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Spay and Neuter Your Pets
by Rita Ruple, D.V.M.
published in the Northeast Times
It is a very exciting time in our lives when a new puppy or kitten is adopted. Whether it is from a shelter, a breeder, rescue group or friend, puppies and kittens will depend on you to care for them for years to come. It is important for the new owner to understand the initial time, effort, and cost it takes to raise a healthy puppy or kitten. Your puppy or kitten will need to visit the veterinarian for vaccines starting at 6-8 weeks of age and continue this schedule every 3-4 weeks until they reach 14-16 weeks of age. It will be a time to learn about diet, behavior and training, and preventative medicines to keep your pet healthy. It will also be a time to discuss spaying and neutering of your pet!
When talking about “spaying” or “neutering” your pet, there are many terms that are used to describe the surgical alteration process. Spaying is the general term used to describe the sterilization of a female pet. The medical term is called ovariohysterectomy, in which the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterine horns and body are removed. In the male pet, the two testicles are removed in a process called orchiectomy, otherwise known as castration or neuter. Whether you pet is female or male, both procedures are performed while your pet is asleep under general anesthesia to ensure the surgical procedure is non-painful. Healthy pets generally recover quickly and are only required to be kept calm and quiet a few days after the procedure to allow the surgical incision to heal properly. Additional procedures may also be performed at the same time as spay or neuter, such as removal of retained deciduous (baby) teeth, removal of dewclaws in puppies, declawing of kittens, and implantation of a microchip.
So when is a good time to spay or neuter your pet?
Dogs and cats will reach sexual maturity between 5-8 months of age depending on their breed and overall health. Between 5-6 months of age is a good time to spay or neuter, although these procedures may be performed earlier than this depending on your veterinarian. Dogs and cats do not exhibit secondary sexual characteristics that tell you they are reaching sexual maturity, however, some unwanted behaviors may appear such as urine marking, extreme affection or aggression, and vocalization. Female dogs can have 2 heat cycles in a year, every 6 months, which may last up to 21 days. Female cats can have a heat cycle every 2-3 weeks during the warm months unless they are bred. Once male dogs and cats reach sexual maturity, will actively seek out a mate, often marking their territory with urine (including your home and furnishings) and possibly fighting with other animals if necessary to get to a female in heat.
In addition to eliminating unwanted behavior, there are several health advantages to having your pet spayed or neutered at a young age. In female animals, spaying can eliminate ovarian cancer and prevents some forms of mammary (breast) cancers. Also in female pets, spaying can prevent infection of the uterus, called pyometra, which can make your pet very ill and can be fatal. In male animals, neutering will prevent cancer of the testicles and reduce the risk of cancer of the prostate gland. Neutering also removes the hormonal influence on the prostate to enlarge over time and reduces the risk of infection of the prostate gland.
In the veterinary world, we get many questions concerning spaying or neutering their pet such as, “Will my pet’s growth be stunted if they are spayed or neutered at a young age?” or “Will my pet become fat and lazy after their surgery?” or “I really want my pet to have a litter of puppies/kittens, is it ok to wait?” or “The cost of the surgery is too much, do I have to spay or neuter my pet?”
The truth of the matter is spaying and neutering does not stunt the growth of your pet if it is performed at an early age – in fact, many young animal recover more quickly than older pets. As to the comment of becoming lazy and fat after a spay, there are changes in metabolism that occur due to a decrease in certain hormone levels, but these have only a small effect on the animal’s overall activity level. To compensate for the change in metabolism, feeding your pet 25% less food than they were eating previously and maintaining a healthy exercise routine will help curb any increases in weight.
The idea of letting your pet have a litter of puppies or kittens seems like a great idea, but you must consider your pet going into heat and breeding at the correct time, choosing an appropriate mate, prenatal care of your pet and aftercare of the new family when the babies arrive. It is also best to wait until your pet is at least 2 years of age before considering breeding your pet. The risk for cancer and infection increases with age for every year a female pet is not spayed.
As to the expenses of spaying or neutering your pet, it is variable among veterinary hospitals. Many of the surgical costs depend on the size, sex, and age of your pet and the services provided. It is important to ask what is involved in your pet’s surgery – whether it includes an exam, pre-surgical bloodwork, use of special instruments such as a laser to perform the surgery, or use of pain medications after the surgery. The cost of the surgical procedure is a one time cost for your pet – as opposed to the cost of caring for a litter of young or dealing with cancer later in life.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, 4 to 6 million animals are placed in a shelter every year. Only half of those pets find homes, where as others are humanely euthanized due to overpopulation. In addition to reducing the pet population, spaying and neutering has many benefits including reduction of unwanted behaviors, prevention of cancer and infection, and promotion of better health and well being for your pet.
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