TOA PAYOH VETS PTE LTD

Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lor 8, 01-1477, Singapore 319074.  Tel: +65 6254-3326, 9668-6468, 9664-0404. judy@toapayohvets.com
Focus: Small animals - dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters, pet rats and mice, birds and turtles      
February 19, 2020 

Saturday Jun 29, 2013. Vasectomy done 2 days ago by Dr Daniel and I.

The owner phoned at 10.40 am. "My dog does not allow me to change the plaster covering his wound."
"Is there any blood inside the plaster?" I asked.
"A bit of dried blood."
"The plaster may be tight," I said. "Is the dog licking the plaster?"
"No," the man said. "He can't as he wears an e-collar."
"Is the dog eating and drinking and being normal?"
"Yes," he said. So the 75 mg of Rimadryl tablet of one a day must be working.
"Wait another 2 days," I said. "It is good to check the wound. Usually I advise removal 7 days after surgery."

The owner phoned again as the plaster was loosened. He wanted to come to get the plaster changed.
"I am not in favour of sedation of the dog to change plaster unless necessary as there may be reactions and risks, although minimal," I know the man prefers to spend least on medical costs. Nobody wants to spend more anyway. "Besides, it is going to cost you money."
"There may be flies attacking his wound," the man said.
"Put the dog on the table. Muzzle him. Get a bigger plaster to cover the loose plaster. In 2 days' time, the dog will not feel so painful and try again."

Vasectomy procedures
The theory is simple. The practice is harder as there is a need to be very careful that the vet does not incise any artery and veins. The spermatic cord is a snow white tube of 3 mm across in this big breed. Running parallel to it is an artery of 1.5 mm.

"It is not like the ordinary neuter," I explained to an intern. "You don't even incise the tunica of the testes. You incise the area above the testes. Make sure you don't incise the urethra which is nearby.

It can be quite stressful to do this operation as compared to the ordinary neuter. The assistant holds and pulls the testes caudally. The vet identifies the spermatic cord and do blunt dissection of the tunica vaginalis carefully. Or use artery forceps to help you separate the vas deferens from the deferential artery which runs parallel to the vas deferens and is 3 mm across in the German Shepard, if you operate alone. The exposed surgical area is small but extend the skin incision longer if you cannot operate properly.

Once the tunica vaginalis of the  spermatic cord is incised, you can identify the contents of the cord. The vas deferens is a snow-white tube with a prominent deferential artery running next to it. The vas deferens is around 6 mm across in this German Shepherd. Carefully isolate the deferential artery from the vas deferens. Clamp both ends of a 1.5 cm length of the vas deferens.  Ligate the two ends and excise around 1.5 cm. Push the pampiniform plexus with its hidden testicular artery back into the inguinal canal gently. One simple interrupted suture closes the incised tunica vaginalis. The skin is sutured. No fancy subcuticular sutures. Keep surgery simple. Put a piece of plaster to cover the wound and give the usual antibiotics and painkillers. Do not incise the tunica vaginalis of the testes as you will have done in the traditional neuter of a male dog. 

UPDATE ON JULY 8, 2013
No news from the owner is good news. The dog has recovered and the plaster has been removed. The owner does not want his dog's personality to be changed due to neuter and had asked a lot of questions about how the dog's personality will be changed after removal of his testes.

I proposed vasectomy which is considered neutering. It will serve his purpose of payment of a lower dog licence of $14 instead of $70. He had phoned to cancel the surgery and then appeared suddenly. The vet should not insist on neutering if the owner wants vasectomy which is a more difficult surgery. Vets are familiar with the neuter surgery and vasectomy is an unfamiliar surgical territory for most vets. Refer to other vets if you don't want to do it.