To spay (or neuter) or not to spay? It is not even a question…
The benefits for you and your pet
Let’s start with the health benefits for your pet:
- Spaying female pets can prevent uterine infections (a potentially life-threatening condition that requires an expensive surgery)
- Spaying female pets greatly reduces the risk of breast tumors (which are cancerous in about 50% of dogs and 80-90% of cats)
- Neutering male pets eliminates their risk of testicular cancer
- Neutering male pets can reduce their risk of developing enlarged prostate glands
And the benefits for you:
- Neutered male pets are less likely to mark their territory by urinating in the house
- There will be less roaming, fighting and moodiness (and they will still protect your family)
- It reduces unwanted behaviors such as biting
The benefits for the rest of the world
Think letting your pet have one litter before you have them spayed or neutered is cute? Think again: millions of adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized in the U.S. every year because the shelters are overflowing. Not spaying or neutering your pet leads to unplanned litters (and potentially thousands of unwanted animals) that could have been prevented. Even if you can find homes for the kittens or puppies in your pet’s litter, you would still take away homes from shelter pets, who may end up being euthanized. It is a myth that your pet should have a litter before being spayed. There are no health benefits, and the procedure is much easier if done before the first heat.
When to spay or neuter your pet?
To reap the full health benefits, it is best to spay your pet before they reach sexual maturity (for females: before their first heat). Mammary tumors are more common in female dogs that are either not spayed or were spayed after two years of age. The risk of a dog developing a mammary tumor is 0.5% if spayed before their first heat (approximately six months of age), 8% after their first heat, and 26% after their second heat. Cats spayed before six months of age have a seven-times reduced risk of developing mammary cancer and spaying at any age reduces the risk of mammary tumors by 40% to 60% in cats.
(source: American College of Veterinary Surgeons)
Is it safe?
Spay and neuter surgeries are the most common animal surgeries: our doctors perform them multiple times a week. Most pets experience relatively little discomfort. The procedure is performed under anesthesia, and we provide pain medication for afterwards. Your pet is usually up and running again within a day or two.
Never too old
Although it is best to have your pet spayed or neutered early in life, they are never too old for it. A lot of our clients come in with their six-year-old males and say they had always planned on getting it done, but they now think their dog is too old. They are surprised when our doctors tell them otherwise.
If you have a pet that has not been spayed or neutered, please consider scheduling the procedure. Call or text us at 610-277-8387 or email us at reception@bridgeportveterinary.com