Spay and Neuter All you Ever Wanted to Know!
Why Spay and Neuter?
There are many reasons to spay and neuter your pet but we realize that there is controversy over the decision. Firstly, over pet population still exists.
There are many reasons to spay and neuter your pet but we realize that there is controversy over the decision. Firstly, over pet population still exists.
Secondly, depending on whether you have a cat, small dog or large dog there are different reasons, as they are different needs and concerns.
Cats: Spay
Even indoor cats can go into heat especially in multi cat households. Even brother and sisters and mothers and sons will mate with each other. If a cat that is not actively breeding is left unspayed they can develop a condition that leads to pyometra (infection in the uterus) and for every year they are left unspayed they have higher and higher risk of mammary cancer. Cats that are left unspayed will try more often then spayed female to escape the confines of the house. They tend to live longer because they do not get hit by cars as often, contract diseases as often, die fighting, go missing or die due to birthing issues.
The Controversy: Spayed cats get fat - Well this is TRUE! IF you do not regulate their intake. Spayed cat need 25% less calories then unspayed cats.
Best Time to Spay: 5-6 months of age - when the baby teeth are falling out and the adult teeth are coming in. We do not like to spay prior to 4-5 months unless we have to due to studies having shown spaying to prematurely increasing the risk of hip fractures.
Cats: Neuter
Outdoor/indoor cats: are more likely to fight and get repeated abscesses or injury and therefore, more veterinary visits and more risk of contracting feline viruses. They are more likely to act aggressive with other cats, animals and people. They are more likely to have urine marking behavior and spray indoors and outdoors. They are more likely to roam and go missing. Once neutered they tend to live longer for the same reason spayed females do.
The Controversy: The same as with spayed cats.
The Best Time to Neuter: The same as with the spayed cats.
Small Dogs < 15 kg: Spay
Smaller breeds dogs such as Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas, poodles, maltese terriers, pugs, dachshunds, jack russel terriers, etc. have very different needs and disease conditions from the large breed dogs. We find that smaller breeds have a higher risk of pyometra (infection in the uterus) and a much higher rate of mammary cancer. For every heat cycle there is a higher chance of mammary tumors. Of which 50% are malignant and 50% are benign but must be surgical removed. Small breeds also have less risk on bladder leakage than large breed dogs do. Intact dogs tend to roam more and try to escape yards and therefore get injured more often. They tend to have more aggression issues which leads to injuries and problems with other owners. They often live shorter lifespans due to the above increased risk factors.
The Controversy: Spayed dogs also get fat - This is TRUE! Relative intake is extremely important especially if your pet is not getting a lot of exercise. Free access to a yard dose not mean your dog will actively exercise enough. They too require 25% less calories and of course some dog breeds or individuals like us struggle with weight more than others.
Best Time to Spay: 5-6 months of age - when the baby teeth are falling out and the adult teeth are coming in. We recommend that if you are unsure have a no charge check with one of our technicians to see if we are ready to spay.
Larger Dog > 15 kg: Spay
Larger breeds such as great danes, mastiffs, rottweilers, german shepards, Labradors, hounds, border collies, etc have much different needs. They have a much lower risk or mammary cancer, but these risks are weighed against the need to protect larger dogs from increased risk of orthropedic issues such as cruciate (knee) disease and shorten urethra and urinary leakage (leading to possible urinary tract infection). The advantages to spaying are reduced aggression, reduced roaming behaviors, less cancers (in the reproductive areas), overall longer lives due to reduction of the above.
The controversy: The same as all the above but can be more concerning due to the orthopedic issues in larger dogs.
Best Time to Spay: When considered full grown. > 6 months to 1.5 years depending on breed and size - ask your vet.
Dogs: Neuter
Small dogs can be neutered as early as 5-6 months as with the females but the timing is not as imperative as with the female small dogs. They should be neutered by 4-5 years of age as this is when we start to see more issues with prostate disease (infection, inflammation and tumors) and more testicular tumors. In large breed dogs we like to wait until >6 months to 1.5 years for the same reasons as with the females. We like to see them neutered by 4-5 years of age for the same reasons as the small dogs. A reason why we might neuter sooner is aggression, marking behavior, living or access to females that are intact, roaming, and lack of proper fencing (> 6 feet high, a intact male will jump a fence or break a window to get to an intact in heat female) as just a few examples. Statistics do show that neutered males live longer lifespans due to lack of the above resulting in disease and injury.
