Skip to content

Neutering

Home » All Services » Neutering

Neutering

Spaying or Neutering Pets

In order to prevent health and behavioural complications arising from remaining sexually intact, it is recommended to have your pet spayed or neutered at an early age. Older pets however, can also benefit from being spayed or neutered.

Neutering

Neutering (orchiectomy or castration) is the surgical removal of the testicles in male dogs and cats. This procedure requires a general anesthetic and sterile conditions. Only a qualified, licensed veterinarian may carry out this procedure. Neutering is ideally performed at around 6 months of age.

Dogs

Intact male dogs are sexually mature (able to reproduce) as young as 6 months of age. Benefits of neutering your male dog include:

  • Eliminates annoying sexual habits such as mounting behaviour or lifting his leg to “mark” his territory both inside and outside the house.
  • Eliminates the need to roam in search of females. If allowed to run loose, he may fight with other males, be injured by automobiles or get lost. If confined, he may become distressed, hyperactive or aggressive.
  • Reduces the chance of developing infections. Neutering also reduces the risk of prostate and testicular cancer. These are all problems of older unaltered males.
  • Reduces the chance of your dog later biting or being aggressive towards other dogs and humans. Statistics show that most dog bites are inflicted by unaltered males.
  • Less roaming behaviour means less external and internal parasite infestations and lower risk of contracting disease.
  • Neutering will not change your dog’s personality except to make him a calmer pet in many instances. Also, other dogs tend to “pick” fights more often with unaltered males. Having your dog neutered will help make him less susceptible to aggressive interactions with other dogs.

Cats

Male cats are sexually mature at around 6 months of age. They begin developing behavioural changes in response to the increase of hormones. When done early, neutering will eliminate many undesirable behavioural problems which develop with sexual maturity. This can significantly lengthen your cat’s life. Some benefits of neutering include:

  • Eliminates spraying to “mark” his territory both outdoors and in your home.
  • Greatly reduces the odour of his urine. (Un-neutered male cats have a very distinct, strong, pungent odour to their urine.)
  • Eliminates roaming in search of females. If allowed to run loose, he may fight with other males, be injured, killed by automobiles or get lost.
  • Greatly reduces the medical costs related to treating abscesses and injuries caused by fighting with other cats.
  • Statistics reveal that the average life span of an unaltered male cat is 6 years. The life span of your cat can more than double simply by having him neutered.
  • Helps control the pet population crisis by preventing unwanted pregnancies.
  • Neutering will not change your cat’s personality except to make him a calmer, more devoted pet.

 

Unless you are convinced that you will want to show or breed your pet, we recommend that you spay or neuter your pet at a young age.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding neutering or spaying your pet, please contact one of our staff for more information.