Why Spay or Neuter Your Pet?

Why Spay and Neuter Your Pet

One of the most important health decisions pet parents need to consider is to spay or neuter their dog or cat. These surgical procedures are not only beneficial to you and to your furbaby, but it can also be a great help to the community. Here are the top reasons on why you should have your dog or cat sterilized.

Benefits of Spaying

Spaying, or Ovariohysterectomy, is the surgical removal of a female animal’s reproductive organs so she can’t become pregnant. This surgical procedure is performed by a veterinarian while your pet is under general anesthesia so that she can’t feel any pain. Here are some medical and behavioral benefits of spaying your female furbaby:

• Your female pet will live a longer and healthier life. Spaying helps reduce the odds of uterine infections and breast cancer, which are fatal in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat - which occurs as early as 5 months of age - offers the best protection from these diseases.
• Spaying eliminates your female furbaby’s messy heat cycles. While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to allure mates, they’ll yowl and urinate more frequently - sometimes all over the house! This can bring unwanted visitors to your yard and might produce a litter of unplanned kittens.
• Spayed females are less likely to roam and experience hormone-related moodiness.

Benefits of Neutering

Neutering, or Castration, is the surgical removal of a male animal’s testicles so that he can’t impregnate a female. Also performed under general anesthesia, neuter is a simpler surgery than a spay. Here are some medical and behavioral benefits of neutering your male furbaby:

• Neutering provides major long-term health benefits to your male companion. It eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and reduces the risk of developing some prostate problems in male pets.
• Your male pup won’t have an urge to roam and is more content to stay at home. Neutering will decrease the chances that your furbaby will become lost, get into fights with other animals and get trauma from vehicle strikes and other accidental mishaps.
• Neutering helps curb undesirable behaviors related to their mating instinct. The procedure can help reduce and possibly eliminate unwanted behaviors such as spraying, wailing, marking their territory through the use of strong-smelling urine, and making inappropriate sexual approaches toward people or objects. And instead of these behaviors, neutered pups and felines will focus their attention more towards you (rather than finding a mate).
• Neutering may also decrease aggressive behaviors. Your furbaby may have a lesser tendency to bite, but will still be protective of your home and family. Many aggression problems can also be avoided by early neutering.

Benefits to Your Community

Spaying and neutering also help reduce the number of abandoned and neglected animals in a community. Every year, millions of healthy cats and dogs, of all ages and breeds, are euthanized or suffer as stray animals. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by these procedures. By having your pups and felines sterilized, you will do your part in the prevention of pet overpopulation and the reduction of stray animals on the streets.

Resources:

• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/spaying-and-neutering-your-dog-faqs/
• https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/spayneuter-your-pet
• https://pets.webmd.com/reasons-spay-neuter-pet
• https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/overpopulation/spay-neuter/
• https://www.paws.org/resources/why-spay-neuter/
• https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/spaying-and-neutering