Spay and Neuter Your Pets!
Good
for You, Your Pet, and the Community
Prevent
A Litter - It's Good for You
·
Spayed and neutered pets are better, more affectionate, companions.
·
Neutered cats are less likely to spray and mark territory.
·
Spaying a female dog or cat eliminates its heat cycle, which can last
twenty-one days, twice a year, in dogs, and anywhere from three to fifteen
days, three or more times a year, in cats. Females in heat often cry
incessantly, show nervous behavior, and attract unwanted male animals.
·
Spayed and neutered pets are less likely to bite. Unaltered animals
often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than those that have been
spayed or neutered.
Prevent
a Litter - It's Good for Your Pet
Prevent
A Litter - It's Good for the Community
Health Benefits of Spaying and
Neutering
Spayed animals
no longer feel the need to roam to look for a mate. The result is that they
stay home and have less chance of being involved in traumatic accidents such as
being hit by a car. They also have a much lower incidence of contracting
contagious diseases, and get into fewer fights.
In males,
neutering decreases the chances of developing prostatic disease and hernias,
and eliminates the chances of developing testicular cancer. It also reduces
problems with territorial and sexual aggression, inappropriate urination
(spraying) and other undesirable male behaviors.
In Females,
spaying decreases the incidence of breast cancer (the rate goes down to almost
zero if the spaying is done before the first heat cycle!). It eliminates the
chance of developing a serious and potentially fatal infection of the uterus
experienced by many mature unspayed animals (pyometra). Spay surgery also
eliminates the heat cycle and associated mood swings and undesirable behaviors,
messy spotting (in dogs) and the attraction of all available males to your
yard.
Five Good Reasons Why You Should
Spay or Neuter Your Pet
1) Spaying or
neutering increases your pet's chances for a longer, healthier life.
·
Spaying your pet before her first estrous cycle (that is, before she
reaches sexual maturity) greatly reduces her chances of developing breast
cancer and completely eliminates the threat of uterine and ovarian cancer and
uterine infection, which are common occurrences in unaltered females.
2) An altered
dog or cat is a better pet for your family.
·
Males neutered early in life are less aggressive toward other males
and are not distracted by females in heat. Therefore, a neutered male will be
less tempted to leave your property and cross that dangerous highway searching
for a mate. Neutered males also are less likely to mark every one of your (or
your neighbor's) expensive shrubs with his urine as well as inside the house.
3) No family
wants to cope with an unwanted pregnancy.
Spaying prevents
your pet from giving birth to unwanted puppies or kittens.
4) Spaying
results in a cleaner female dog and home.
Because female
dogs pass bloody fluid for about ten days, twice a year, as a part of their
estrous cycle, constant care must be taken to avoid carpet stains in homes with
such animals. Spaying your dog eliminates this problem.
5) You are
helping to alleviate the dog and cat overpopulation problem.
Each year,
millions of unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized (killed) at shelters across
the country. Although pet behavioral problems are the main reasons animals are
given to shelters, many orphans are the result of accidental breeding by
free-roaming, unaltered pets. The more pets spayed or neutered, the fewer dogs
and cats will have to be destroyed. Delaware Humane Association does not
euthanized; however, hundreds of dogs and cats are turned away each year
because there is simply not enough room at the shelter to accommodate them.
Six Common Excuses for Not
Spaying or Neutering Pets
1) My pet
will get fat and lazy.
Neutering or
spaying may diminish your pet's overall activity level, natural tendency to
wander, and hormonal balances, which may influence appetite. Pets that become
fat and lazy after being altered usually are overfed and do not get enough
exercise.
2) We want
another pet just like Rover and Fluffy.
Breeding two
purebred animals rarely results in offspring that are exactly like one of the
parents. With mixed breeds, it is virtually impossible to have offspring that
are exactly like one of the parents.
3) My pet's
personality will change.
Any change will
be for the better. After being altered, your pet will be less aggressive toward
other dogs or cats, have a better personality, and will be less likely to
wander. Spraying (urine marking), which is often done by dogs and cats to mark
their territory, diminishes or ceases after pets are altered.
4) We can
sell puppies or kittens and make money.
Even well-known
breeders are fortunate if they break even on raising purebred litters. The cost
of raising such a litter -- which includes stud fees, vaccinations and other
health care costs, and feeding a quality food -- consumes most of the
"profit." Well-known breeders raise breeds that they like. These
breeders also try to improve the standard of the breeds they raise.
5) My
children should witness our pet giving birth.
Pets often have
their litters in the middle of the night or in a place of their own choosing.
Because pets need privacy when giving birth, any unnecessary intrusion can
cause the mother to become seriously upset. These intrusions can result in an
unwillingness to care for the offspring or in injury to the owners or to the
pet.
6) I am
concerned about my pet undergoing anesthesia.
Placing a pet
under anesthesia is a very common concern of owners. Although there is always a
slight risk involved, the anesthetics currently used by veterinarians are very
safe. Many veterinarians use equipment that monitors heart and respiratory
rates during surgery to ensure that their patients are doing well under
anesthesia. Thus, the medical benefits of having your pet spayed or neutered
far outweigh the slight risk involved with undergoing anesthesia. Consult your
veterinarian if your are concerned about this aspect of the procedure.