Spaying & Neutering
Why should I?
Males of both species have an instinct to "mark" (spray or urine) their territory. If they are neutered by at least 6 months of age, they are less likely to develop this behavior. Neutering can also affect aggressive behavior; either lessening it or preventing it altogether. Going through a "heat" cycle with females, dogs or cats, can be "interesting" to say the least. Males will be drawn to them and your home; female cats can make an unnerving yowl for long periods of times, female dogs have periods so you must protect your furniture.
Dogs and cats can get most of the same diseases we do. By neutering your male pet, you are eliminating the risk of testicular cancer and reducing their risk of prostate problems. In the same way, spaying females eliminates the risk of uterine cancer, the risk of developing pyometria (a sometimes fatal uterine infection fairly common in unspayed, older females) and decreasing their risk of developing mammary tumors.
Thousands and thousands of unwanted pets are killed daily in animal shelters; more are killed on the roads or of injury or of starvation and disease. Please be a part of the solution; not the problem.
MYTHS VS. FACTS
MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise. Owners should observe their pets' eating habits and if it seems their metabolism has slowed down, the amount they are fed should be adjusted.
MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.
FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier.
MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth-which is unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion-the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others.
MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.
FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats-mixed breed and purebred.
MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to protect home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.
MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.
FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.
MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.
FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean her offspring will be a carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can't guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances are even slimmer. In fact, an entire litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet's (and her mate's) worst characteristics.
MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet, your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost-a relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It's a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can add up to significant food costs and veterinary bills if complications develop. Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets.
MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter. But each home you find means one less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good homes. Also, in less than one year's time, each of your pet's offspring may have his or her own litter, adding even more animals to the population. The problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.