Spaying or neutering your pet, is not just beneficial for your
pet health, but also to the society that has millions of un-adopted pets added to shelters. The medical procedure is reasonably priced, and there are local programs offering it for free as well. If you are in two minds about whether or not you should spay/neuter your pet, here are some reasons why you should.
Benefits of neutering/spaying pets- Felines that aren’t spayed go into heat during the breeding seasons, and will relieve themselves more often all over the house, and yowl to call out for mates. Spaying can help prevent this marking behavior. Male feline pets that are not neutered have a greater tendency of disappearing and roaming away to find themselves a mate. Neutering your pet will ensure that he won’t go missing and risk going out in traffic and other places that can prove to be dangerous for domesticated pets. Also, if your dog shows behavioral issues like mounting furniture, neutering should help solve the problem.
- Unplanned litters account for millions of homeless pets, many of which are euthanized or cause elderly pets to be euthanized in shelters, so they can make more space for younger litters. Spaying or neutering can keep the unplanned pet numbers in check, so the homeless pet numbers do not increase either.
- Pets that are neutered display lower behavioral problems like aggression, when compared to ones that are not. They are also able to offer more attention to their family, now that they are not strongly driven by their hormonal instincts. Of course, you should understand that neutering your pet will not solve all behavioral problems. If your pet has learnt and grown habituated to certain problematic behaviors over time, then neutering your pet will not help correct the behavior.
- Neutering can help prevent health problems like testicular cancer in pets. You can spend more years with your pet, by eliminating these fatal diseases. Female pets that are spayed have a lower chance of developing breast cancer or uterine infections. This also helps them live longer, as a majority of female pets have a shorter lifespan due to these medical conditions.
Dogs are usually neutered anywhere between 6-9 months of age, although they can be spayed at as early as 2 months of age. Cats can be neutered around the age of 2 months as well. Spaying or neutering your pet at a later age can cause complications. It is always best to talk to your vet if you are unsure about whether or not your pet is ready to be neutered or spayed, so they can recommend the best time for it.