“The surgery training program made me much more comfortable performing spays, especially in larger, older, and obese patients.
In veterinary school, most of our spay rotations were on small shelter kittens and puppies under six months old.
In general practice, however, many animals are spayed later in life—often between 8 and 18 months—so the anatomy and surgical challenges can be very different.
Older animals have more abdominal fat, and the structures can be more difficult to visualize, which makes the techniques we learned in school less practical.
It was incredibly helpful to practice these procedures on larger animals with Dr. Horner in a supportive learning environment. Without the added pressure of a client’s pet, it allowed me to focus on improving my technique and building confidence.”
– Dr. Victoria Stelter, Medical Director, VCA Littleton
