Importance Of Spaying And Neutering

The Importance of Spaying and Neutering

Working at a veterinary clinic, I have realized how important it is to spay or neuter your pet. One Saturday afternoon a new client came into our veterinary clinic to sign up for the puppy program package, for her new puppy Frodo. Frodo was six weeks old and in good health. The doctor had recommended for Frodo to be neutered in the next month. Frodo's owner questions the doctor about pricing and stated "I do not want to spend two hundred dollars on neutering; I do not think it is necessary". All of the risks of not neutering her puppy were explained to her before she left the clinic. The importance of spaying and neutering your pet can keep your pet healthy longer.

What are the advantages of spaying and neutering your pet? For male dogs it eliminates annoying sexual habits such as mounting behavior or lifting his leg to "mark" his territory both outdoors and in the house. It will eliminate roaming in search of females. If allowed to run loose he may fight with other males, be injured by automobiles, or get lost. If confined, he may become hyperactive or aggressive. Neutering your male dog also reduces the chance of developing infections. Neutering also reduces prostate and testicular cancer. These are all problems of older unaltered males. If a pet is an indoor and outdoor pet than less roaming behaviors means less external and internal parasite infections. Having your male pet neuter will not alter your pet's personality except to make him a calmer and healthier pet.

The advantages of spaying a female pet include eliminating unwanted heats and the inconvenience of attracting strays to your property. It eliminates the messy discharge and odor associated with estrus (heat cycle), which can last up to twenty one days. If one chooses to spay their pet before she has her first estrus it can eliminate her chances of mammary cancer that is common in older, intact females. Spaying also protects a female against the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer and uterine infection, called pyometra.

The most important reason to spay or neuter a pet is OVERPOPULATION. Having a pet spayed or