Importance of Spay and Neuter
You’ve probably heard how important it is to spay and neuter your pets. Maybe you heard it from your veterinarian, or a friend, or a volunteer at an animal shelter. But maybe you’re wondering why spaying and neutering your dogs and cats is so important. Beyond preventing unwanted pet pregnancies, what are the benefits?
The team at PetSmart Veterinary Services – Snellville is here to shine a light on the benefits of spaying and neutering your pets.
Preventing Pet Pregnancy and Overpopulation
One of the most important reasons to spay or neuter your pet is to prevent pet pregnancy. Sadly, surprise pregnancies happen all the time, and they contribute to the overwhelming number of homeless animals in shelters.
When you choose to spay or neuter your pet, you’re doing something incredibly important. You’re helping to reduce pet overpopulation, and you’re making it easier for the animals already in shelters to find loving homes.
Health Benefits: Reducing the Risk of Cancer
Beyond preventing pet pregnancy, choosing to spay or neuter your pet comes with big health benefits.
For female pets, spaying eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers. It also significantly reduces your furry friend’s chance of developing breast cancer, which is often fatal in animals. For males, neutering helps prevent testicular cancer and can decrease the risk of prostate problems later in life.
Data cited by the Humane Society of the United States suggests that neutered male dogs tend to live 13.8% longer, on average, than non-neutered dogs. Spayed female dogs live an average of 26.3% longer. For cats, the extra time is even more significant: spayed female cats live 39% longer, on average, and neutered male cats live 62% longer.
Essentially, spaying and neutering your pets means you’re more likely to get more time earthside with your beloved companions.
What’s not to love about that?
Improved Behavior After Spay or Neuter
In addition to the health benefits, spaying and neutering can improve your pet’s behavior.
Many pet parents notice that their pawsome pals are calmer and less aggressive after they undergo spay and neuter surgeries.
Case in point: neutered male pets are less likely to exhibit aggression toward other animals and people. This makes them easier to manage—especially if you have multiple pets or small children at home.
Another common behavior we see in unneutered male pets is territory marking. This is the annoying, yet instinctual unneutered-pet habit of peeing on inappropriate surfaces, like your walls and table legs.
Neutered males are less likely to mark their territory all over your house. Phew!
Female pets also benefit behaviorally from spaying, as it eliminates the heat cycle. When female pets go into heat, they can seem to turn into different creatures. Your normally calm kitty or dog might get restless, vocalize excessively, and even try to escape the house in search of a mate.
Spaying removes the heat cycle and all the not-so-fun behaviors that come with it.
Schedule Your Spay or Neuter Today
The caring veterinary team at PetSmart Veterinary Services – Snellville is here to help you reap the benefits of spaying and neutering your pet. Our veterinarians have performed countless spay and neuter surgeries, and we know just how to guide your pet through the procedure with minimal disruption to your life. Call us today to schedule an appointment!