Why should I spay or neuter my pet?
Everyone knows how cute puppies and kittens are, but did you know that there are numerous benefits to having your pet spayed or neutered?
Males
Male dogs and cats are neutered. This surgery removes the testicles through a skin incision. Pain medication is given at the time of surgery and also sent home to help recovery. Most owners report that their pets seem perfectly happy and normal by the next day!
Pets that are neutered are less likely to fight, run off, get contagious diseases (including venereal ones) and spray urine.
Pets that have been neutered do not get testicular cancer, and can be less prone to prostate cancer and prostate disease.
It is never too late to neuter, but the earlier it is done, the less likely the pet is to have behavioral or medical problems related to the reproductive system.
Females
Female dogs and cats are spayed. This surgery removes the ovaries and uterus through an abdominal incision. Pain medication is given during surgery and sent home with your pet. Most owners report that their pets seem perfectly happy and normal a few days after surgery!
Pets that are spayed are also less likely to fight, run off, get contagious diseases (including venereal diseases) and spray urine.
Pets that are spayed do not get ovarian or uterine cancer. They also do not get uterine infections, which can be life threatening.
Pets spayed before their first heat cycle are much less likely to get mammary (breast) cancer. The odds of this cancer go up dramatically with each heat cycle.
Pregnancy can be very rough on pets, especially if the male is much larger than the female, or the female has other problems.
Heat cycles are messy, loud, and annoying! Cats can go from one heat cycle to another all year-round, and dogs usually have two cycles per year.
Allowing your pet to have one litter of puppies or kittens is NOT beneficial to your pet’s mental or physical health. This is a myth!
It is never too late to spay, but the earlier it is done, the less likely the pet is to have behavioral or medical problems related to the reproductive system.