When it comes to getting a new pet, there are a lot of things that need to be done to ensure they live a long, healthy life. This can mean anything from finding the perfect pet food, getting them the necessary shots and spaying or neutering them when they are the right age to do so. By getting this surgery done, you can have pride in being a responsible pet parent and knowing you are doing your part in preventing animal homelessness.
What is Spay and Neuter?
Spaying your pet is when a female’s reproductive organs are removed. The veterinarian takes her ovaries and usually also the uterus to eliminate the heat cycle and make them unable to reproduce. This procedure can also be known as an ovariohysterectomy where both are removed, or an ovariectomy where just the ovaries are taken out.
Neutering occurs to the male pet and with this procedure, both testicles and any associated structures are removed, making them unable to reproduce. This can also be known as castration.
Why Should You Spay or Neuter Your Pet?
Getting your pet spayed or neutered not only prevents unwanted litters of cats and dogs, but it can help behavioral problems and even give your pet a longer and healthier life! From minimizing the risks of certain diseases to stopping accidents in the home, there are many reasons why pet owners choose to get their animals spayed and neutered!
Give Your Pet a Longer Life
Spaying and Neutering your pets before they go into their first heat can prevent and protect them against many diseases, allowing them to live a longer, healthier life. It can prevent uterine infections and breast cancer as well as testicular cancer and prostate problems in both cats and dogs.
Getting this procedure done also prevents your pet from wanting to roam, in which they can get into fights, danger, or seriously injured.
Make a Better Lifelong Companion
Having your pet spayed or neutered can allow them to be a better companion for you and your family, as it can take away some of their protective instinct.
Howling, the urge to fight and the want to roam can disappear in cats after getting the surgery. Dogs can become less aggressive and prone to biting, as well as a decrease in excessive barking and mounting.
Prevent a Litter
There is a significant overpopulation problem with cats and dogs, and millions are killed in shelters throughout the US yearly. Cats can begin to reproduce at five months old and can have up to four litters a year, while dogs can breed at six months and have around two litters a year.
So, let’s do some hypothetical math:
Say your pet cat has a litter of five kittens, and three are female. In just five months those kittens each have their own litters, and together they now have nine female kittens. That means you can technically be responsible for around 20 cats in just five months, and even more in one year considering the females have more than one litter.
See how important it is to get your pet spayed or neutered? It can help reduce the number of homeless pets that animal shelters are flooded with yearly and can even help save some tiny lives.
Fewer Accidents in the Home
Female dogs can have bloody fluid for about ten days, two times a year because of their estrous cycle. This can result in stained carpet in the home and making things unsanitary. By spaying your pet, these problems can be avoided.
Cats may have the urge to spray the home to mark their territory, and unneutered dogs can mark their territory with urine as well. By spaying or neutering your pet, this behavior should be reduced or even stopped altogether.
When to Spay or Neuter Your Pet?
It’s always a good idea to ask your veterinarian the best time to get your pet spayed or neutered. Many things factor into this decision, including age, breed and health. Ensure a complete checkup is done beforehand to make sure your pet has no prior health issues.
If your puppy is healthy, it can be spayed or neutered from as young as eight weeks old. It’s also considered safe for kittens to be neutered at around the same age. Older pets can have the procedure done, but the older they become there may be a slight risk for complications after the operation.
At Texas Humane Heroes we do all we can to help Texas pets in need. That’s why we offer low-cost spay and neuter clinics to make it easier for pet owners to get these procedures done and to ensure your pet has a healthy and long life!