The Benefits of Pet Spay and Neuter
Pet overpopulation is an issue in that there are more cats and dogs than there are people adopting them. Sadly, many pets who enter animal shelters will never get the homes they deserve. In addition to controlling pet overpopulation, pet spay and neuter surgeries prevent future behavioral and health problems.
Depending on your pet’s breed and size, the age at which they should be spayed or neutered may vary. However, many pet spay and neuter surgeries take place at about 6 months of age. Following a physical exam and evaluation of your pet’s medical history, we will help you decide the best age to schedule their surgery. As pets get older, the risks of surgery complications rise, so the sooner the surgery can be safely performed, the better.
The Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
In addition to giving strays and shelter pets a better chance of getting adopted by preventing unwanted pregnancies, spay and neuter surgeries offer a number of health and behavioral benefits including:
- Reduced roaming tendencies
- Eliminating heat cycles and spotting in females
- Reduced risk of mammary tumors for females
- Eliminating possibility of uterine infections or cancer in females
- Reduced aggression in males
- Eliminating possibility of testicular cancer in males
- Reduced risk of prostate problems in males
- Reduced likelihood of mounting and spraying behaviors in males
What to Expect with Surgery
As with any of our surgical procedures, we take extreme precautions for your pet’s comfort and safety. Pets are fully examined and have their blood tested before undergoing anesthesia. If an existing medical problem is discovered, we will delay surgery until it is resolved. Once under anesthesia, patients are monitored using state-of-the-art anesthetic monitoring equipment before, during, and after their procedure. Spay and neuter surgeries are typically out-patient procedures. When you arrive to pick them up, our team can address any questions you have. We will also discuss how to care for them at home and provide medication instructions.
Some owners express concern about future implications of spay and neuter surgery on their pet’s health. The benefits of this procedure widely outweigh the risks. To counteract the symptoms of low testosterone in dogs, Dr. Bieber of Sheridan West Animal Clinic created Dogosterone™ hormone replacement therapy. Please feel free to contact us at 954-432-6230 if you have any questions about spaying or neutering your pet.