Benefits of Spaying or
Neutering Your Pets
Improved
Behavior
Male Pets
Un-neutered males focus their attention on
finding a mate. They roam, risking injury in traffic
and in fights with other males. They mark their territory
by spraying strong-smelling urine on surfaces. Indoors,
male dogs might embarrass you by mounting furniture
and human legs when stimulated.
On the other hand, neutered cats and dogs don't exhibit
these behaviors, instead focusing their better-behaved
attention on their human families. Don't confuse aggressiveness
with protectiveness; a neutered dog protects his home
and family just as well as an un-neutered dog, and
many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.
Female Pets
While their cycles vary greatly, most un-spayed
female cats exhibit annoying signs when in heat. For
four or five days every three weeks, they yowl and
urinate more frequently - sometimes all over the house
- advertising for mates. Often they attract un-neutered
males from great distances who spray urine around
your home. Female dogs generally have a bloody discharge
for about a week, and can conceive for another week
or so. On the other hand, spayed females do not exhibit
these behaviors.
Better Health
Spaying a female (removing the ovaries and uterus)
or neutering a male (removing the testicles) are simple,
inexpensive surgeries which usually require minimal
hospitalization.
Neutering a male cat or dog by six months of age
prevents testicular cancer, prostate disease and hernias.
Spaying a female cat or dog helps prevent pyometra,
a pus-filled uterus. Treatment of pyometra requires
hospitalization, IV fluids, antibiotics and spaying.
Spaying a female cat or dog also helps prevent breast
cancer which can be fatal in about 50% of female dogs
and 90% of female cats. Spaying your female pet before
her first heat offers the best protection from these
diseases.
Responsible Care
One cat or dog who has babies, and whose babies have
babies, can be responsible for the birth of 50 to
200 kittens or puppies in one year! As a result, millions
of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized
annually or suffer as strays. Rarely surviving for
more than a few years on their own, strays die painfully
by starvation, disease, freezing
or being hit by cars.
By spaying or neutering your pet, you prevent the
suffering and death of millions of animals.
Myths vs. Facts
It is a myth that a female cat or dog should
have a litter before she is spayed.
Fact: The sooner you spay your female, the
better her health will be in the future. The likelihood
or developing mammary tumors or uterine infections
increases the longer a female goes un-spayed. In fact,
a female spayed before sexual maturity (6-9 months
of age) has one-seventh the risk of developing mammary
cancer. Most puppies and kittens can be spayed or
neutered by the time they are two months of age.
It is a myth that spaying or neutering a pet
will alter that pet's personality.
Fact: Regardless of the age when spayed or
neutered, your pet will remain a caring, loving and
protective companion. Neutering will reduce the need
to breed, and that has a calming effect on many animals.
Both neutered male canines and felines tend to stop
roaming and fighting and they lose the desire to mark
their territory with urine.
It is a myth that neutered companion animals
become fat and lazy.
Fact: Lack of exercise and overfeeding make pets
fat and lazy - not neutering. Your pet will not gain
weight if you provide exercise and monitor food intake.
Neutering is good for your pet since sterilized pets
tend to live an average of two to three years longer
than unsterilized pets.
It is a myth that sterilization is a dangerous
and painful surgery for pets.
Fact: Spaying and neutering are the most common
surgeries performed on animals. All pets being spayed or neutered at the Humane Society of Missouri are treated with pain medication. With a minimal amount
of home care, your pet should resume normal behavior
in a few days.
It is a myth that children should witness the
miracle of birth.
Fact: Letting your pet produce offspring you have
no intention of keeping teaches your children irresponsibility.
Countless books and videos are available to teach
your children about birth in a responsible manner.
Anyone who has seen a puppy or kitten euthanized for
lack of a home knows the truth behind this dangerous
myth.
Fact: Anyone who loves animals will spay
or neuter their pets.
Spaying and Neutering
at the Humane Society of Missouri
Dogs, cats, puppies, kittens and rabbits are spayed or neutered
prior to adoption. The Humane Society of Missouri
spays or neuters adoptable puppies and kittens at
or around two months of age. If you acquired your
pet from someplace other than the Humane Society of
Missouri, our veterinary medical centers will perform
a spay or neuter surgery when your pet is four months
of age or older.
Schedule a spay or neuter appointment.
St. Louis Veterinary Medical Center: (314) 951-1557
Westport Area Veterinary Medical Center in Maryland Heights:
(314) 951-1590
Chesterfield Valley Veterinary Medical Center at Boone's Crossing: (636) 530-0807
If you live outside of the St. Louis area, find a
low-cost spay/neuter program near you by calling toll-free
1-800-248-SPAY.
Thank you for being kind to animals by spaying or
neutering your pet.
Some text on this page courtesy of the ASPCA. |
