My cat needs spaying. What are the risks of surgery and anesthesia?

I am sorry to hear about your kitty! We do routinely do surgery in many pets that have seizures, and as long as we are aware ahead of time we can prepare for this concern by doing things such as selecting certain drugs for anesthesia and having an IV catheter in place in case a seizure occurs so we have quick access to a vein to administer medication. I would say that the risk of not being spayed is a greater health risk than the risk of being spayed. I would, however, recommend having your cat examined/have work-up done which may involve bloodwork and ultrasound to ensure there isn't a cause for seizures such as a liver shunt that needs to be addressed if your cat hasn't already been examined for the seizures. I would also recommend you have your cat spayed at a full service vet clinic and not a spay/neuter low cost clinic because of her issues she is going to need more intensive monitoring than they can offer. The risks involved in spaying are the same for any surgical procedure and include adverse reaction to the anesthetic drugs, bleeding during surgery, and infection of the surgical site. These complications are extremely rare.

I don't have a number for you - but the risk is very, very low (less than 1%). A spay is a common, everyday, low-risk surgery and the complication rate is extremely low. To provide one anecdotal example: I've been practicing for 7 years, have performed spays weekly, and have never had a spay patient die.

Risks involved in cat spay surgery are minimal, it is a very simple surgery that all vets are comfortable with as well as having a lot of experience performing it (usually several times a week). you should not be worried about having this surgery done for your cat.

Any animal can die from any operation, just like any person could. There is never a guarantee. That being said, the chance of her passing from surgery is extremely low - like less than 0.001%. I agree with your vet that she should be done right away. You can’t continue letting her be sick. I know you are anxious but you need to do what is best for her.

While any anesthesia carries a risk, spaying is generally a very safe procedure. The risks of anesthesia increase as a dog ages (I'm specifically referencing senior dogs like 10 years and older), but there are few risks for a young and healthy puppy. Your vet is right she could be ill in the future if you don't spay her. Not spaying her leaves her at risk of developing a pyometra in the future. This is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment, and spaying the dog is part of the treatment of a pyometra. That surgery is high risk due to the severity of the illness in the dog from the infection, and it costs thousands to perform. In addition, dogs who are spayed are at an increased risk of developing mammary tumors. Of these mammary tumors, 50% of them are malignant. For her health, it is best to spay her now. I would speak with your vet about getting it done. I hope this helps!

Depending on what happened it might be better to choose completely different anesthetic drugs if possible. You might also want to ask about referral to a specialty center where there is an anesthesiologist present as well. Ultimately there could be risk, and spaying is an elective procedure although there are long term health benefits. You may decide that it is not worth the risk - have a conversation with your vet for details.

The best thing you can do is make sure she is not over weight. Also, when she is spayed, she will need to be separated from any kittens so that they do not injure the incision. I recommend to discuss your concerns with your veterinarian. Things that help a procedure recover if an emergency arises are to make sure bloodwork is done prior to the surgery, that she has an intravenous catheter placed prior to the procedure and that she receives intravenous fluids during the procedure. These will help to keep her safe. Just like human medicine, all sedative procedures have some risk but the vast vast majority of people and pets will do fine. You may consider interviewing a few veterinarians to ask about their protocols and safety record. It's always be to be informed. Having her spayed will provide protection from a variety of other health conditions and is generally safe. I hope this helps.