Surgical Care, Built Around Cats

Please note: all surgical and dental procedures are performed next door at our sister hospital, Rialto Animal Hospital.

When your cat needs surgery, you want a team you trust — one that knows your cat, communicates clearly, and combines technical skill with genuine compassion. At Rialto Animal Hospital, every aspect of our surgical care is built around feline patients: anesthetic protocols tailored to cats, monitoring suited to feline physiology, and post-operative care designed to keep stress low and recovery comfortable.

Our surgical services include:

  • Spay and neuter surgery
  • Dental procedures
  • Soft tissue surgery (mass removals, foreign body removal, bladder surgery, and more)

A Word on Anesthesia Safety

We know anesthesia is often the most worrying part of surgery for cat families. Modern veterinary anesthesia is very safe — especially when paired with proper pre-anesthetic screening, continuous monitoring, and protocols designed specifically for cats.

Every surgical patient at Rialto Animal Hospital receives:

  • Pre-anesthetic bloodwork to confirm your cat is healthy enough for the procedure
  • Individualized anesthetic protocols designed for cats and tailored to your cat’s age and health
  • IV catheter and fluid support throughout the procedure
  • Continuous monitoring of heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, oxygen, and temperature
  • A trained veterinary technician at your cat’s side from start to finish
  • Pain management before, during, and after surgery

As with human medicine, no procedure is entirely risk-free — but our team works hard to minimize risk and provide attentive, conscientious care every step of the way.

Spay and Neuter Surgery

Spaying and neutering offer well-documented health and behavioral benefits — and they’re one of the most meaningful things you can do for your cat’s long-term well-being.

For female cats, spaying (ovariohysterectomy) eliminates heat cycles, reduces the risk of certain mammary tumors (especially when done before the first heat), and prevents potentially deadly uterine infections like pyometra.

For male cats, neutering (orchiectomy) reduces spraying, marking, and roaming behaviors, and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.

When to spay or neuter: Most cats are spayed or neutered around 6 months of age — before they reach sexual maturity. Early spay/neuter is associated with the strongest preventive benefits and helps avoid the development of behaviors like spraying and yowling during heat cycles. Our doctors will help you decide on the best timing for your individual cat at their kitten or wellness exam.

Dental Procedures

Dental disease is one of the most common health problems in cats — by age three, the majority of cats show some signs of it. Because cats are remarkably good at hiding mouth pain, most owners never realize their cat is suffering until the disease is well advanced.

Professional dental procedures at Rialto Animal Hospital are performed under general anesthesia, which is the only way to provide the level of care a cat’s mouth truly needs. During a dental procedure, our team will:

  • Take full-mouth dental X-rays to evaluate the structures beneath the gumline (where most feline dental disease lives)
  • Perform a thorough oral exam, charting every tooth and identifying problem areas
  • Scale and polish all tooth surfaces, including beneath the gumline
  • Treat painful conditions like tooth resorption, periodontal disease, fractured teeth, and stomatitis
  • Extract diseased teeth when necessary — often providing dramatic relief for cats who have been silently suffering

Cats often feel and act noticeably better after a dental procedure. Many owners are surprised to discover just how much their cat’s personality changes once oral pain is addressed: more playful, more affectionate, more interested in eating. It’s one of the most rewarding services we offer.

For more on dental wellness and what you can do between cleanings, visit our Wellness Exams and Vaccines page.

Soft Tissue Surgery

We perform a wide range of soft tissue surgeries in-house, including:

  • Mass and tumor removals
  • Foreign body removal (the swallowed string, the hair tie, the bit of ribbon)
  • Bladder stone removal
  • Wound repair and laceration care
  • Hernia repair
  • Biopsies
  • Eye and eyelid surgeries
  • Abdominal surgeries

Because most soft tissue procedures can be performed by our in-house surgical team, you don’t have to travel — and your cat recovers in the hands of the team they already know.

Specialist Referrals

For procedures that fall outside the scope of our in-house surgical capabilities, we’re happy to provide referrals to board-certified veterinary surgeons and specialty centers. We’ll share your cat’s records, coordinate care, and help guide you through the options. Your cat’s health and your confidence in their care come first — however you choose to move forward.

Recovery & Ongoing Support

Surgery is just one part of your cat’s healing journey, and we’re here for all of it. Our team will walk you through:

  • Pre-surgical preparation and what to expect on procedure day
  • Post-operative pain management
  • Activity restriction guidelines and recovery timelines
  • Recheck exams and progress monitoring
  • Home care instructions tailored to your cat’s procedure

Visit our Surgical Patients page for detailed pre-surgical and post-operative instructions.

If you have questions during recovery, we want to hear from you. Don’t wait — call us.

Schedule a Surgical Consultation

If your cat needs surgery — or you’re not sure whether they do — call us at (909) 546-3321 or request an appointment online. Our team will help you understand your options and find the best path forward for your cat.

For New KITTEN Information (Vaccination and Health Care Schedule), CLICK HERE