Why Spay and Neuter

Most pet owners know that their dog or cat should be spayed or neutered. But most don’t know the added benefits of spaying and neutering. The prevention of unwanted puppies and kittens and the control of the animal population are the obvious reasons. But the health of your pet is another important motivation.

Each time a female dog or cat goes through a heat cycle, she becomes at greater risk of developing mammary cancer. The dog has the highest rate of mammary cancer of all domesticated species. Spaying your dog before her first heat cycle will reduce her risk of developing mammary cancer to 1 in 100. In cats, most mammary cancers are malignant and females that have not been spayed are seven times more likely to develop cancer.

Each time a female dog goes through a heat cycle, the lining of her uterus changes. The hormones produced during her heat and especially the prolonged action of progesterone after each heat predispose her to developing uterine infections which can be life threatening and require emergency surgery. Aside from unwanted offspring, pregnancy carries its own risks. Dystocia, or problems during delivery, requires veterinary assistance and often surgery. Spaying your dog or cat will eliminate much of these concerns.

Neutering male dogs and cats offers health benefits as well. In male dogs, the prostate enlarges as he ages due to testosterone. Over time, this enlargement predisposes the dog to urinary tract infections and prostatitis which is difficult to treat. Dogs can also develop prostate cancer. The most common signs of prostate disease are difficulty urinating or blood in the urine. If males are neutered, the prostate will shrink which significantly decreases the incidence of prostate disease. Testicular cancer is also common in older male dogs.

In both dogs and cats, males that are not neutered roam more which

increases their chances of being hit by a car and fighting with other neighborhood pets. Lastly, male dogs and cats that have not been fixed tend to be more territorial and this means more inappropriate urinating in the house.

We recommend having your pet spayed or neutered at four to six months of age, before they go through puberty. Although it can be done earlier, your pet is better able to tolerate anesthesia and surgery at this age.