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5 Good Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet 

4/28/2014

12 Comments

 
Veterinary experts agree: Having your dog or cat spayed or neutered is the right, responsible choice. Need more convincing? Find out about some important benefits.


Want to do something for your pet that is great for his health and is also an act of responsible pet ownership? Have your animal spayed or neutered. When you make the decision to spay or neuter a pet, you are also making a socially responsible choice — each year, millions of unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized.

So when would a pet owner not want to spay or neuter a pet? According to Bonnie Beaver, DVM, a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University, the only instance should be if the dog or cat is a breeding animal. Some hunters feel that if a male hunting dog is castrated, he will not work effectively, but this is just an old wives’ tale. “There really hasn’t been any strong scientific evidence that says that this is the case,” says Dr. Beaver.

Important Reasons to Spay and Neuter Pets

Here are some of the pet health benefits of choosing to sterilize your furry companion:

  • Relieves stress. “Physiologically, animals are geared toward pregnancy or nursing,” says Beaver. “If they are not doing that, they are physiologically stressed.”
  • Cuts down cancer risks. When you spay or neuter your pet, it reduces your pet’s risk of developing certain cancers and may lengthen their lives. In females, spaying cuts down the odds of developing mammary, ovarian, and uterine cancer. In males, the risk of developing testicular cancer is decreased after neutering.
  • Prevents urinary tract infections. Having a pet spayed or neutered also lowers your pet’s risk of developing urinary tract problems. This can be particularly important for cats since urinary tract disease can be very serious or even fatal in felines.
  • Promotes better behavior. When you spay or neuter your pet, it reduces undesirable behavior. “It can decrease the roaming of males who may get hit by cars or get picked up as strays,” says Beaver. In dogs, it can lessen howling, barking, and urine marking. Male cats will be less likely to mark their territory with urine when they are neutered; spaying female cats will prevent yowling, which is what they do to attract males when they are in heat.
  • Eliminates female canine menstruation. Female dogs experience heat cycles approximately every six months or so, which can leave bloody stains around the house. “Female dogs that are not spayed have bloody discharge,” says Beaver.

How Will Your Pet Feel?


Spaying or neutering a pet is a major surgery, but these are also some of the most commonly performed procedures. Your pet will be given general anesthesia during the surgery, and pain medications are often given after the procedure to minimize pain or discomfort. After the surgery, your veterinarian may recommend keeping your pet indoors in a quiet place to recover. She may also suggest ways to keep your pet calm and prevent your pet from running and jumping. Stitches are usually removed 10 to 14 days later.

It is recommended that female dogs and cats not be spayed while they are in heat since they may be susceptible to increased blood loss. If you want to have an older dog or cat undergo sterilization, have your veterinarian evaluate your pet to make sure the animal is in good health before undergoing the procedure.

Your pet will be calmer and better behaved after surgery — reducing the breeding instinct can eliminate the desire to roam to find a mate. More importantly, your dog or cat will be healthier, more content, and a more devoted member of the family.

12 Comments
scott link
12/7/2016 12:27:24 pm

I had no idea that animals are geared toward having children. I can see why they could become stressed out if they are not doing that. My sister is thinking about getting a poodle for her family. I'll have to remind her the importance of having it spayed and neutered in order for it to be more well behaved.

Reply
Austin Saunders link
3/4/2020 08:54:02 am

I like what you said about neutering your pet since it can help relieve their stress. My sister has been telling me about how she wants to get a dog in the coming days. I'll share this information with her so that she can look into her options for professionals who can help her with neutering.

Reply
Zachary Tomlinson link
1/23/2022 07:38:51 pm

I never knew that spaying your furry friend can help improve their behavior as you control their sexual urges. My friend talked about adopting a couple of puppies as his companion during remote work. I'll be sure to let him know about this so he can visit a vet if he's interested.

Reply
Mia Evans link
8/4/2022 08:49:56 pm

I like that you pointed out that the animal desexing will be able to reduce behavioral issues such as roaming that can cause accidents. I will make sure that I invest in this now that I plan to get a cat this year. It will be my first time to become an owner, so I have to research well to be a responsible one for the safety of the animal.

Reply
Eli Richardson link
8/23/2022 12:40:51 pm

It really helped when you described how to avoid urinary infections in our pet's life. I'm going to adopt a dog next week, and I want to know if I should spay her or not, so I'll read your advice carefully first. I'm grateful for your insight on spaying your pets to improve their life quality.

Reply
Iris Smith link
9/1/2022 05:23:17 pm

I just took a stray cat and made the decision to keep it as a pet. I think it's useful that you mentioned that having a pet spayed or neutered also reduces the likelihood of your pet getting urinary tract issues. I'll look for a professional to do the spay-neuter surgery carefully.

Reply
John Carston link
10/3/2022 07:26:10 pm

I'm glad that you talked that a better behavior could be achieved when your pet has recovered from neutered surgery. My sister told me last night that she wants her pet to be spayed to reduce the risk of health problems and to have a good behavior, and she asked if I had any thoughts on what would be the best option to consider. I appreciate this instructive article, I'll tell her that she can consult a trusted animal hospital as they can provide proper treatment.

Reply
George Worth link
1/4/2023 02:14:42 pm

It's cool that you point out that having your pet neutered can help protect them from cancer. I want my new puppy to live a long and happy life, so I'm considering taking him to a veterinarian clinic to get neutered this month. I'm going to look for a reputable veterinary clinic in my area that offers puppy neutering services.

Reply
Millie Hue link
1/14/2023 02:34:41 am

It's great to know that our pet will receive anesthesia when it undergoes surgery as well as pain medications after when they are spayed or neutered. That is great news because we wanted our dog to be spayed once we find a veterinary hospital here in Pensacola, Florida. It's to prevent it from being aggressive and getting lost if it tries to escape the property to find a mate.

Reply
Tex Hooper link
1/30/2023 01:38:05 pm

I didn't know that female dogs have heat cycles. My wife and I need to get a vet to check out our cat. She keeps screaming.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
3/29/2023 03:21:07 am

It made sense when you mentioned that pet desexing is major surgery. My friend wants a safe desexing for his pet. I should advise him to turn to a vet that specializes in pet desexing.

Reply
Lucy Randle link
5/13/2023 03:28:05 am

I used to have a lot of trouble with my cat peeing outside the litter box, and it was causing me a lot of stress and frustration. But then I discovered the Stop Cat Peeing Online program and it has made all the difference. The program offers practical solutions and a supportive community of cat owners who are all going through similar issues. It's been really helpful to connect with others who understand what I'm going through.
If you're struggling with this problem, I highly recommend giving it a try. It's been a real game-changer for me and my furry friend.

Reply



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