Why should I spay or neuter my dog?
Spaying is a surgical procedure scientifically known as an ovarianhysterectomy. The ovaries and uterus are removed completely in order to sterilize a female dog
There are many benefits of spaying your female dog. Spaying eliminates your dog going through heat cycles. When your dog is in heat she will have an urge to escape in order to find a mate, which is an unwanted and dangerous behavior. Spaying also eliminates the chance of uterine infection know as pyometra, which can be fatal. If spayed before her first heat cycle she will have a less than 0.5% chance of developing breast cancer. Once spayed she has no chance of getting uterine and ovarian cancer. Spaying also helps to reduce the pet overpopulation crisis. If she is not spayed at a proper time it may result to her having to be spayed in a more critical situation, such as False or phantom pregnancy, treatment of uterine infection (pyometra) or cancer.
Neutering (castration) is a surgical procedure scientifically known as orchiectomy. Both testicles are removed in order to sterilize a male dog
The medical benefits of neutering your male dog are: neutering eliminates the possibility of testicular cancer and greatly reduces the chance of prostate disease. Unfortunately many older dogs that are not neutered will develop prostate disease or testicular tumors. Neutering also decreases the risk of perianal tumors and perineal hernias.
The behavior benefit of neutering is eliminating any behavior driven by hormones. Hormonal behaviors eliminated or reduced could be: reduced undesirable sexual behavior, attraction to female dogs, roaming, mounting and masturbation. Although neutered dogs will still lift their leg to urinate, castration reduces marking in 80% of dogs with a marked improvement in 40%
If you have any other questions on spaying or neutering you dog please call North Hill Animal Hospital to further discuss