Cats: Spay
Even indoor cats can go into heat especially in multi cat households. Even brother and sisters and mothers and sons will mate with each other. If a cat that is not actively breeding is left unspayed they can develop a condition that leads to pyometra (infection in the uterus) and for every year they are left unspayed they have higher and higher risk of mammary cancer. Cats that are left unspayed will try more often then spayed female to escape the confines of the house. They tend to live longer because they do not get hit by cars as often, contract diseases as often, die fighting, go missing or die due to birthing issues.
The Controversy: Spayed cats get fat - Well this is TRUE! IF you do not regulate their intake. Spayed cat need 25% less calories then unspayed cats.
Best Time to Spay: 5-6 months of age - when the baby teeth are falling out and the adult teeth are coming in. We do not like to spay prior to 4-5 months unless we have to due to studies having shown spaying to prematurely increasing the risk of hip fractures.
Cats: Neuter
Outdoor/indoor cats: are more likely to fight and get repeated abscesses or injury and therefore, more veterinary visits and more risk of contracting feline viruses. They are more likely to act aggressive with other cats, animals and people. They are more likely to have urine marking behavior and spray indoors and outdoors. They are more likely to roam and go missing. Once neutered they tend to live longer for the same reason spayed females do.
The Controversy: The same as with spayed cats.
The Best Time to Neuter: The same as with the spayed cats.
Small Dogs < 15 kg: Spay
Smaller breeds dogs such as Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas, poodles, maltese terriers, pugs, dachshunds, jack russel terriers, etc. have very different needs and disease conditions from the large breed dogs. We find that smaller breeds have a higher risk of pyometra (infection in the uterus) and a much higher rate of mammary cancer. For every heat cycle there is a higher chance of mammary tumors. Of which 50% are malignant and 50% are benign but must be surgical removed. Small breeds also have less risk on bladder leakage than large breed dogs do. Intact dogs tend to roam more and try to escape yards and therefore get injured more often. They tend to have more aggression issues which leads to injuries and problems with other owners. They often live shorter lifespans due to the above increased risk factors.
The Controversy: Spayed dogs also get fat - This is TRUE! Relative intake is extremely important especially if your pet is not getting a lot of exercise. Free access to a yard dose not mean your dog will actively exercise enough. They too require 25% less calories and of course some dog breeds or individuals like us struggle with weight more than others.
Best Time to Spay: 5-6 months of age - when the baby teeth are falling out and the adult teeth are coming in. We recommend that if you are unsure have a no charge check with one of our technicians to see if we are ready to spay.
Larger Dog > 15 kg: Spay
Larger breeds such as great danes, mastiffs, rottweilers, german shepards, Labradors, hounds, border collies, etc have much different needs. They have a much lower risk or mammary cancer, but these risks are weighed against the need to protect larger dogs from increased risk of orthropedic issues such as cruciate (knee) disease and shorten urethra and urinary leakage (leading to possible urinary tract infection). The advantages to spaying are reduced aggression, reduced roaming behaviors, less cancers (in the reproductive areas), overall longer lives due to reduction of the above.
The controversy: The same as all the above but can be more concerning due to the orthopedic issues in larger dogs.
Best Time to Spay: When considered full grown. > 6 months to 1.5 years depending on breed and size - ask your vet.
Dogs: Neuter
Small dogs can be neutered as early as 5-6 months as with the females but the timing is not as imperative as with the female small dogs. They should be neutered by 4-5 years of age as this is when we start to see more issues with prostate disease (infection, inflammation and tumors) and more testicular tumors. In large breed dogs we like to wait until >6 months to 1.5 years for the same reasons as with the females. We like to see them neutered by 4-5 years of age for the same reasons as the small dogs. A reason why we might neuter sooner is aggression, marking behavior, living or access to females that are intact, roaming, and lack of proper fencing (> 6 feet high, a intact male will jump a fence or break a window to get to an intact in heat female) as just a few examples. Statistics do show that neutered males live longer lifespans due to lack of the above resulting in disease and injury.
