Sadly, each year more than 15 million dogs and cats are killed in the US because of pet overpopulation.
Altering pets through spay/neuter surgery helps prevent the unwanted birth of animals that would be difficult to place into good homes.
The spaying and neutering of pets can also reduce the incidence of sex-hormone related diseases.
1. Will my dog or cat be a better pet after altering? Yes. In addition to the benefits of not having heat periods and unwanted offspring, the animal’s tendency to roam is decreased. Most pets become less aggressive toward people and other animals.
2. What are some of the other known advantages of having my pet altered? The neutered male cat has a decreased urine odor, less of a tendency to fight and roam, and it is far less inclined to mark its territory by spraying urine.
The neutered male dog is also less likely to roam, mark territory, and display aggression toward other dogs. Neutered dogs have fewer tumors around the anus and decreased urine odor.
The spayed female cat and dog do not have reproductive tract disease problems, have less urinary tract infections, and significantly fewer cases of mammary cancer.
3. What is actually done in a spay or neuter procedure? In both cases, the animal is put under general anesthesia so that it cannot feel anything.
A spay surgery (also called an ovariohysterectomy) is performed on females. While performed routinely, an ovariohysterectomy is a major surgery in which the reproductive tract – including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus – is removed. Bloodwork may be performed to make sure the pet is healthy enough for anesthesia and surgery.
Neutering refers to the castration of a male animal. It is a surgical procedure in which both testicles are removed. Neutering requires considerably less time and equipment than a spay surgery.
4. How old should my pet be before surgery? Consult with your veterinarian about the best age for your pet to have this surgery.
In most cases, it is considered safe to alter dogs and cats as early as eight weeks of age.
There may be health risks/concerns specific to certain breeds and sizes of dogs, specifically larger breeds; your veterinarian may advise waiting to perform this surgery until the dog is 6 months to one year or older.
As long as they are healthy enough for surgery, there is generally no upper age limit for pets to be spayed or neutered and, in fact, older pets can benefit from the surgery.
5. Should the female have a heat period or a litter before being spayed? If your pet is going to be a companion animal rather than a breeding animal, then there are no benefits to allowing her to have a litter or to go through a heat period.
It is actually healthier for your dog or cat never to experience a heat as it lessen’s the animal’s chance of getting mammary cancer and decreases the animal’s stress and risks due to pregnancy and delivery.
Research indicates that dogs spayed prior to their first heat have less than a half of one percent chance of experiencing mammary cancer as compared to an eight percent chance after the second heat.
Cats spayed after their first heat have a seven times greater chance of suffering from mammary cancer than cats spayed prior to their first heat.
6. Is it safe for a dog or cat to be spayed when she is in heat or pregnant? Females in good health can have the surgery done when they are in heat or pregnant. Talk with your veterinarians as to what is best for your pet.
7. Isn’t it unnatural to deprive my pet of a sex life? No. Dogs and cats have sex strictly to satisfy hormone-induced instincts, not for pleasure.
8. Why shouldn’t I just keep my female dog or cat confined while she is in heat? You can do this, of course. But, remember, your unspayed dog will come into heat twice a year for its entire life. A cat comes into heat once a month for its entire life. Also, do not forget all of the other health benefits of spay surgery.
9. Will spaying or neutering my pet cause it to become fat and lazy? No. Weight gain is due to being fed more calories than the animal uses. Watch the quantity of food you give your pet. Also, older pets need fewer calories than younger ones because they tend to be less active and are no longer growing. Regular play and exercise, along with diet, are the keys to keeping your pet in shape.
BENEFITS OF SPAY/NEUTER FOR CATS AND DOGS Benefits of Spaying (females): No heat cycles, therefore males will not be attracted Less desire to roam Risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian and/or uterine cancer is reduced or eliminated, especially if done before the first heat cycle Reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives
Benefits of Neutering (males): Reduces or eliminates risk of spraying and marking Less desire to roam, therefore less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated, and decreases incidence of prostate disease Reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies Decreases aggressive behavior, including dog bites Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives
Top 3 Reasons to Spay and Neuter It helps to reduce companion animal overpopulation. Most countries have a surplus of companion animals and are forced to euthanize or disregard their great suffering. The surplus is in the millions in the United States. Cats are 45 times as prolific, and dogs 15 times as prolific, as humans.They do not need our help to expand their numbers; they need our help to reduce their numbers until there are good homes for them all.
Sterilization of your cat or dog will increase his/her chance of a longer and healthier life. Altering your canine friend will increase his life an average of 1 to 3 years, felines, 3 to 5 years. Altered animals have a very low to no risk of mammary gland tumors/cancer, prostate cancer, perianal tumors, pyometria, and uterine, ovarian and testicular cancers. Sterilizing your cat/dog makes him/her a better pet, reducing his/her urge to roam and decreasing the risk of contracting diseases or getting hurt as they roam. Surveys indicate that as many as 85% of dogs hit by cars are unaltered. Intact male cats living outside have been shown to live on average less than two years. Feline Immunodeficiency Syndrome is spread by bites and intact cats fight a great deal more than altered cats.
Additional Benefits:
Your community will also benefit. Unwanted animals are becoming a very real concern in many places. Stray animals can easily become a public nuisance, soiling parks and streets, ruining shrubbery, frightening children and elderly people, creating noise and other disturbances, causing automobile accidents, and sometimes even killing livestock or other pets. - The American Veterinary Medical Association
The capture, impoundment and eventual destruction of unwanted animals costs taxpayers and private humanitarian agencies over a billion dollars each year. As a potential source of rabies and other less serious diseases, they can be a public health hazard. - The American Veterinary Medical Association
One unspayed dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in six years.
One male cat impregnating one female cat starts a family tree of 420,000 cats over a seven year period.
Go to spca's website. They receives around 7,000 animals per year. But only 1,200 are adopted by Good Hearted people. What about the rest? Draw your own conclusion loh.
Have you sent your adult dog to be neutered. Please update us. Please do so and fast otherwise people will start calling you mongrel dog breeder instead of dog owner.
