A dog or cat spay or neuter procedure is perhaps the single most important veterinary surgery your pet can have. A dog or cat neuter or a dog or cat spay operation helps curb pet overpopulation. Not only do dog and cat neuter and spay surgeries prevent unwanted pet births, they also protect the health of the spayed or neutered dog or cat.
This routine veterinary procedure is the most effective way to protect your pet from reproductive cancers, which can be costly to treat and may claim your pet’s life, even with treatment. Breast cancer kills 90 percent of the cats it affects, and 50 percent of the dogs.
A cat or dog spay surgery also protects your pet from injuries it could sustain in the course of trying to find a mate. Pets that have not been spayed or neutered are far more likely to roam, because they are at the mercy of their reproductive instinct. This is true even if you make every effort to keep your cat or dog inside; these pets may still slip out and escape.
A dog or cat neuter also improves your pet’s behavior. Unaltered pets, for example, are more likely to perform urine-marking behaviors. A cat neuter or dog spay can reduce or eliminate these behaviors. For male cats that spray, a cat neuter can reduce urine marking by 90 percent even if they have had the habit of spraying for some time.
Dog and cat spay and neuter surgeries can make your pet less aggressive, and can help reduce howling and barking. Neutering your male dog will stop him from humping, not just other dogs, but also your leg.
A cat or dog neuter or spay will not, however, change your dog or cat’s basic personality. Your pet will still be affectionate, protective and playful. Without the distractions of territorial aggression and mating instincts brought on by reproductive hormones, your pet will be free to focus on bonding with you and your family.
While many people feel that the cost of a cat or dog spay or neuter surgery is prohibitive, it is cheaper than caring for your pet’s injuries, reproductive illness or litter. Protect your pet’s health and help stop overpopulation — get your pet spayed or neutered!