Spaying and Neutering

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Help keep animals out of shelters by spaying and neutering! Millions of dogs and cats are euthanized each year due to overpopulation. Even if this isn’t at the top of your list of priorities, there are some medical and behavioral benefits to spaying (females) or neutering (males) your dog:

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Benefits:

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• Your pet may live longer and be healthier. Spaying has been shown to prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, and neutering has been shown to prevent prostate problems and testicular cancer.

• Spaying prevents going into heat. It also stops the bleeding that comes with a female going into heat!

• Your male will be less likely to wander. He will also be less likely to mount other dogs, people, and objects, and he will be less likely to mark his territory.

• It’s cost-effective. Having and caring for a litter of puppies is more expensive than the cost of spaying/neutering.

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Myths:

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• Spaying/Neutering will cause my dog to gain weight. Make sure your dog gets adequate exercise and stays on a healthy diet, and you shouldn’t notice any weight gain.

• Spaying/Neutering will solve my dog’s aggression. While spaying/neutering may help with some undesirable behaviors, it’s certainly not a cure-all. If your dog is aggressive, the only way to guarantee behavioral change is by hiring a vet-recommended trainer.

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Post-surgery:

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 In general, you can expect the following after your dog has been spayed or neutered:

• Medication to help with pain

• Must be kept indoors and away from other animals

• Must not be too active (running, jumping) for approximately two weeks

• Keep incision site clean and dry; avoid excessive licking!

• No baths during recovery period.

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