Complications After Spaying Kittens

The term "spaying" is used to describe ovariohysterectomy surgery. This surgical procedure removes a female cat's ovaries and uterus, rendering her sterile and incapable of becoming pregnant or giving birth to kittens. This surgery can be performed on adult cats and kittens. Spaying has proven to reduce pet overpopulation and provide health benefits later in the cat's life, but this routine surgery is not without possible complications.

  1. Death

    • Spaying is a common procedure, with thousands of spay surgeries performed every day. Despite this frequency, spaying is considered an invasive, major surgical procedure that involves entering the abdomen of the cat. Pre-surgical testing is done to evaluate a kitten's overall physical health and suitability for surgery and to rule out problems with the major organs of the body, thereby reducing the chances of complications. While the chances of a kitten dying from spay surgery are small, death is a possibility when any surgical procedure is performed.

    Infection

    • Any time the skin is cut open, there is a chance for bacteria to enter the body and cause an infection. While veterinary medical staff make every effort to keep the surgical site aseptic during surgery, there is a chance that bacteria from surrounding areas can migrate into the surgical wound. After spay surgery, bacteria can infect the body via the suture site. This is particularly true if your cat has a tendency to lick or bite at her sutures or is exposed to unclean conditions. Replacing your cat's litter with shredded newspaper is sometimes recommended to reduce the chances of infection and discomfort after a spay procedure. In addition to this, routine home examination of the surgical site alerts owners to any infections should they arise.

    Hypothermia

    • Any surgery that uses anesthesia has the potential to cause hypothermia due to the body's temperature dropping when general anesthesia is administered. Spaying surgery uses general anesthesia, which renders the cat or kitten completely unconscious. During surgery and post surgery, a veterinary technician monitors your kitten for drastic changes in body temperature, but hypothermia and depressed body temperatures can linger for up to 12 hours after surgery. Hypothermia is a particular concern for very young kittens who may not have the body mass or system capacity to regulate their temperature to an adequate degree.

    Aspiration

    • Most veterinarians advise pet owners to restrict their cat's water and food intake for 12 hours before surgery. These advisories do not apply to kittens. Kittens are not able to withstand a 12-hour period without food; if food is withheld, they may develop low blood sugar. However, if food or water are present in the stomach when anesthesia is given, the kitten may vomit and choke on those stomach contents. Aspiration can cause serious concern, particularly if your veterinary clinic or hospital intubates anesthetized patients.