It began as a dream driven by the passion to help pets in northern Wisconsin. July marks the one-year anniversary of The Fix Is In’s high quality, low cost MASH-style spay/neuter clinic.

“I am so proud of our clinic team,” said Karla Ortman, founder and director of The Fix Is In. “Combined, they have over 45 years of veterinary experience, but they had to learn to apply their knowledge and skills in an entirely new environment. There have been many challenges, but they persevered and now excel at what they do.”

In the world of spay/neuter clinics, MASH is the most challenging style. MASH stands for mobile animal spay/neuter hospital. Three days per week, the clinic team travels to different communities and sets up a temporary spay/neuter hospital in a vacant space. After the patients are checked in, the veterinarian performs a basic physical exam on each pet to ensure it is in good health for surgery. On average, 25 surgeries are performed each day. When clients pick up their pets at the end of the day, post-operative care instructions are reviewed with the owner. The final step for the clinic team is to pack up all equipment and supplies, load up and drive back to Rhinelander, the base of operations. The clinic has performed more than 2,400 surgeries on dogs and cats in the last year.

According to Ortman, “It is a specialty clinic because this is all we do – our veterinarian specializes in spay/neuter. Dr. Snure is highly skilled and efficient, which reduces the amount of time a pet is under anesthesia, which is a good thing for the animal.”

The Fix Is In spay/neuter clinic makes regular visits to Antigo, Crandon, Conover, Medford, Mercer, Minocqua, Rhinelander and Wausau. Fees for cats start at $40, dogs at $85. There are no income requirements and pets do not stay overnight.

Included with the spay or neuter surgery for cats and dogs are a free rabies vaccination, nail trim and ear cleaning, all as needed. Appointments are required and may be made by calling (715) 550-SPAY (7729). Log on to www.thefixisin.org for dates and pricing.

The Fix Is In is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization and a participant in the ASPCA’s National Spay/Neuter Project. The clinic staff lives locally and includes a Wisconsin state licensed veterinarian and a Wisconsin state certified veterinary technician.

The clinic’s schedule is as follows: Aug. 3, Conover; Aug. 16 and 17, Medford; Aug. 7, 14 and 21, Wausau; Aug. 20, Minocqua; Aug. 9, Rhinelander; and Aug. 27, Mercer.

http://the-fix-is-in.org/