Spay/Neuter
Spay & Neuter Services
The Animal Shelter of Sullivan County is proud to operate the first shelter-based, state-approved spay/neuter surgical suite in the Tri-Cities region of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Our facility includes a 3-bed surgical area with adjoining prep rooms, a state-of-the-art IDEXX lab station, and a comfortable recovery area.
This surgical suite allows us to better serve our community by providing affordable spay/neuter services for owned pets as well as community cats living outdoors throughout the county and surrounding areas.
All spay/neuter surgeries are available by appointment only.
Registration Information
- Pets over 3 months of age must have proof of a current rabies vaccination. If proof is not provided, a 1-year rabies vaccine will be administered during surgery.
- Additional vaccines, testing, and services are available for an additional fee.
- Appointments are scheduled on a first come, first served basis and may be booked up to one month in advance.
- Full payment is due at the time of booking. If assistance is needed, please call us at (423) 279-2741 (option 5) or email clinicasosc@gmail.com.
- No-shows will forfeit payment.
Day of Surgery Instrustions
To help keep everyone safe and ensure a smooth drop-off process:
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- Please line up for check-in and keep dogs at least six feet apart.
- All cats must be in secure carriers, and all dogs must be on leashes.
- Community cats (feral cats) must be brought in humane traps. Traps are available to rent from the shelter if needed.
- If a cat arrives without a trap, a $30 fee will be added for safety handling.
- Please label all carriers and traps with your name and/or pet’s name.
- Line carriers/traps with a disposable pad, towel, newspaper, or similar material.
- Limit one animal per carrier.
All pets will receive a small tattoo indicating they have been spayed or neutered.
Surgery Day Schedule
- Arrival time: 7:00 AM
- Pick-up time: Dogs 4:00 PM | Cats 4:30 PM
Surgical Requirements
- Minimum age: 12 weeks
- Minimum weight: 3 pounds
- Proof of rabies vaccination is required (included in the cost if not provided)
For older pets, the veterinarian may recommend pre-surgical bloodwork to check overall health, including liver and kidney function, blood sugar, and blood cell counts. In some cases, surgery may need to be postponed for the pet’s safety.
- No food after midnight the night before surgery
- Water is allowed
- Please complete your electronic consent form and payment before arrival
Surgical Restriction
For safety reasons, we are unable to perform surgery on:
- Brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds such as bulldogs, French bulldogs, and pugs
- Sphynx cats
Spay/Neuter Surgery Pricing as of September 2024
DOGS
ALL Dogs – $80 (pregnancy is an additional $15)
Hernia Repair – $15 (if hernia is noted during spay/neuter surgery)
Due to the raising cost for large breed dogs there will be a up charge of $20 if your dog weighs over 70lbs.
CATS
Female Cat Spay– $75(pregnancy is an additional $15)
Male Cat Neuter– $60
Hernia Repair – $15 (if hernia is noted during spay/neuter surgery)
Community Cats- $20 ( if not in a trap, additional $30 charge) (pregnancy is an additional $15)
Spayed Pets Don’t Go Into Heat
If they aren’t spayed, cats will go into heat at around six months of age. They will stay in heat for an average of six days. The cycle of heat repeats every three weeks on average during their season. When they are in heat, cats become very vocal and demanding. They may bleed and even spray urine.
Dogs generally only go into heat twice a year. They also bleed and urinate excessively during their cycle. Spaying prevents your pet from going into heat and exhibiting these behaviors.
Spaying Your Female Pet Will Help Her Live Longer
Spaying your kitten when she is 3-6 months old will virtually eliminate the risk that she will develop mammary cancer when she’s older. Additionally, spaying your kitten prevents many different infections and cancers that occur in the uterus and ovaries.
A study of 460,000 cats and 2.2 million dogs found that spayed cats live 39% longer and spayed dogs live 23% longer than their unspayed counterparts. Like cats, spayed dogs are less likely to develop certain cancers, as well as pyometra, a potentially fatal uterine infection.
Pyometra: A serious condition where the uterus fills with pus. Pyometra can affect many organs, which can make a pet very sick or even kill her. One of the organs that classically gets damaged is the kidney. It can get worse: a “mature” pyometra can rupture or break. This leads to having pus all over the belly (septic peritonitis).
Breast Tumors: More than 25% of non-spayed female dogs will develop breast or mammary tumors. Spaying pets protects against them, depending on the timing. The risk of a dog having mammary tumors is 0.05%, if a female is spayed before the first heat. Then it increases to an 8% risk after their first cycle, and 26% after their second heat. If a dog is spayed after two years of age, then there is no more protection.
Your Neutered Male Pet Will Be Healthier
Neutered dogs don’t develop testicular cancer, which is common in older dogs who haven’t been neutered. They also have a lower risk of pancreatic cancer, and their life expectancy is increased up to 18%.
Neutering your cat will also eliminate the possibility of testicular cancer and decrease the possibility of pancreatic cancer.