Spaying and Neutering Your Pets
Why should I have my pet spayed or neutered?
Spaying or Neutering should be considered if you are keeping any animal as a pet. The benefits to your pet’s health and to help reduce the pet overpopulation crisis make this decision easier. What are the advantages of neutering my male pet? Reduces the risk of prostate cancer and prostatitis, Reduces the risk of hormone-related diseases such as perianal adenoma, Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer, the second most common cancer in intact dogs, removal of sexual urges, which usually decreases roaming behaviors, Reduction of certain types of aggression.
*What are the advantages of spaying in the female pet? Prevention of “heat” or estrus, When in “heat”, the female experiences an urge to escape in order to find a mate. This unwanted and dangerous behavior is eliminated, It eliminates the possibility of false pregnancy following the “heat cycle”, Prevention of uterine infection known as pyometra, The prevention of breast cancer. Pets spayed before the first “heat” have less than 0.5% chance of developing breast cancer. Elimination of the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer
*What are the disadvantages of spaying/neutering? Most of the perceived disadvantages are false. The most quoted of these are that the pet will become fat, lazy, and useless. Obesity is probably the most commonly quoted disadvantage of neutering. Obesity is the result of overfeeding and not exercising enough. By regulating your pet’s diet and caloric intake, you can prevent obesity in neutered or intact males. Spaying/Neutering does not cause a change in personality, guarding instincts, intelligence, playfulness and affection.
*When should the operation be performed? Research reveals that neutering a pet at an early age does not cause any increased risk. Most veterinarians recommend spaying/neutering at around six months of age.
*Are there any dangers associated with the operation? Spaying/Neutering is considered a major operation and requires general anesthesia. With modern anesthetics and monitoring equipment, the risk of complications is very low. It has been said that your pet has a greater chance of being injured in a car wreck than having an anesthetic or surgical complications.
*What happens when my pet undergoes this procedure? Your pet will be examined by a veterinarian and pre-anesthetic blood tests will usually be performed. If everything is acceptable, your pet will then be anesthetized. Your pet will have an intravenous catheter placed to administer the anesthetic and to provide fluid therapy during the surgery. After your pet is anesthetized, a breathing tube will be placed in his trachea or “windpipe”. This will deliver oxygen and the gas anesthetic, most commonly isoflurane, directly into the lungs. The neuter surgery consists of making a small incision in front of the scrotum and removing the testicles. The spay surgery consists of making a small incision just below the umbilicus and removing the ovaries and uterus.
*Why should I test my pet before anesthesia? Physical examinations alone cannot determine hidden processes in your pet’s organ function. If the pre-anesthetic testing results are normal, we can proceed with confidence. If not, we can alter the anesthetic procedure or take other precautions to safeguard your pet’s health. Without pre-anesthetic blood work, our choices are limited. We do not have the luxury of tailoring the anesthetic plan to meet the needs of your pet’s current health status. Furthermore, if the results of the blood work revealed major abnormalities, we can postpone the procedure to focus on your pet’s health and avoid putting unnecessary stress on their system.
*Are there any post-operative precautions I should take? Rest and restriction of activity are the primary post-operative care you should provide. Most pets can resume normal activity five to ten days after surgery.
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