Neutering Can Be Healthy For Pets

Neutering Your Pet

Neutering and Spaying some people have a hard time knowing the difference.  Here is the dictionary definition from the North America Encarta English Dictionary. Spaying: “to surgically remove a female animal’s ovaries and adjacent parts of the uterus”

Neutering:       “to remove the testicles or ovaries of an animal”

Now that you know, you have to decide if you wish your pet to undergo this procedure.  It is a big decision and can affect your pet significantly, in more ways than one.

Not spaying or neutering your pet can mean that your pet can bear offspring. You have to decide if you want this to happen.  You have to decide whether you wish you pet to be a mother. Or if you wish your pet to stand as a stud for a female.  Your pet in heat is equivalent to a human female going through a menstrual cycle.

Let’s start with cats in heat. 

When your cat goes into heat, she can behave differently from what you are used to.  Your cat may become unusually affectionate and may even rub her hind quarters against your furniture, other cats or people.  She will become unusually vocal and may howl for several days at a time.  You may find her assuming a mating position with her head down, forelegs bent and rear quarters and tail raised. She may have her legs treading rhythmically as if she were walking in place.  Cats may also tend to spray everything with a strongly scented fluid.  If your cat does not succeed in mating, she could go into heat as often as every 2-3 weeks. Spaying will stop this and would be a wise choice, unless you intend for her to mate and have kittens.

Dogs in heat

The length and interval of a cycle for a dog in heat can vary with each dog.  On average for most dogs, the time between heat periods is about 7 months.  Some dogs can even cycle every 4 months and some only once a year.  The average length of a heat cycle is approximately 3 weeks.  Some can be shorter (as little as 7-10 days) and some can be longer (4 weeks or more.)

How do you tell if your dog is in heat?  During the first part of the heat cycle, you will notice some bleeding and swelling of the vulva.  There may be an increase in urination.  You will probably notice an increase in male dogs hanging around your house.  During this initial part of the cycle, your female pet will not allow the males to breed with them. Although the males may be persistent.  The next phase of the cycle will she allow a male to breed with her. This phase can last anywhere from 4-21 days.  After that the female will start to go out of heat and be less willing to mate. 

Your female dog will allow almost any male to breed with her. If you do not want mixed puppies, it is best to keep your pet locked up. You can hire a stud to service her, or get her spayed.   If you spay your pet, it is best to wait until the heat cycle is over to decrease complications.

Spaying, Neutering Can Be Healthy

There can be health benefits to neutering and spaying your pet.  Spaying can provide a decreased chance of mammary tumors.  Your pet will also have less of a chance of contracting pyometra a uterine infection requiring surgery. Your pet will also have less of a chance of getting metritis (which is an infection after delivery). 

The decision to not spay or neuter your pet, comes with the responsibility of finding good homes for the offspring.  Although it is possible, this can be a very tedious and time-consuming task.  And, you really should consider the overpopulation of dogs and cats in today’s world also.  Many are left abandoned by their owners.  You only have to visit your local humane shelter to discover many unfortunate animals.