Spaying or neutering your dog or cat in Monroeville, PA is an important decision. There are many benefits to getting your cat and dog neutered or spayed. So, what exactly is spaying and neutering? Spaying is a procedure that females undergo to remove the ovaries and uterus. Neutering is a procedure that males undergo to remove the testicles. The goal of both procedures is to stop reproduction. They are both simple and your pet will be in and out the same day. The typical recovery time is a few hours for the anesthesia to wear off and then a few days for the stitches to heal. Now that we know what the procedures consist of, what are the benefits?
Longevity with Cat and Dog Neuter or Spay
There have been multiple studies in recent years about the correlation between spaying and neutering your pet, and longevity. Males and females in both cats and dogs showed an increase in life expectancy when they had been spayed or neutered compared to their counterparts that had not. One such study concluded that neutered dogs lived 18% longer and spayed females lived 23% longer. In cats, females who were spayed lived 39% longer and males who were neutered lived 62% longer. Why is this? What about removing the reproductive organs allows your pets to live longer? One of the reasons spayed and neutered dogs and cats live a longer life is because it reduces uterine infections like pyometra and breast type cancers. These diseases are fatal in 50% of dogs and 90% of cats if they aren’t spayed. Neutering males lowers the risk of prostate and testicular cancer, which can also be fatal.
Spayed Females Won’t Go Into Heat
Another positive of spaying your dog and cat is that she won’t go into heat. Female cats go into heat regularly, as in every three weeks for four or five days during mating season. This includes obnoxious howling and screaming along with frequent urination that can turn into spraying. Without going into heat, your female dog and cat also won’t have a litter.
Behavioral Benefits with Cat and Dog Neuter or Spay
There are also positives on the male side. Neutering your dog and cat drastically improves his behavior. Many unneutered males are aggressive toward other animals and even humans due to their territorial nature. They are also known to spray strong-smelling urine all over the house to mark their territory. No one wants to clean up urine every day of their life. Another positive for males is that when they are neutered, they’re less likely to roam away from home. A male dog and cat will do almost anything to find a mate, including traveling as far as they need to. They’ll dig under fences and basically do whatever it takes to escape. Not only will your dog or cat be lost, but he could be hit by a vehicle or attacked by another animal. Intact males stay loyal to their home and won’t wander off. Overall, neutering your male pet will help him be better behaved in the long run. It’s also important to note that the longer you wait to neuter, the more likely he’ll develop a bad habit and those can be difficult to break even after his testicles are removed.
Reducing Overpopulation of Shelters
There are people who believe that getting a female pet and allowing her to become pregnant will teach their own children about birth. While it is absolutely beautiful and so much fun to raise little puppies or kittens, you shouldn’t do that and risk one or more of the little ones having to go to the shelter. There are plenty of other ways to teach your children about birth that work just as well. About 6.5 million dogs and cats enter shelters every year and 1.5 million of those are euthanized. It’s important to spay and neuter dogs and cats in Monroeville, PA so that you don’t add to the problem of overpopulation in shelters.
Spaying and Neutering Dogs and Cats is Cost-Effective
While you do pay a price to spay or neuter your dog and cat, it is much cheaper to do so than to try and raise a litter. It’s also cheaper to neuter your male than to have him wander around and get hit by a car because he’s looking for a female in heat.
Based on the above reasons, the best decision is to go ahead and spay or neuter your dog or cat. You’re saving money, helping shelter population, limiting behavioral issues, and allowing your pets to live longer and healthier lives. Doesn’t that sound like an all-around win?! While having a whole litter of kittens is tempting, remember to do what’s right for all of the parties involved. This isn’t just about you or your kids, it’s about your best friend, too.
Talk with the veterinarians at Northern Pike Veterinary Hospital to talk about spaying or neutering your dog and cat. Call 412-373-8580 today!