Being a foster mom, I've picked up a few after spay or neuter. Usually they keep them a few hours. Once I picked up one of mine after having a lump removed and she could hardly stand, her feet kept slipping. Almost every other one was running and bouncing down the hall to me after a few hours.
My surgery times have ranged from 9am to around noon and I usually pick up around 3 or 4pm.
Thankfully, my vet doesn't keep them overnight. Seems silly since like I said most of mine have come bounding down the hall to me, even the male who had a dozen staples up his forehead! I did hear a story recently of a vet who does the overnights after spays and in the night while unattended for those 8-12 hours, her incision came open and she bled to death right there in the empty vet office. I am sure this is highly unusual, but mine have always come home just fine, in fact I have to work on keeping the evening low key.
The only thing I do as a rule of thumb is have them skip dinner or feed a very small dinner around 9 or 10 pm. I haven't had one nauseous yet, but don't want to take chances letting them become dehydrated from getting sick after a surgery either.
Good luck finding a vet you feel comfortable with!
Ashlie
