Questions on spaying and neutering your pet answered

Small animal spays and neuters are the most frequently performed surgeries in most standard veterinary practices. While these procedures have been done routinely for several years there are some theories that have been challenged in the veterinary world. There are also some pet parents who question whether they should have their pet altered.

There was a general rule to spay (remove the ovaries and uterus in a female) or neuter (a general term to alter either a female or male but is mostly used in referencing removal of a male's testicles) a cat or dog around the age of 6 months. In shelter situations early spay/neuter procedures were done at 2 or 3 months of age.  One of the main reasons for spaying females before 6 months of age was the common knowledge that by eliminating any heat cycles we were completely preventing mammary, or breast cancer in these pets.

While there is still some truth to that statement, recently-published retrospective data has been published showing that the 6-month rule is not always beneficial in dogs. It is important to take a dog's breed, sex and expected mature adult weight into account when considering spaying and neutering. There is evidence that spaying some breeds before the age of 1 or 2 can predispose them to orthopedic injuries, various cancers and other systemic conditions. There are new recommendations published based on certain dog breeds, age and whether they are male or female that have many veterinarians changing when they suggest you should spay or neuter your pet.

Cats are still usually spayed or neutered after the age of 4 months. Female shorthaired cats can come into heat, and therefore get pregnant, at 4 months of age and all cats can begin marking their territory at around 6 months of age. Since North America isn't short on kittens and un-neutered cat urine just stinks, it's a smart plan to alter cats before these can happen.

Spaying and neutering dogs and cats greatly reduces roaming behaviors. Males and females will cross busy roads, encounter wildlife and get lost as they try to find mates. Cats can have many heat cycles in a given year and the length of time they are in heat varies wildly. Removing the hormones that cause pets to wander is one important way to keep your pet healthy and alive for a long time.

Spaying females prevents pyometra , which can be a life-threatening infection of the uterus. This condition occurs shortly after a heat cycle and will be suspected by your veterinarian if your intact pet is lethargic, febrile and generally sick. Surgery is usually performed as an expensive emergency procedure and does not guarantee your pet's survival.

While cost, anesthesia and surgery are scary words, most veterinary clinics have assistants monitoring heartrates, blood pressure, breathing and depth of anesthesia during routine spays and neuters.

When performed on young animals the surgeries are short in duration so risks, and costs, are minimized. Most clinics offer pre-anesthetic bloodwork and examinations prior to routinely scheduled surgeries as well. The one-time cost of this surgery is much less than the cost of caring for and raising a litter. Have a conversation with your veterinary team and make informed decisions when it comes to caring for your pets.