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Why you should desex your pet !

BENEFITS OF NEUTERING - MALES (CATS & DOGS)

1. Convenience to owner

* Usually stops tomcats from "spraying"
* Reduces the embarrassing urge of male dogs to mount
* Reduced dog owner licence fees
* Reduces aggression against other animals and vet bills resulting from fights


2. Better health for your pet

* Decreases your pet's desire to roam in search of a mate
* Reduces the risk of prostate problems and testicular tumours later in life


3. Helps decrease the overpopulation problem

One male loose for just a few hours can impregnate many females
adding to the serious problem of unwanted puppies and kittens.


4. Eliminates sexual frustration

A male sensing a female in heat is nearby can break down doors
and jump fences in their desire to mate.



BENEFITS OF SPEYING - FEMALES (CATS & DOGS)

1. Convenience to owner

* Eliminates "heat" periods
* Eliminates the scent that attracts males
* No need to confine your female while in heat
* Reduced dog owner licence fees


2. Better health for your pet

* Eliminates all the problems and potential risks involved in pregnancy and birth
* Eliminates the common problem of infection in the uterus as the pet gets older
* Decreases the possibility of mammary tumours


3. Helps decrease the overpopulation problem

By not bringing more unwanted puppies and kittens into the world
and rids you of the worry of what to do with unplanned litters.


4. Eliminates sexual frustration

* Decreases your pet's desire to roam in search of a mate
* Helps prevent accidents with free-roaming animals

Myths about speying and neutering

Speying / neutering will make my pet fat.

Not true. Too much food and not enough exercise will make your pet fat.


Speying will hurt her / him.

Not true. The operation is safe and relatively painless, and
is carried out by a registered veterinarian, while your pet is
under anaesthetic.


I will find homes for my puppies and kittens.

Not true. You may be able to place your puppies or kittens, but are
they good homes? Right now in the United States, 15 million animals
are put down each year!


Neutering will take away the "guard dog" instincts.

Not true. They are still protective of their territory after desexing.

PREMATURE DESEXING

Premature or early desexing has been practiced for 10 years in
the veterinary field. Generally speaking it means the desexing of cats
and dogs before the age of 6 months. This can be as young as 8 weeks of age.
There are many opinions within the veterinary profession and public about
the advantages and disadvantages of early desexing.

Puppies and kittens desexed at an early age can have health problems like
any animal. However there is no significant evidence to say that they have
any more problems through their life than dogs or cats desexed at an older
age. In the USA there are dogs now 10 years of age living very happily
after being desexed as young puppies.

Auckland SPCA currently speys and neuters its dogs and cats from 8 weeks of age.






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