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The term "spay," (sterilization) applies to female animals. It is an abdominal surgery involving removal of the uterus and both ovaries. The term "neuter" applies to male animals and involves the surgical removal of both testes.
Health Benefits
For females
- The most significant benefit is that she will be unable to produce unwanted puppies. She will also have a reduction in the risk of mammary cancer as the chance of developing mammary tumours is almost non-existent if the female pet is spayed prior to her first heat cycle.
For males
- Neutering your male dog eliminates testicular tumours and reduces the risk of prostate cancer .
- He will have less testosterone = decreased aggression
Behavioural Benefits
The behavioural benefits of spaying and neutering make the pet easier to live with and much happier. The positive aspects of the pet's personality will remain unchanged yet any aggression, mounting behaviour, and the desire to roam away from home are significantly reduced. In cats, neutering will result in a 90% reduction in urine spraying, fighting, and roaming.
Spayed female pets are much calmer and happier because their heat cycles disappear. The term "heat" refers to the period when the female is receptive to the male. During this period the pet is highly agitated, and cats often spend this time yowling and searching for a male.
Studies show that an unneutered dog is more likely to show aggression to other dogs, whether they’re on or off the lead and that he is also more likely to be the target of aggression from another dog. Unprovoked aggression toward other dogs by castrated males is reduced by 60% and roaming by 90%.
Once your pet is sterilised the metabolism slows down so he/she will require fewer calories. Any excess weight gained is almost always caused by overfeeding, and can be easily prevented by portion control.
Sterilizing your pet is also the socially responsible choice. Three to four million unwanted pets are euthanized every year. The majority of these unwanted dogs and cats are the offspring of household pets that were never sterilized, as opposed to stray animals or from breeding operations.
Our NEXO vet offers a reduction for all S.C.A.N dogs and cats. Please ask for more details.
