As part of our commitment to preventative animal healthcare, we provide spay and neuter services and perform hundreds of procedures each year. They are the most common type of routine surgery we do. Spay and neuter are one of the most beneficial things you can do for the health of your pet.
Why Is Spaying And Neutering Important?
Your pet will enjoy many important health benefits from the spay and neuter procedure provided by your veterinarian in Milford, but there’s another great reason to have it done. You’ll also be helping to alleviate the overwhelming cat and dog overpopulation crisis in America. Millions of abandoned dogs and cats end up in animal shelters in the U.S. each year, and most of them are eventually put to sleep. Animal shelters just don’t have the space or resources to take care of them all, and there aren’t enough people who are willing to adopt them. Unwanted litters are the main cause of the problem, and spaying and neutering pets are the best way to fight back against this tragic situation.
Why Spay or Neuter Your Pet?
Spaying involves the removal of the female’s reproductive organs, while neutering is the removal of the testicles of the male. The health benefits of the procedure differ slightly for males and females, and include:
- Males are no longer at risk of cancer of the testes and they’ll have a lessened incidence of prostate issues. They’ll be noticeably less aggressive and be less likely to roam the neighborhood and urinate to mark their territory indoors.
- Females will no longer enter the heat cycle or menstruate, and the annoying whining and howling associated with it will be eliminated. The risk of reproductive organ and mammary cancer is greatly reduced.
Some pet owners cite worries over the cost associated with having their cat or dog spayed or neutered as a reason for not having it done. While that is a valid concern for some people, it should be noted that the cost of the procedure is much less than having to treat an emergency uterine infection or cancer. It’s even less than the price of commercial cleaners and odor eliminators that are commonly used to repeatedly remove the urine stains and smells resulting from pets marking their territory indoors.
The Procedure
Cats and dogs should have the procedure done at a young age, as soon as it’s safe to do so. This is generally between five and 18 months of age, as determined by your veterinarian based on several factors such as size, breed, and patient history. As with most surgical procedures, you’ll be advised not to feed your pet any food for at least 12 hours before their appointment, though letting them have water is fine. During surgery, they’ll receive anesthesia, and a veterinary technician will keep a close eye on their vital signs for problems. The procedure doesn’t take long to complete, and then your pet will spend a short time in recovery for observation. When it’s time to go home, your vet will give you instructions on postoperative care. In general, your pet will need to stay indoors and avoid strenuous exercise for several days. You’ll also need to take steps to keep them from scratching, biting, and licking at their sutures such as having them wear a cone collar. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to ask us.
Whenever you need any type of veterinary care for your pet contact the Milford Veterinary Hospital to schedule an appointment.
