The Association of Shelter Veterinarians veterinary medical care guidelines for spay-neuter programs.
As efforts to reduce the overpopulation and euthanasia of unwanted and unowned dogs and cats have increased, greater attention has been focused on spay-neuter programs throughout the United States. Because of the wide range of geographic and demographic needs, a wide variety of programs have been developed to increase delivery of spay-neuter services to targeted populations of animals, including stationary and mobile clinics, MASH-style operations, shelter services, feral cat programs, and services provided through private practitioners. In an effort to ensure a consistent level of care, the Association of Shelter Veterinarians convened a task force of veterinarians to develop veterinary medical care guidelines for spay-neuter programs. The guidelines consist of recommendations for preoperative care (eg, patient transport and housing, patient selection, client communication, record keeping, and medical considerations), anesthetic management (eg, equipment, monitoring, perioperative considerations, anesthetic protocols, and emergency preparedness), surgical care (eg, operating-area environment; surgical-pack preparation; patient preparation; surgeon preparation; surgical procedures for pediatric, juvenile, and adult patients; and identification of neutered animals), and postoperative care (eg, analgesia, recovery, and release). These guidelines are based on current principles of anesthesiology, critical care medicine, microbiology, and surgical practice, as determined from published evidence and expert opinion. They represent acceptable practices that are attainable in spay-neuter programs.
Looney
Andrea L
AL
Section of Pain Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Bohling
Mark W
MW
Bushby
Philip A
PA
Howe
Lisa M
LM
Griffin
Brenda
B
Levy
Julie K
JK
Eddlestone
Susan M
SM
Weedon
James R
JR
Appel
Leslie D
LD
Rigdon-Brestle
Y Karla
YK
Ferguson
Nancy J
NJ
Sweeney
David J
DJ
Tyson
Kathy A
KA
Voors
Adriana H
AH
White
Sara C
SC
Wilford
Christine L
CL
Farrell
Kelly A
KA
Jefferson
Ellen P
EP
Moyer
Michael R
MR
Newbury
Sandra P
SP
Saxton
Melissa A
MA
Scarlett
Janet M
JM
D000758:Anesthesia / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D002415:Cats / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs / Q000601:surgery*; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D011155:Population Control; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary; D012952:Societies; D014481:United States; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000592:standards*