Spaying or Neutering Your Pet
Animal Family Veterinary Care Center knows that spaying or neutering is a responsible choice that can benefit not only your pet, but you, and society as well. In this country, each year millions of cats and dogs are euthanized needlessly. Surgical sterilization is a common procedure that we perform on a routine basis.
Spaying or neutering your dog has these added health advantages:
- If your female dog is spayed before her first heat cycle, her chances of breast cancer are close to 0%.
- Around the age of 5, male dogs may begin to have issues with their prostate glands. Neutering him when he becomes old enough will help to lessen the chance of prostate problems.
- Females who are not spayed can go into heat and potentially become pregnant.
- The chance of females suffering from an infected uterus or mammary tumors is reduced.
The noise factor of a cat in heat cannot be denied. It can be loud and annoying to us all and being in heat is uncomfortable for her as well. Nevertheless, if all is quiet, don’t be fooled; a cat’s reproductive system can go into dormant phases.
- Cats can have 2–3 litters of kittens a year.
- Adult females can be in heat as often as every 2 weeks for 6 months.
Spaying your female cat can be done at the age of 4 months. This will ensure both population control and more quiet evenings for us all.
In addition, remember that neutering and spaying is just as important for many exotic pets as it is for dogs and cats.