The Importance of Spaying and Neutering Your Pets
Most people understand that spaying and neutering pets is critical when it comes to controlling the pet population, and preventing innocent animals from winding up in shelters. But did you know that there are medical reasons for spaying and neutering pets?
At Switzer Veterinary Clinic, we provide treatments for urgent illnesses and injuries in dogs and cats, and we want the pet families in our community to understand that there are serious health conditions that can be prevented by spaying and neutering.
Read on for important information about the benefits of spaying and neutering for your pet’s overall health and wellness.
The Benefits of Spaying Female Pets
Spaying female cats and dogs involves removing the uterus and ovaries, which eliminates or reduces her risk of developing the following conditions:
- Uterine or Ovarian Cancer: Since she no longer has these organs, her risk of developing these two types of cancer is eliminated.
- Mammary Cancer: Some cancers, including breast cancer, can worsen in the presence of high levels of certain hormones. When you spay your cat or dog before her first heat cycle, it greatly reduces her risk of developing cancerous tumors in her mammary glands.
- Pyometra: This is a life-threatening infection of the uterus that requires urgent care and aggressive treatment. Spaying your cat or dog eliminates her risk of this potentially fatal condition.
- Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS: Intact female cats permitted to roam outdoors are more likely to fight over a mate, which makes them highly susceptible to infectious diseases that can spread through bite wounds.
The Benefits of Neutering Male Pets
As with spaying female pets, neutering male pets offers significant health benefits, including:
- Neutering Eliminates Risk of Testicular Cancer: Neutering a male dog or cat involves removing the animal’s testicles. This means that an altered male has zero risk of developing testicular cancer.
- Reduced Risk of Prostate Problems: An animal’s risk of developing prostate cancer can depend on testosterone levels. Altered males have less testosterone production, which lowers their risk of developing prostate cancer.
Other Advantages of Spaying and Neutering Pets
Spayed and neutered animals simply make better household companions, and here are some reasons why:
- Altered pets have a reduced instinct to “mark” their territories.
- Spayed or neutered cats and dogs are usually less aggressive.
- Altered dogs are less likely to exhibit “mounting” behavior.
- Un-spayed females make quite a mess when they’re in heat, and their cycles can last up to 10 days.
- Intact male dogs are more likely to run away and experience a medical emergency such as being hit by a car.
Our team understands how difficult it can be to have a seriously ill pet. Please consider all the health benefits of having your pets spayed and neutered, and know that we are here for you if your pet ever needs urgent or emergency care when your family veterinarian is unavailable.