The Stitches are Off

The stitches are off! Dog Neutering Vet Bill Cost edition.

Not the vetties again. I know the vets are real pretty, but I've been put to shame more than enough.

Yes, after one week of feeling down and lonely for having lost his balls, Puppy Brown is now a bonafide offspring-less bachelor.

Warning: Do not try this at home. Dr. M is a licensed vet with a few years of experience under her belt.

Dr. M snipped the stitches as quickly as possible. No more E-collars for us! Of course, he still had to deal with a few hands restraining him on the vet's metal table during the process.

Not all hands were there to restrain him. One was just keeping him distracted. Puppy Brown is a sucker for chin scratches.

Castration Costs:

Procedure: 2,500 php (roughly $70)
Antibiotics: 4.50 php x 2 capsules/day  x 7 days= 63 php (less than $2)
E-colllar: Free (but if you need one, shih tzu sized e-collars cost around 200-350 php)
Betadine (for wound application): 100 php ($2.5)
Cotton: 15 php (less than $0.50)
Transportation: Location dependent.

Approximately, $75. Not bad. We're so lucky Dr. M didn't charge us for having the stitches removed.

Some things to consider:

Bloodworks: 900 php (roughly $23)
Additional Medication and Recovery food: 500-1000 php ($12 - $24)
Additional Vet Check-ups: 250 php/visit ($7/check-up)

How much was your vet bill when you got your dog neutered?

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Puppy Brown's Castration: Our Experience, Our Understanding, and Our Decision

The Funny...

I finally took the time to contact Dr. M for our neutering schedule. Officially, the medical term used for the surgical procedure of removing the dog's testicles is castration.

Puppy Brown resting at the vetties...Ready to go home.

Poor Puppy Brown must have felt the heavy loss of his balls because he came home like this.

"You stole my balls," says Puppy Brown with a vengeful glare.

This is probably the after-effect of the anesthesia given to him while his little boy part was incised to remove the you-know-what. The poor little guy hung his head like an injured soldier.

In this procedure, Dr. M did three tiny stitches to close the exit point.

Our next visit is due on the 21st to have the stitches removed. Hopefully, within that said period, the antibiotics and Betadine will do its charm on keeping him infection-free.

The Serious...

First of all, it's not as bad as it sounds. I know there are still dog lovers out there who don't understand why my purebred dogs don't get bred.

My answer is simple: I don't believe it's necessary. I used to think it was a great money-making scheme. Then, I got myself educated and realized that I'd be a hypocrite if I said I would be a good breeder and dog-lover if my purpose was to mainly earn from it.

Even though we've been bringing him to the vet constantly, changing his diet to our best capacity, and providing him with all his physical needs, we still lost him to a condition we still don't understand.

Also, given Buchi's history, I'd be damned if I allowed his hereditary issues to transfer from one generation to another.

A lot of people are saying, "Sayang" which means "It's such a waste."

I beg to differ. Puppy Brown lives with Asti. All our female dogs are intact and I want to keep them that way for now. Perhaps my main reason for choosing to have him castrated was convenience, but I would rather be safe than sorry.  Raising puppies to dogs--ensuring they're well taken care of--is  a big responsibility. I don't want to end up with puppies whose futures aren't secure. 

To Neuter or not to Neuter...

Victoria Stilwell discusses facts about spaying and neutering...

In contradiction to neutering and spaying, I also want to share this video from Dr. Karen Becker to keep people informed of both sides...

Bottom line, whatever you choose, don't just choose for yourself--for your convenience, but also for the betterment of your dog. Research on neutering, spaying, and castration.

As for this pack, those balls have to go.

"But I love every part of me," says my cute little Shih Tzu boy.

You'll be better off without them, sweety.

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