Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Your Pet

When your puppy or kitten turns four to six months old, an important decision must be made concerning its reproductive health.  If you own a purebred, registered  animal, breeding may be in your plans for the future.  In most cases, however, pet owners need to seriously consider spaying their female and neutering their male pets for the following reasons:

Every male has the capacity to father hundreds of offspring.  Often, intact males are allowed to wander at will, and they manage to find females in season (in a heat cycle) with whom they will mate.  Unwanted puppies or kittens may result, many of which are abandoned or euthanized.  Birth control for animals is a necessity and a kindness.

A sexually active dog can become infected with, and in turn, become a carrier of brucellosis.  This virus is a canine social disease and can go undetected by the dog's owner.  Neutering also decreases the risk of testicular cancer and reduces the risk of prostate disease.

Neutered males are generally less aggressive and more sociable.  Once a male dog is neutered, they are still considered potent (able to make sperm) for up to six weeks following surgery.  Also, they are less likely to wander or to become the attack victims of intact males.

Spaying a female eliminates the chances of uterine cancer and drastically reduces the chances of mammary cancer.  Pyometra, a life-threatening disease of the uterus, cannot attack a spayed female.

Intact female dogs come into heat twice per year for an entire three weeks.  Female cats will continuously cycle (go into heat) every one to two weeks until they become pregnant or are spayed to stop the process.  Sexually active males are not attracted to spayed females, thus spaying your female pet will keep the males from camping on your doorstep and howling beneath your window!

Spayed females and neutered males will not become fat and lazy unless they are overfed and exercised less.  Nor will their hunting ability be affected.

In conclusion, spaying and neutering animals adds years to their lives and pleasure to yours.