Facts about Spaying and Neutering Pets

Outweigh Myths

By Kimberly Meenen
Information Specialist
University of Illinois
College of Veterinary Medicine 

"Fido will get fat." 

"I don't want to take the risk of Mitten's having surgery!" 

"My children will learn about the miracle of life when Lady has her pups." 

There are many excuses for not spaying or neutering your pet, but the truth is that the procedures prove overwhelmingly beneficial, both for your animal and for the well being of the overall animal population. Dr. Allan Paul, small animal Extension veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at Urbana, counters some of the standard misconceptions about having this surgery performed. 

"First of all, a very minute drop in metabolism may occur after the procedure," says Dr. Paul, "but that would have occurred regardless of the operation. At about one year, as pups and kittens are becoming adults, their metabolism will begin to slow down. Excessive weight gain and lethargy most likely can be attributed to an increase in feed and a decrease in exercise." 

According to Dr. Paul, the risks associated with either of these operations is minimal, especially with improvements in anaesthesia and other areas of surgery. Increased risk in surgery is, however, associated with age and the presence of disease, so Dr. Paul recommends having your pet spayed or neutered early, before problems develop. The optimum age for the surgery for both dogs and cats is six to nine months. 

To those who want their pet to have a litter just to let their children "see the miracle of life," Dr. Paul points out that there are better ways to teach children about reproduction. In fact, teaching children to care responsibly for family pets, including taking steps to reduce the population of unwanted pets, could be an equally important lesson. 

Of course, some animals should be bred, but this should be done by professional breeders raising quality purebred animals. Even with purebreds, only the top of the line from each breed should be mated so that good quality animals are reproduced. Breeding less valuable animals perpetuates congenital defects and abnormalities, which simply adds to the problem of the ever increasing numbers of unwanted animals. 

"Far from causing changes in an animal's personality, as some owners fear, spaying and neutering may decrease some unwanted behaviour, especially in cats," says Dr. Paul. "Neutering may decrease the male cat's desire to roam and reduce aggression, fighting, and spraying urine. Neutering may sometimes decrease marking in male dogs, but there are so many variables associated with these behaviours in canines that success is not assured." 

After their myths about spaying and neutering have been dispelled, pet owners will find there are actually health benefits to the surgeries for their pets. In females, the incidence of mammary gland cancer can be significantly reduced by spaying. A substantial decrease in the number of uterine infections is also seen. Neutering males can reduce the incidence of prostate disease and testicular tumours. 

For more information about spaying or neutering your pet, consult a small animal veterinarian in your area.