Whether you have a dog or a cat, spaying or neutering them is an important decision to help them live healthier and longer lives. Keeping your cat or dog from reproducing also reduces their tendency towards aggression and territorial behaviour.
There are many benefits to pet spaying and neutering; we’ll discuss the top 7 of them in this post. But first, let’s explain these terms a little better before we move on.
Difference Between Spaying and Neutering of Pets
Spaying is a surgical procedure performed by a veterinarian to remove the ovaries and uterus of a female animal. And neutering is a surgical procedure performed by a vet to remove the testicles of a male animal.
So the only difference between neutering and spaying is that the former is done to male pets while the latter is done to female pets.
Both these procedures are performed under general anesthesia and take about 30 minutes. The best part? Your pet can go home a few hours after the procedure.
But you must ensure that the pet clinic you choose for spaying or neutering is reputed and has qualified vets, so your pet is safe during and after the surgery.
Importance of Spaying and Neutering for Pets: Top 6 Benefits
Spaying and neutering are not only vital for your pet’s health, but they may also be beneficial for you as a proud pet owner. These are some of the top benefits of spaying and neutering pets:
1. Reduces Pet Overpopulation
There are millions of homeless pets in shelters across the country. And each year, 2.7 million cats and dogs that are otherwise healthy and adaptable are euthanized. The high number of homeless pets is partly due to pet overpopulation.
Spaying or neutering your pet helps reduce the unwanted population and makes it easy for homeless pets to find homes.
2. Reduces the Risk of Certain Cancers
Spaying female pets before their first heat cycle can nearly eliminate the risk of mammary cancer. This procedure also reduces the chances of ovarian and uterine cancer. On the other hand, neutering male pets can significantly decrease the risk of testicular cancer.
3. Lowers the Risk of Other Health Problems
Spaying or neutering your pet can also help protect them from other health problems like pyometra (uterus infection), prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland), and perianal tumours. All these are life-threatening conditions for pets.
4. Prevents Unwanted Pregnancies
If you don’t want your pet to have puppies or kittens, spaying or neutering them is the best way to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Vet clinic experts can help you choose the best time to get your pet spayed or neutered so that they don’t go through any discomfort.
5. Less Likely to Roam Away from Home
Pets that haven’t been spayed or neutered are likely to roam away from home in search of a mate. This increases the chances of them getting lost or getting into accidents.
Spaying or neutering your pet can help reduce hormonally driven behaviours like spraying, howling, roaming, and aggression. These behaviours are annoying for pet owners and can also be dangerous.
6. Saves You Money in the Long Run
Your pet can save you money in the long run if it’s spayed or neutered. This is because it can help avoid costly medical bills for treating health problems otherwise preventable by spaying or neutering.
Final Thoughts
So you’re now aware of some of the benefits of spaying and neutering pets. Pet diagnostics play an essential role in the early detection of many health problems like cancer. So ensure you take your pet for regular check-ups to the vet. If you happen to be in Aurora, Ontario, you can bring your cat or dog to our clinic for examination.