Dog Spaying & Neutering
Whether you’ve recently adopted a dog or you’re considering it, one of the most important health decisions you’ll make is to spay or neuter your dog.
What is Spaying & Neutering?
Spaying is a veterinary procedure in which the ovaries and uterus of a female pet are removed. The procedure requires minimal hospitalization and offers lifelong health benefits.
Neutering is a veterinary procedure in which the testicles of your male dog are removed. The procedure requires minimal hospitalization and vastly improves your pet’s behavior.
Here are 10 reasons to spay and neuter your dog.
- Your female dog will live a longer, healthier life.
Spaying will help prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, which is fatal in about 90 percent of dogs. Spaying your dog before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases. - Neutering provides major health benefits for your male dog.
Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male dog prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age. - Your spayed female dog won’t go into heat.
While cycles can vary, female canines usually go into heat for seven to ten days every six months. In an effort to advertise for mates, they’ll urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house! - Your male dog won’t want to roam away from home.
An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate! That includes making like Houdini to escape from the house or yard. And once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males. - Your neutered male dog will be much better behaved.
Neutered dogs focus their attention on their human families. Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering. - Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.
Don’t use that old excuse! Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake. - It is highly cost-effective.
The cost of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. - Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community.
Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children. Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets. - Your pet doesn’t need to have a litter for your children to learn about the miracle of birth.
Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is not a good lesson for your children—especially when so many unwanted animals end up in shelters. There are tons of books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a more responsible way. - Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation.
Every year, millions of dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.