We recommend spaying and neutering between
6-15 MONTHS OLD
based on your pet's specific breed and estimated size. there are medical benefits to having your dog or cat spayed or neutered at the appropriate age. Speak to your World of Animals veterinarian who will be happy to discuss the ideal age for your pet.
Spaying and neutering your pets comes with a myriad of health and behavioral benefits that allow them to live longer, happier lives. Some of the benefits of spaying and neutering your pets include:
Healthier Pets
Pets that are “fixed” live longer than those who aren't. This finding could be related to pets’ strong urge to roam when they are not “fixed,” putting them at high risk of being hit by a car and getting in fights with other animals. What’s more, altering pets greatly reduces their risks of certain cancers and disease. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer; a condition that can occur in approximately 50 percent of unspayed dogs and 90 percent of unspayed cats—spaying your female pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases. For males, neutering prevents enlargement and infection of the prostate gland, and is the curative treatment for testicular cancer. Contrary to popular belief, spaying or neutering does not make your pet fat; lack of exercise and overfeeding, not spaying and neutering, cause weight gain in pets. If you continue to provide proper diet and exercise, your pet will remain fit and trim.
Elimination of Heat Cycles
When a female dog or cat goes into heat, they can become highly uncomfortable, will seek attention and will likely attract attention from male dogs and cats in the area. Female felines typically go into heat for four to five days every three weeks during the breeding season, with some variance in cycles between individuals. In an attempt to attract mates, females in heat yowl loudly and urinate frequently in as many locations as possible. Neither of these behaviors is conducive to living in a human house.
Behavior
For many pet owners, a major benefit of neutering their male cat or dog is that it reduces aggressive, destructive and territorial behaviors such as spraying, mounting and roaming. Studies show that up to 60% of neutered male dogs show a decline in unprovoked aggression toward other dogs. The focus of neutered cats and dogs is on giving attention to their human families. If you have more than one pet in your household, neutered animals get along better with each other.
Overpopulation and Homelessness
There are approximately 6.5 million dogs and cats in shelters, and about 1.5 million of these animals are euthanized each year. Making the decision to spay and neuter your pets prevents overpopulation in shelters, saving the lives of animals in shelters.
Spaying and Neutering FAQs
Is it wrong to deprive an animal of its ability to reproduce?
Quite the opposite. It’s wrong to let these animals give birth to unwanted offspring only so they will be euthanized because there aren’t enough responsible homes willing to take them in.
Should my female pet have at least one litter before being spayed?
No, a female pet who even goes into heat—let alone has a litter—before being spayed has significantly worse health prospects than one who was neutered as early as possible. That said, animals can still benefit from spaying after this window has passed.
What if I find homes for my pet’s litters? Does this mean I won’t contribute to animal homelessness?
No. The number of homes that want pets is limited, and thus whenever you find a home for your pet’s offspring, you take that home away from an animal already at a shelter.
Will Neutering change my pet's personality?
By the time we neuter animals, testosterone has already created permanent changes in your pet’s brain structure. Your pet’s identity as a male is firmly established. No matter what happens to his sexual organs, your pet can be equally affectionate, engaged, laid-back, or aggressive (except for dog-on-dog aggression, which neutering does lower).
What should I expect during my appointment?
Before we can begin, Pre-Anesthetic blood work is required. This will check the status of the kidneys and liver. Because the kidneys and liver are responsible for filtering the anesthesia out of the bloodstream, a problem with either of these major organs might pose a threat to your pet’s safety during surgery. These problems may be asymptomatic, invisible until revealed by the blood work, and can affect even young pets.
After the blood work confirms that we can safely proceed, your pet will be given an injection for sedation. During this time, an IV catheter will be placed to allow for fast and easy drug administration in the case of an emergency. One of our trained veterinary technicians will perform surgical monitoring. This entails the technician keeping the surgeon informed about important factors; such as the patient’s temperature, blood pressure, respiration, oxygen level, and heart rate.
After the surgery is complete, your pet will be put in a recovery area. The patient will be given pain relief medication and diligently observed until he or she is awake. At World of Animals, we recommend your pet wear an Elizabethan collar (cone) at home to prevent licking at the incision and continuing medication for the pain. In the two weeks following the procedure, your pet will need to be well-rested, and activity that is unnecessary should be limited.
