The Importance of Spaying Or Neutering Your Dog

The decision to spay or neuter your beloved fur baby is an important choice for pet owners. Did you know that it may be the single best decision you will ever make for your pet?

The facts on spaying and neutering are pretty straightforward: it can prolong the health and life of your pet, help control the homeless pet population, and result in significantly improved behavior.

The medical benefits for spaying and neutering your dog alone are profound: spaying your animal results in significantly lower rates of uterine infection and breast tumors. Studies have shown that this is true for roughly 90 percent of cats and 50 percent of dogs. In addition, neutering prevents some prostate issues and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.

If those facts don’t sway you, stop and consider the behavioral benefits that come from spaying and neutering. Unspayed female cats have a habit of spraying (drenching objects with strong-smelling urine) during breeding season—not something you want in your house! Spraying, and the associated yowling, is eliminated because spayed cats don’t go into “heat.”

Unneutered male dogs may be more likely to display aggression, as well as a fondness for spraying in order to mark their territory.

Some pet parents believe that spaying or neutering will adversely affect their pet’s intelligence or cause obesity. Neither of these common myths is true, and they shouldn’t deter you from making the decision that’s best for you and your animal.

So, when is the right time to spay or neuter? Kittens as young as two months old can be safely spayed or neutered. Be advised that spaying a cat before the age of five months will greatly reduce the onset of spraying as well as eliminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Dogs may also be neutered as young as two months old, but it is more common to have the procedure performed between six to nine months of age.

Remember, spaying or neutering is a choice that can profoundly impact the health and well-being of your fur baby!

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