NEUTERING YOUR PETS

DEFINITIONS
Spay - Surgical removal of both ovaries and uterus from a female cat or dog for the purpose of preventing reproduction.

Neuter or Castrate - Surgical removal of both testicles from a male cat or dog for the purpose of preventing reproduction. Neuter is also the term used for surgical removal of sex organs from male and female animals.

Intact - A cat or dog that has not been spayed or neutered and is capable of reproduction.

QUESTIONS, FACTS, AND  MYTHS ABOUT NEUTERING

Why should your dog or cat be neutered?
Pet overpopulation is a tremendous problem.  Shelters and pounds are forced to euthanize thousands of unwanted pets each year.  Responsible pet owners realize this and do the right thing by neutering their pets. 

According to the one SPCA shelter:

The fact that a pet dog or cat is exceptionally pretty, cute, or lovable does not mean it is a good candidate for breeding. Breeding should always be left to responsible professional breeders.  Irresponsible breeding of inferior animals perpetuates genetic diseases and conditions like hip dysplasia, allergies, congenital cataracts, inherited behavioral problems, and many more issues. 

Non-neutered males have an increased risk of cancer (testicular, perianal, and possibly prostate).

Some pet owners are concerned that their neutered pet will become fat and lazy.
There is no basis for this belief.  Neutered animals that are properly fed and exercised have no more weight problems than non neutered animals that are properly fed and exercised.

Some pet owners are concerned that their neutered pet will no longer be a good protector of family and property.
Dogs have a natural instinct to protect their home and pack (you and your family).  Neutering will not effect this instinct.  Some people mistakenly confuse aggressiveness and territoriality with protection.  The two are not the same.  Intact pets can be aggressive and territorial.  Aggressiveness and territoriality, which are demonstrated by urine marking/ spraying, wandering, attacking and fighting are highly undesirable dangerous traits which should not be confused with loyalty,  Breed characteristics, love, and proper training have more influence on an animal protecting its family and home than hormones.

Some pet owners believe the pet should have a litter before spaying.
Subjecting your female to having a litter before spaying her simply has no basis in truth.  In fact, there is a less than 1% incidence of breast tumors in dogs  spayed prior to the first heat as opposed to an excess of 5% incidence in intact female dogs older than five years.  And spayed females will never have tumors of the ovaries or uterus.

Some pet owners believe their children should get to witness the miracle of birth.
1. There are plenty of movies, television shows, and other recordings that show the miracle of birth without adding to the serious problem of overpopulation.  Children do not benefit from the creation of unwanted animals that will go into pounds, shelters, or be dumped along the side of the road to be killed in traffic. 
2. The birthing process can be a scary experience for children, especially if there are complications or if the animal in labor becomes aggressive toward the children.  

Some pet owners want to wait till its convenient or affordable for them to have the animal neutered.
1. The average age of first heat in dogs and cats is 6 months.  But, that's an average.  Your female pet may come into heat sooner. 
2. There is no fence guaranteed to keep determined male dogs from getting to your female dog.  Likewise, there is no fence guaranteed to keep your male dog in when a female in heat is near by.
3. Female dogs and cats in heat can be irritable/aggressive as can male dogs and cats when they are determined to get to a female in heat.
4. Blood from females in heat stains furniture, carpets, etc.
Don't wait till it's convenient for you. Have your pet neutered at the right time for the pet.

Some pet owners believe spaying/neutering is dangerous.
Although general anesthesia is required neutering is not considered major surgery.   With general anesthesia there are certainly risks but we carefully monitor all pets before, during, and after surgery to insure its safety and quick recovery from the surgery. 

Some pet owners believe males don't need to be neutered.
Intact males are driven to get access to a female in heat. Fenced pets will try to climb over or dig under fences.  Males pursuing a female in heat get into fights or may be hit by cars.  Male animals can be aggressive.  They repeatedly mark  their territory with urine.  That territory can be the interior of your home.  Neutered males have a significantly lower risk of certain tumors and prostate disease. Neutered male cats are less likely to spray urine to map territory and fight with other cats.

The Neutering procedure

Sulphur Springs Vet Clinic recommends pre-surgery blood work for your dog or cat.
Why is this so important? So that we can assess kidney and liver function, prior to anesthesia, and so we can have an overall picture of your pet's health.  The liver and kidneys are the primary routes that the anesthetics are broken down and removed from the body. If they aren't working well, anesthesia may be more of a risk.   We also use the blood screening information to determine the best anesthetic protocol for your pet.

Prior to surgery we will give you instructions to withhold food and water for a specified time. It is very important to follow these instructions carefully in order to maximize your pet’s safety during anesthesia.

We sedate your pet so he won't feel any pain or be aware of what is happening. His breathing and heart rate are closely monitored by the our staff.

MALE DOG:  We make a small incision just in front of the scrotum. The testicles are removed separately.  Then the blood supply and vas deferens (spermatic cord) are tied off. Subcutaneous layers are sutured with absorbable suture material.  The skin is closed with either absorbable sutures, or visible sutures that will need to be removed 10-14 days after surgery.

MALE CAT :  We incise the scrotum in the cat to remove the testicles. Each testicle is removed and tied off as with the dog.  The two incisions are allowed to heal as an open wound with no sutures. The incisions are very small, and are usually barely noticeable.

FEMALE CAT OR DOG: Because of the location of a female's sex organs, spaying is a more involved procedure than castration of the male.  We make an incision in the abdomen.  The vessels that supply blood to the uterus and ovaries are clamped and tied. Then we remove the uterus and ovaries. We assure there is no internal bleeding, then close the incision with multiple layers of sutures or staples.

After surgery we carefully monitor your pet. Postoperative pain or discomfort is usually relatively short in duration and can be controlled with medication. We will provide you with detailed instructions for care of your pet after surgery.  Follow the instructions carefully to ensure that your pet recovers completely and successfully from the surgery.    It is very important to restrict activity and to control excessive licking of the surgical site.

Most pets recover from surgery very quickly.  Typically they are up and alert shortly after surgery, and are back to their normal selves the next day. 

If your pet has already reached puberty (age 5 to 6 months or older), behaviors influenced by hormones will take a month or two to subside.