Benefits Of Spaying and Neutering Your Pets
There are so many myths and anecdotes about getting the family pet fixed that it can be challenging to find the real facts. Besides the most obvious bonus of not having a surprise litter of puppies or kittens on your hands, there are other stressors of having an unfixed animal that can be avoided by this simple surgery, too. The truth is that spaying and neutering can have many medical and behavioral benefits.
As a responsible pet owner you want to do all you can to help not only your own animal but the animal population as a whole. Since millions of homeless dogs and cats are killed in shelters across the country every year, spaying or neutering your pet prevents unwanted litters and reduces the homeless pet population; which is always a good thing.
If you’re on the fence about spaying or neutering your pet, here are a few proven reasons it can be a good idea.
Neutering your male pet:
- Eliminates the risk of testicular cancers and diseases
- Reduces the instances of urine marking
- Eliminates the hormones that fuel the urge to wander, reducing injuries by automobile accidents and fights with other animals
Spaying your female pet:
- Protects against mammary cancer, when done before the first heat cycle; in fact, once they’ve had several heats, intact female dogs have a one out of four chance of developing mammary tumors!
- Eliminates life-threatening uterine infections
- Reduces the odds of uterine and ovarian cancer
Fixing your pet won’t magically solve all of these behavioral issues, or eliminate all health problems, but the very real effects listed above are invaluable. The only reason not to spay or neuter is if you are going to breed or show your pet. If that is the case you should spend time working out a detailed health plan with your vet to ensure they have a healthy future and reproduction experience.
It is recommended to spay and neuter your pets between 2 and 8 months of age, before he or she reaches sexual maturity. This is for both medical and behavioral reasons. Let’s all do our part to make our pet’s lives happier, longer, and healthier – heed Bob Barker’s advice, and have your pet spayed or neutered.