All aboard! This informative poster walks through the 9 “station” stops on the Spay/Neuter “Express”. Follow these steps to keep your high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic running smoothly and on schedule. Poster is 11″x 17″.
9 Steps to Keep Your High-Volume Spay/Neuter Clinic On Time
How to keep your high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic running on time.
Want to improve the lives of cats in a big way? Try organizing a high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic for community cats! It’s easy. By setting up these nine stations, you can keep your spay/neuter clinic on schedule and chugging along effectively and efficiently.
1. Check-in/Registration
Use a tag system to track each cat as they move down the line and get them back to their destination: the same trap they came in. Assign each cat a number and note it on two tagsone for the trap (attach with a rubber band), and one for the cat.
2. Anesthesia
Using an “isolator,” nudge the cat to one end of the trap and inject the anesthesia cocktail into the cat’s muscle. when the cat is fully unconscious, remove the cat from the trap and attach the cat tag to a paw. Note the health and sex of the cat on the tag.
3. Prep
Administer Metacam or another painkiller, apply lubricant to the cat’s eyes to keep them moist throughout surgery, and attach female cats to spay boards. Shave the surgical site and sterilize with Betadine and alcohol.
4. Waiting
Line up cats in order of preparation to keep the process moving forward so veterinarians are never waiting for patients. Closely monitor cats’ breathing and level of sedation.
5. Surgery
Open a new surgery pack per cat, then begin incisions. For females, follow the steps in our high-quality, high-volume spay video for surgical instructions.
6. Eartipping
While the cat is still under anesthesia, eartip the cat’s left ear (learn more about eartipping). Put a straight hemostat across the tip, exposing no more than 3/8 inch for an adult cat, and use a scalpel to cut the tip off.
7. Post-Op/Vaccine
Remove female cats from spay boards, remove the eartipping hemostat, and apply styptic powder if necessary. Administer rabies vaccine. Also administer other vaccines, like the FVRCP vaccine, if caregivers agreed ahead of time.
8. Grooming
As needed, comb cats for fleas or matted fur; shave away serious mats. Administer fluids as appropriate.
9. Recovery/Discharge
Remove each cat’s tag, compare with trap tag, and return cats to their clean, freshly newspaper-lined trap in a warm location. Cover the traps, but leave enough visible so the cats can be closely monitored as they recover. When the cats regain consciousness, give them to their caregivers and provide further recovery instructions. (Learn more about Post Surgery.)