5 Reasons Why Pet Spay And Neuter Is Important
Possibly every pet owner has heard that they should spay and neuter their pets. However, you may not know that there are actually many benefits to getting your pet spayed or neutered, and these benefits go past preventing unplanned pregnancies in our pets. This is especially true when it comes to dogs and cats.
In fact, there are many reasons why getting your pet spayed or neutered is important. Of course, this includes preventing unwanted pregnancies and the stress that often comes with it. However, there are some other potential benefits to spaying and neutering that may be surprising to some pet owners.
In this article we will be explaining everything that pet owners need to know about the benefits of spaying and neutering their pets. This includes going into detail about all of these benefits along with giving you some things to consider before getting your pet this procedure. Let’s get into it!
1) Spaying and Neutering Could Improve the Health of Your Pet
Although it may be surprising to some pet owners, spaying and neutering pets could potentially improve your pet’s health. This is especially true when it comes to dogs and cats. This includes the development of problems with their reproductive system such as ovarian and testicular cancer and many infectious diseases spread among cats and dogs as well.
Studies have shown that spayed and neutered dogs and cats can be at a reduced risk for certain types of cancer. This mainly pertains to cancers of the prostate, testes, ovaries, and uterus. In addition to this, spaying and neutering your pet will prevent other complications associated with your pet’s reproductive system as well.
The health benefits to spaying and neutering your pets does not stop there though. As you may already know, intact cats and dogs tend to get in more fights than spayed and neutered pets do. This is mainly due to the high levels of hormones in intact pets. Unfortunately, these fights are one of the most common ways that diseases among animals spread. A good example of this is FIV in cats.
2) Spaying and Neutering Could Improve Some Behavioral Problems
As we have just mentioned, intact cats and dogs have more hormones going through their bodies than spayed and neutered dogs and cats do. Unfortunately, this can cause some behavioral problems. These behavior problems mainly consist of marking, running off, and aggressive or territorial behavior.
When both cats and dogs are left intact, they are more likely to do things like mark with urine and have problems with being aggressive and territorial. These problems are usually linked to intact dogs and cats protecting their territory and looking for mates. In addition to this, many intact cats and dogs will commonly escape and disappear. This usually occurs because the pets are in search of a mate to reproduce with.
3) Spaying and Neutering Will Save You the Hassle of Caring for Pregnant and Baby Animals
Of course, taking care of pregnant and newborn pets can be pretty time consuming and stressful. After all, properly caring for pets in this condition is very important, and you will likely not be able to take breaks when you may want to. It may even involve pulling all nighters and waking up throughout the night to take care of them. As a result, it is a good idea to get your pets spayed and neutered if you do not feel like doing all of this to properly care for pregnant and baby animals.
4) You Will Not Need to Find Baby Animals New Homes
In addition to taking care of baby animals, you will most likely need to find them new homes when they get to be old enough to do so. This can also be a very stressful and time consuming process, especially if you are truly focused on finding these young pets good homes. As a result, getting your pet spayed or neutered can prevent you from having to handle this when you are not prepared for the process.
5) Spaying and Neutering Will Likely Save You Money in the Long Run
Not only is taking care of pregnant and baby animals stressful and time consuming, but it is often very expensive as well. This is especially true if you take the time to get all puppies or kittens checked out by a vet, get all of their recommended vaccinations, and receive any other kinds of veterinary care that they may need. After all, these expenses add up.
This means that even though some pet owners may be concerned about the price of spaying and neutering, it will likely save you money in the long run. This is because the spay or neuter procedure is usually much less expensive than the veterinary expenses that it takes to properly care for pregnant and newborn pets. This is especially true if you were not financially prepared to cover the cost of care for them.
Things to Consider Before Getting Your Pet Spayed or Neutered
Although it is true that it is a good idea for most pet owners to get their pets spayed or neutered, there are some things that you should consider before getting your pet this procedure. Like with any other veterinary surgery, it is a good idea to have a consultation with your vet beforehand. This way you can address any questions or concerns that you may have about the surgery.
In addition to this, there may be some things that your vet may want to address before signing your pet up to get spayed or neutered. This could be health related concerns or anything else that could affect you or your pet in some way. Having open communication with a good vet is key with any surgical procedure or treatment plan for your pet, even if it is routine.
Do you have further questions regarding spaying and neutering? Main Street Veterinary Center in Bartow, FL is here to help. Give us a call at (863) 534-9584 or make an appointment online today.
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Family is family, whether it has two legs or four. At Main Street Veterinary Center, we've spent the last 40 years healing and caring for your pets. As a family-operated practice, we know that family is about more than simply being related. Animals give us the ability to develop strong bonds and feel great compassion for a fellow living creature.