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WHY SPAY OR NEUTER MY PET?
If your pet is to be primarily a pet and companion, there are many benefits to having your pet be spayed/neutered. This is ideally done at four to six months of age, but can be done at any age if necessary.
WHY SHOULD MALES BE NEUTERED?
Males help produce the unwanted puppies. Currently there are an estimated 6-8 million dogs and cats living in shelters. Of those animals between 3 and 4 MILLION are euthanized EVERY YEAR because they could not find a home. Neutering is what responsible pet owners can do to help reduce the number of unwanted pets in the United States. Just because the owners of male pets don't have to care for the puppies and kittens is no excuse to neglect neutering.
Neutering decreases the tendency to run in search of females in heat and to stake out territory from other males.
It usually will eliminate some bad habits, such as marking furniture with urine and the "mounting" of people's legs.
It eliminates common diseases in middle-aged and older dogs, such as cancer of the anus, testicles, prostate and hernias in the anal area. These conditions depend on the male hormone, testosterone and if neutered, pets rarely develop these conditions.
Tom cats fight. They are in constant rivalry for territory and mates. This can lead to bite wounds and infections that lead to illness, even death. Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus are both deadly diseases that are transmitted primarily through saliva and bite wounds.
Finally, it helps prevent the habit of urine spraying around the house, which can lead to foul odors, ruined carpeting, and destroyed furniture.
WHY SHOULD FEMALES BE SPAYED?
It eliminates the inconvenient "heat cycles" and roaming away from home related to heat cycles.
It prevents unwanted puppies and kittens. There are TOO MANY unwanted pets in the world already. If your dog or cat is a purebred and you want to breed her, be sure to discuss responsible breeding with us before you proceed to prevent inherited diseases.
It eliminates ovarian and uterine cancers and infections, and if done before the first heat cycle, it will essentially prevent breast cancer.
Spaying animals over the age of six will NOT decrease the chances of contracting cancer, but it will eliminate the risk of developing a pyometra. Pyometra is a potentially deadly infection of the uterus that is fairly common in older intact female dogs and cats.
Neutering or spaying your pet will make your pet more devoted to you as a pet or working companion rather than to other male or female animals in the area. Spaying/Neutering has NO influence on a dog's hunting ability or personality.
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