Little or no fat.
Heavy dogs have folds of fat in the abdomen which get in the way. Extra fat
thickness under the skin makes a longer incision necessary, increasing
surgery time.
Short distance from incision to ovaries.
The ligaments that attach the ovaries must be carefully stretched and separated, so the
blood vessels supplying the ovaries can be tied off. In deep-chested dogs, the
distance is greater, so the stretching process is more difficult and takes more time.
This also requires a slightly longer incision.
Springy, elastic ligaments.
In a young dog, the ligaments we stretch to reach the ovaries are like strong rubber
bands. With middle aged dogs, especially overweight middle aged dogs, the
ligaments are much less elastic: instead of stretching like a rubber band, they
break. We make a slightly longer incision and stretch the ligaments more slowly and
carefully. This is not a big deal, it just takes time.
Ideal size.
The tiniest dogs are a bit more difficult because everything is so small. Also, we
use a breathing apparatus designed for premature infants, and this wastes a lot of
expensive anesthetic. These are actually pretty minor considerations, and we don't charge
extra.
Large dogs are much more difficult and somewhat more expensive. They require more of
all the various anesthetic agents. Because they are big, their incisions are larger
and take more time to close. Their ligaments are big and strong, and that makes them
harder to stretch and ligate. Moving big dogs around requires two or three
people instead of one.
Not in heat:
Estrus causes the uterus and blood vessels to be much larger than usual. Spaying a
young, lean beagle who happens to be in heat is no big deal, but when you combine estrus
with other complicating factors such as advanced age or obesity, it makes a big
difference.
If your dog is fairly young, and if you can make a realistic assessment of her weight
(see weight chart for dogs) we can give
you a reasonably accurate estimate over the telephone. If you would like a clearer
idea of what surgery is likely to cost, bring your dog into the office (please call
first) and we will be happy to give you a written estimate at no charge.