What is neutering?
Neutering is a surgical way to stop reproduction. In males, it’s called castration; in females, it’s called spaying.
During castration, both testicles are removed. This prevents fertility and also reduces the amount of the male hormone testosterone.
When a female is spayed, the ovaries and uterus are removed, which makes the female unable to become pregnant.
Both operations are carried out under a general anaesthetic and are very safe. Painkillers are given during and after surgery, and you will be able to take some home to use in the days following surgery. Most pets are up and about a few hours after surgery and recover quickly.
There are many reasons to protect your pet, community and the population by neutering, but the 8 top reasons to do so are:
1. Population control
There are already far too many cats and dogs to go around. It’s hard to gauge exact figures, but it’s estimated that 3.9 million dogs and 3.4 million cats enter shelters across the UK each year, and 2.7 million of these unwanted animals are put to sleep as there aren’t homes for them. By spaying or neutering your pet, you’ll help control the pet homelessness crisis.
Out of all the abandoned animals, only 10% have been neutered, and few are microchipped or have ID. Don’t think that breeding from pedigrees stops abandonment, either. 25% off shelter residents are specific breeds.
Once you look at the number of puppies and kittens that can result from one un-neutered animal, it’s easy to see how this population has come about.
One cat can have two litters of 4-6 kittens a year. Then those kittens the same each. Then their kittens the same, and so it continues. Within seven years, one single cat can have resulted in 370,000 kittens being born. One fertile dog can have one litter of 4-6 puppies a year and, within seven years, can have been responsible for 67,000 puppies.
2. It Helps females live a longer and healthier life.
Spaying helps prevent nasty womb infections such as pyometra, which is seen quite often in unneutered females and can be fatal. It also hugely reduces the risk of breast tumours, which are malignant or cancerous, in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. The best protection from disease is gained if they are spayed before their first fertile season, and this can increase lifespan from 3-5 years.
3. It Helps females live a longer and healthier life.
While cycles can vary, female cats can usually go into heat for four to five days every three weeks in breeding season. They become desperate for a mate, act strangely, make howling noises and urinate more frequently wherever they find themselves. Keeping them in during this time makes no difference either – they will still howl, wee and scratch to get out. It can be so dramatic that seasons are often mistaken for some severe and debilitating illness by owners who don’t know what’s happening with their pet.
When a female dog is in season, she becomes the most desirable thing an entire dog has ever seen. The odour makes them highly traceable, and even keeping them inside has resulted in male dogs pushing down fences and howling at doors to get to them. It can be messy, too, as they produce a bloody, sticky discharge for three weeks or more.
Many unneutered female dogs have a false pregnancy after a season, and although this is natural, it can cause behavioural and even medical problems.
4. It’s cost-effective
Your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is far less than the cost of having and caring for a litter.
You’ll also save money on your insurance premiums if your pet is neutered, and you’ll not incur any of the costs associated with illness and disease resulting from remaining entire. Even insured pets who get sick still have an excess to pay each time, and many won’t be covered for a recurring infection or after the first year if they’re left with a chronic problem.
As unneutered pets are more aggressive, there are also battle wounds to consider. When hormones rage, cats and dogs don’t hold back. An unneutered dog is more likely to be the target of aggression from another dog, too, even if they don’t initiate the conflict.
Remember that if you’re a member of our Hythe Healthcare Plan, you get a discount on neutering your pet.
Your small monthly payments include discounts on numerous products and procedures, including neutering. As well as, vaccinations, full health examination with your vet each year and much more.
You can join the plan and start benefitting (and saving!) today
5. It stops them from roaming
An intact male will do almost anything to mate and will be very frustrated by being restricted. The urge is almost overwhelming, and they will find ingenious ways to escape from the house and garden, and dogs will disappear on walks. Once he’s free to roam, dogs risk injury in traffic and both cats and dogs will fight with other males (and unwilling females).
6. Neutering prevents testicular cancer in males
Neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems.
7. Neutering reduces unwanted behaviour and aggression
Your neutered male may be better behaved and generally more friendly to have around.
Unneutered dogs and cats are more likely to mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. In contrast, neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families and aren’t bothered about marking their territory. Once furniture or carpets have been ‘marked’ in this way, it’s almost impossible to eradicate the unpleasant smell in the house. Spraying also marks the area as a toilet for your pet, making them highly likely to re-offend!
Some aggression problems may be avoided by early neutering too. Surgery will reduce the amount of testosterone in your male’s system. However, it won’t eliminate the hormone, so if your pet has learnt behaviours resulting from hormones before being neutered, these may have become habitual. Changes might be slow to happen or lessened, which is another good reason to neuter as soon as possible.
An unneutered dog is likely to try and scratch its particular itch by mounting, often at inconvenient times and on inconvenient objects such as your favourite cushion, child or leg.
8. Neutering is good for their bodies and will NOT cause your pet to become overweight.
Neutering won’t make your pet fat, but you might need to decrease the amount of food you give them or increase the amount of exercise.
Your pet will remain the shape they are as long as you keep an eye on its food intake. There are also pet foods specially formulated for the nutritional and calorific needs of neutered pets that are worth investigating.
Remember that if you’re a member of our Hythe Healthcare Plan, you get a discount on neutering your pet.
Your small monthly payments include discounts on numerous products and procedures, including neutering. As well as, vaccinations, full health examination with your vet each year and much more.
You can join the plan and start benefitting (and saving!) today