Animal Shelter Surgery & Dentistry

two gloved hands with scissors stitch up a surgery patient

In order to improve animal health and control the population, animal shelters frequently perform spays and neuters on dogs, cats, and other shelter pets. The ASPCA’s Spay/Neuter Alliance (ASNA) has developed a wealth of resources that help veterinary teams perform high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter.

Shelters also frequently provide other surgical services, including dentistry procedures, to treat painful conditions, improve animal welfare, and facilitate adoptions and transfers. These best practices and resources provide information to guide shelters and medical staff as they arrange for or perform such procedures.

Surgeon obtaining suture ready for spay/neuter surgery

Videos

Sterile Surgical Techniques

Asepsis in spay/neuter clinic procedures is vital, and there are many ways to maintain a sterile surgery environment. Learn techniques for maintaining sterility during gloving, pulling suture, and draping.

Videos

Spay/Neuter Surgery for Female Dogs

These demonstrative videos show you the many techniques used to perform a spay surgery on female dogs.

Veterinarian holds a spay/neuter patient.

Protocols & SOPs

Spay/Neuter Guidelines

Find spay/neuter guidelines and research articles to maintain effective and humane practices at your high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic.

Videos

Spay/Neuter Surgery for Female Cats

These demonstrative videos show you the many techniques used to perform spay surgeries on female cats.

Videos

Spay/Neuter Surgery for Male Dogs

These demonstrative videos show you the many techniques used to perform a neuter surgery on male dogs.

Protocols & SOPs

Pulse Oximeter Use

This guide teaches spay/neuter medical staff how to place probes, troubleshoot, and maintain pulse oximeters for better anesthetic monitoring.