By computing the Poincaréʼs surfaces of section and Lyapunov exponents, we study the effect of introducing an oblate quadrupole in the dynamics associated with two generic spherical potentials of physical interest: the central monopole and the isotropic harmonic oscillator. In the former case we find saddle points in the effective potential, in contrast to the statements presented by Guéron and Letelier in [E. Guéron, P.S. Letelier, Phys. Rev. E 63 (2001) 035201]. The results we show in the second case have application in nuclear or atomic physics. In particular, we find values of oblate deformation leading to a disappearance of shell structure in the single-particle spectrum.