a blockage and because there was work being done on the clinic they said if I wasn't there by 5pm, she would have to stay unsupervised - I was there by 4pm, with a follow-up the next morning at 8am (45 minute drive each way). Never going to happen me leaving my pet without supervision…ever. Especially after trauma...
I agree about the E-Collar - waste of money. Neither of my girls tried to touch their incision - both were glued and not stitched.
My thoughts were exactly the same at tanzas…how is it beneficial, safe or emotionally ok for a dog to stay in an unstaffed hospital all night for a procedure that frankly doesn't warrant it (other than to hike up the bill). If something happens overnight there isnt anyone to take care of the situation, at least at home you can discover a problem and seek help rather than risking not knowing until morning when staff arrives..if, god forbid something happened to Oakley and he had to stay overnight there would be ZERO % chance it would be at an unstaffed night facility- I'd pay the animal hospital instead.
And like I said, Oakley would have been so distraught to be away from me, and I know nothing makes him feel better than when he is sick and I'm around him spoiling,cuddling and talking to him. How upsetting to be groggy, in pain and confused without the comforts of their humans while not having any idea what happened to them,where they are and be all alone 
And just on another note!… :-)..... at my Vet's office if they have to have a procedure, the deal is, I promise to be there within 15 minutes of the call to come and get them! LOL.... they know Basenjis!
I have had ones stay when surgery for a blockage or some other medical procedure like for a tumor that was very involved. But those were all in hospitals that there is all night coverage. My Vet doesn't do overnight, she sends you off to an overnight hospital where there is supervision....
I agree, keeping them overnight in an unman facility is just a way to get money... and think of it this way... what in the world are they charging for when no one is there.
I agree with all of you, I just thought the rules may have changed and I was being over protective. I think I will ask the vet if I can spend the night with Gracie at the facility. LOL I bet that would leave him speechless.
I think the vets have discovered this is a good way to make money. Back when my bitches were spayed, it was never a question I was taking them home…...nothing else was suggested. But 5 years ago when I had my current boy neutered, they matter of factly stated he would be staying overnight, to which I replied "What the hell for?" Needless to say, I took him home! Unless you are not able to supervise your dog, or you are dealing with something that needs high tech equipment, IMO he or she is always going to be better off with the people who love him and will watch over him. I pick up on things with my animals that a vet would never notice, simply because I know them. I can pick up a very subtle change that would likely go unnoticed by the casual observer, and hopefully head off trouble before it becomes serious.
Pat, they told me I wouldn't be able to pick Oakley up until after four- they called my cell then my work at 12:15 and told me Oakley wanted to come home…when I got there all the nurses and receptionists were like " o, your the one he's been barooing for!"
We got home, he whimpered a little then settled down in his bed surrounded by new toys (out of guilt) and I layed next to him while he slept like a baby...and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way
I agree with all of you, I just thought the rules may have changed and I was being over protective. I think I will ask the vet if I can spend the night with Gracie at the facility. LOL I bet that would leave him speechless.
Great Idea… LOL, can't wait to hear the answer. I would add when you ask.... Since there is no one here overnight, how about I just come and stay with her?
I would never leave any dog overnight at an unstaffed clinic after any surgical procedure. The last time I owned a dog that stayed over night for a neuter/spay was when I was a kid in the early 70s. I do not think I have heard of anyone who had a dog stay overnight for a spay/neuter even for an older dog unless there were complications. If your girl has surgery in the morning, she should definitely be ready to go home in the afternoon. I am not sure too many vets would want to keep a Basenji overnight unless absolutely necessary!
Jennifer
When Nicky had to go in for his last surgery, the vet had never done surgery on one of my basenjis so when they called to say he was out of surgery, I did what I normally do which is finish up what I am doing and make my way over to the vet's office. When I got there and asked how he was doing and if he was ready for me to take home, the vet was shocked. She said he was out of anesthesia but would need to be there at least another 2 hours before they could even consider releasing him. I told her, you know, he once he is truly recovered from the anesthetic you won't want him here even a minute longer so if he is stable, he should probably just come home now. She insisted, so I told her, if I leave now and you say 2 hours minimum, don't call and expect me to be here so fast because I am going to go run some errands and it may not be so easy to get here. She still insisted. 20 minutes later, she is calling asking me to get back ASAP because they are getting complaints from everyone in the complex because he is pitching such a fit. Of course, now I can't just pop right back so I say, I'll do the best I can. Took me another 20 minutes to get back. I could hear him as I pulled into the parking lot. They were quite happy to send him home with me at that point. I was surprised it wasn't noted in his file that he cannot stay at clinic for any length of time. He has quite a reputation.
I agree with all of you, I just thought the rules may have changed and I was being over protective.
I just want to add, you are the one paying, you make the rules. I don't think they can refuse to release your dog to you if you have paid the bill. They can ask you to sign a release that you are doing it against their advice (cover their ass paperwork), but otherwise, it is your dog. They have no right to hold her if your bill is paid. And I would call the cops if they tried!
Great Idea… LOL, can't wait to hear the answer. I would add when you ask.... Since there is no one here overnight, how about I just come and stay with her?
You could even offer to do this at a reduced rate from your normal fees.<gg>
Really, if she needs overnight care, I'd offer to pick her up and take her to the Evet where they have overnight staff. Otherwise, she can come home.
I usally bring baked goods when my kids have to have surgery. I want happy vets/staff dealing with my dogs. Of couse if it's very high in sugar, I ask them to please OD on the goodies AFTER surgery on my pup. I did this when I had Zest! spayed and I told them this had been a very difficult descision for me. The tech asked if they should do Z last, so I'd have time to change my mind. I replied "NO, do her first, so I don't."</gg>
LOL Lisa… great story about Nicky... and how true with these kids.
you could even offer to do this at a reduced rate from your normal fees. <gg>"</gg>
perfect!!!!
My Nicky was at the vet's ICU last year for 3 nights, they knew when she was better and ready to come home when the screaming and crate-shaking started at 4 am! I got a call around 8 to come and get her before she broke teeth fighting the crate! They thought it was pretty funny that such a sick, passive little dog turned into Dogzilla so fast.
I had never left a dog at a vets overnight before that, and she was in a big room with 4 or 5 techs and a vet there 24/7. If no one was present to tend to her, I would never leave a dog, period.
