Why Is It Important to Spay or Neuter Your Pet?

Upon getting your pet, it is easy to imagine having a litter from them. It is, without a doubt, beautiful when your pet gives you cute little pet babies. Imagining it makes it easy to see the good that would come from it. But in reality, the picture is very different. Pet babies are indeed cute, but they are also demanding. 

You must feed them and deal with their poor potty habits until they learn. This is further compounded by having to deal with a whole litter. There is already an overpopulation of pets in the country. As for the parent pet, getting all those pet babies opens it to a new set of disadvantages. Among these is being exposed to reproductive diseases later. As such, their old age may be riddled with constant pain and vet visits.

What Are Spaying and Neutering?

Spaying is removing the reproductive parts of a female animal. Often, it involves removing the uterus and the other reproductive organs like the fallopian tubes. On the other hand, neutering removes the reproductive organs—testicles—in male animals. Just like spaying, it stops the animal’s ability to reproduce. 

What are the Options?

Here are some of the main procedures available at most vet clinics nationwide.
 

• Surgical Sterilization

This usually involves removing specific organs. The vet can sterilize surgically in two main ways:
 

• Ovariohysterectomy

This is the traditional spaying procedure where the vet removes the uterus and fallopian tubes. It eliminates reproductive ability, breeding behaviors, and the heat cycle in cats and dogs. 
 

• Orchiectomy

This is a traditional neutering procedure where the vet removes the testes from a male pet. It also eliminates breeding behavior and reproductive ability.

Surgical Alternatives to Traditional Procedures

• Hysterectomy

This procedure removes the uterus and part of the fallopian tubes from a female pet. However, the ovaries remain, maintaining hormonal production in the animal. Most breeding behaviors will remain.
 

• Vasectomy

This procedure removes the vas deferens, the tube that conducts the sperm. The animal cannot reproduce, but their hormones remain active. They will still present breeding behavior. 
 

Benefits of Spaying or Neutering

Medical

• Your Pet Has Longer Life
   

Spaying eliminates the chances of reproductive organ cancers like breast tumors or uterine conditions. About 50% of dogs and 90% of cats have these conditions. In male pets, intact reproductive organs make them susceptible to testicular cancer when they are older. They may also develop prostate issues. 
 

Behavioral 

• No Heat Cycle
   

Spaying ensures that your pet does not go into heat, which leads to unwanted habits. They will become loud and urinate more often. Even potty trained, they will sometimes pee all over the house.
 

• Stay Home More

Because of the lack of hormones, male pets will not present any breeding behavior like going out to look for female companions. They will be safer eventually.
 

• Better Behavior

Neutering a male pet leads to better behavior around other humans and animals. They will be less inclined to impulsive aggression and mounting people, other animals, or inanimate objects.

For more on the importance of spaying or neutering your pet, visit Shore Pet Surgery at our office in Grasonville, Maryland. Call (410) 202-0600 or (410) 827-6464 to book an appointment today.