Client Instructions

Do not give your animal food after midnight the night before surgery or the morning of surgery. Water is okay.

Multiple cats may be dropped off in a single carrier but must go home in separate carriers. We have cardboard carriers for sale for only $5.

Proof of rabies must be shown in the form of a rabies certificate. We cannot use the rabies tag as proof. If a certificate is not shown, a rabies vaccine will be given at a cost of $15. It is a state law that all dogs and cats must be current on their rabies vaccines.

We do not accept personal checks, Care Credit, or American Express. We accept cash, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and debit (as long as it has the MasterCard or Visa emblem).

We must be given all financial assistance vouchers at the time of check-in/drop-off in the morning, as all payments are processed then. Learn more about Financial Assistance that we offer to reduce the cost of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery.

No running, jumping, playing, or other strenuous activity for 7-10 days. No swimming or baths for up to 14 days. This could irritate the incision site. Keep your pet quiet and indoors where they can stay clean, dry, and warm. Dogs must be walked on a leash.

There should be no drainage. Redness and swelling should be minimal. Do not allow your pet to lick or chew at the incision. If this occurs, an Elizabethan collar (a.k.a. cone) must be applied to prevent it.

Please note that a green tattoo may be applied at the incision site. This is NOT a second incision.

Diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy lasting for more than 24 hours post-operation are not normal. Please call Pets Alive at (812) 349-1349 if you notice these symptoms persisting.

Do not give junk food, table scraps, milk, or any other “people food” to the animal during its recovery period. This could mask post-surgical complications. Do not administer any human products such as aspirin, Tylenol, etc. (including herbs).

Make sure your pet is urinating normally and is having regular bowel movements. Keep your pet isolated from other pets to monitor this.

Your pet may have received a green tattoo next to the incision in the shape of a line. This tattoo is a scoring process in the skin; it is not an extra incision. It is applied to help veterinarians see the incision site in future years, since the incision itself often becomes almost invisible.

If there are any questions or concerns directly related to the surgery during the recovery period (10 days), please call us at (812) 349-1349. If you have medical concerns after our regular business hours, contact our after-hours number that you were given on your paperwork at pick up.

Pets Alive will perform re-checks at our clinic, at no cost, for any post-op complications resulting directly from the surgery if the above post-op instructions are followed in full. There may fees associated with the need for medications, such as antibiotics, pain medications, etc. 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. 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.