Before Care

Please arrive on time and allow 10 minutes for paperwork and prepayment.

Please keep in mind  to keep prices low, Snip & Chip veterinarians or surgical nurses have the right to refuse to desex any animal, or charge additional fees to desex animals with any of the following –

1. pets with health conditions that may result in increased anaesthesia or surgery risk to the pet,
2. dogs or cats OVER the age of 6 years
3. No female dogs over 30kg
4. dogs or cats with health conditions including, but not limited to – heart disease, blood conditions, skin disease, Brachycephalic breeds or any evidence of any other conditions that might increase the risk of anaesthesia or surgery. This also includes dobermans and greyhounds – Dobermans: Unless we are provided with paperwork that the doberman is not a carrier of the von willebrand disease, then we will not be able to proceed with desexing at snip and chip. Greyhounds – Unfortunately greyhounds have an increased risk of developing a bleeding condition called fibrinolytic syndrome. This increased risk means that we deem Greyhounds not to be a candidate for snip and chip.
5. pets showing evidence of aggression or behavioural problems.

All dogs must be on a lead and all cats in a carrier – this is for the safety of your pet and others!

Female dogs should not be speyed until at least 8 weeks after bleeding from a heat has ceased.  This reduces the risk of complications from surgery. 

Payment:  ALL fees are to be paid prior to admission through our online booking system and any additional fees upon discharge.  We know vet bills can be hard to pay, so we accept cash, cheque, debit and credit cards, zipmoney and humm  Further details of payment options can be found on our payment page.

Bathing: Dogs must be bathed within 2 days of desexing to avoid contamination of the surgical site.  Your pet must not be bathed for at least two weeks after the procedure.

Access to food and water: Your dog or cat must not consume food after 9pm the evening prior to surgery.  It is important to take away any other food that is available in the house overnight, including food given to other pets.  Puppies and kittens less than 16 weeks of age may have food until 6am on the day of the procedure.

Water MUST be available to your pet at all times.

Fleas: If there is any evidence of fleas on your pet, flea treatment will be applied at a cost of $20.

Medications: It is extremely important for our staff to know of any medications or supplements your pet is taking prior to surgery. Please ensure you have a list of any names of medications you have been giving your pet and when they were last given.

Female dogs for desexing: If your dog has been in season recently, please wait six weeks after the bleeding has stopped to make sure the surgery is as safe as possible. An additional fee of $100 will be charged for all bitches with ANY evidence of recent heat or pregnancy, including lactation (milk present).

If your dog has had a litter recently, the puppies must have been weaned from the mother and her mammary tissue decreased in size before desexing.

Female cats for desexing: Cats can become pregnant as early as 4 months of age if they are outdoors or with a male cat who is undesexed. Please ensure your cat is indoors only prior to being desexed to avoid pregnancy.  An additional fee of $100 will be charged for all cats with ANY evidence of recent heat or pregnancy, including lactation (milk present).

Discharge times will vary depending on our scheduling on the day, some pets can go home as early as 2pm but no later than 5:30.  Please be on time or a late fee of $50 will apply.

Snip and Chip uses modern anaesthetic techniques designed to reduce the risk of general anaesthesia to your pet. However, even the most routine procedures carry risk of complications which may include death. Our vet may deem it necessary to administer additional treatment as required, this includes but is not limited to: antibiotic treatment, flea treatment, emergency resuscitation, additional sedation or analgesia. By signing this form you are accepting the risks associated with general anaesthesia and the procedure to be performed. You also accept any necessary treatment and understand that you may incur additional costs that will be payable upon discharge.