To Neuter or Not?
You are responsible for your animals breeding and you should consider very carefully whether or not you should allow them to breed. There are a great many more dogs and cats born each year than can find good homes and thousands are put down as a result. Consider very carefully whether breeding form your pet would simply be adding to this problem. In addition un neutered pets are at risk for a number of conditions which neutering protects them against. See the pros and cons below if you are even considering breeding from your pet.
What Does the Operation Involve?
We are often asked this question and to help answer it we have put up this slide show. This is a cat spay (properly called an ovarihysterestomy) but a bitch spay is much the same, except of course that the uterus is quite a bit larger. As you will see it is a major operation. However it is one we carry out very frequently and so at which we are skilled. Modern anaesthetics now mean that the risk to a dog or cat undergoing surgery of this kind is very small indeed, certainly far less than the potential health risks associated with remaining un-spayed.
Step 1
A small skin incision is made in the left flank area. This goes through the skin and two layers of muscle below.
Step 2
The uterus is drawn out through the incision. This cat is not pregnant so the uterus is very small.
Step 3
Here the ovaries have been freed from their attachments. To do this the blood vessels which supplied them were ligated (tied) and cut. The uterus is still attached at the cervix, where the right and left horns meet.
Step 4
A ligature (or tie) is being placed to cut off the blood supply to the body of the uterus so that it too can be removed.
Step 5
Here the uterus is about to be removed. Notice that the entire area is draped and sterile and the surgeon is gloved and gowned.
Step 6
The wound is sutured. Soluble sutures are placed in the muscle, the sutures in the skin will be removed after about 10 days.
Five Excuses for not Neutering
1. My pet will get fat and lazy
Pets become fat and lazy because they eat too much and do not exercise enough – it has nothing to do with neutering.
2. We want another pet just like Sheeba
You are planning to breed not clone! The chances of even pure bred offspring having exactly the same personality and characteristics is low. With mixed breeds it is even more unlikely.
3. My pet’s personality will change
Not really – but any changes that occur are for the better! Males will not wander and get into fights and females will not have the troublesome behaviors common when they are in heat.
4. We can sell puppies or kittens and make money
Oh Yeah? Even well-known breeders are lucky if they break even on raising pups and kittens. The cost of raising such a litter – which includes vaccinations and other health care costs, and feeding a quality food – uses up most of the “profit”.
5. I am concerned about my pet undergoing Anaesthesia
Although there is always some risk involved, the anaesthetics currently used by modern veterinary hospitals are very safe. The medical benefits of having your pet spayed or neutered far outweigh the slight risk involved with undergoing Anaesthesia.
Five Good Reasons to Neuter
1. Neutering increases your pet’s chances for a longer, healthier life
Spaying your pet reduces her chances of developing breast cancer and eliminates the threat of uterine and ovarian cancer and of uterine infection. Neutering your male dog or cat prevents testicular tumors and may prevent prostate problems. Neutered cats are less likely to roam and fight or get knocked down.
2. A neutered dog or cat is a better pet
Males neutered early in life are less aggressive toward other males and are not distracted by females in heat.·Spaying your female pet eliminates the problem of stray males camping in your garden and decreases her desire to roam and breed.
3. Spaying prevents your pet from giving birth to unwanted puppies or kittens
4. Spaying your bitch eliminates the messy and difficult twice-annual heat period
5. You are helping to alleviate the dog and cat overpopulation problem
Each year, thousands of unwanted dogs and cats are euthanased at shelters across the country. Most of these were the result of accidental breeding by free-roaming, unneutered pets.
