It’s Good for Your Pet!

Did you know that pets that are spayed or neutered live longer on average than pets that are not?

Spaying and neutering may help cats and dogs live longer and healthier lives and can eliminate or reduce the incidence of a number of health and behavior problems.

• Spaying your female pet eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of mammary gland tumors. It is not true that your female cat or dog will benefit from having one litter before she is spayed! In fact, spaying her before her first heat will reduce the risk of certain diseases.
• Neutering your male pet eliminates the possibility of testicular and prostate cancers.
• Most cats and dogs are able to reproduce by 6 months of age. Many Veterinarians will spay or neuter an animal as young as three months of age, but as with any surgery, you should consult with your Veterinarian to see if your puppy or kitten is old enough and healthy enough to be spayed or neutered.

It’s Good for You!

Did you know that spaying or neutering your pet may stop unwanted behavior?

Sadly, some owners feel that they have no option but to surrender their pets to shelters because they simply cannot handle some unwanted behaviors. Yet spaying or neutering your pet may reduce or eliminate these behaviors, making both you and your pet happier.

• Your spayed female cat or dog will no longer go through heat cycles. Female cats in heat will typically “yowl” and urinate frequently. Female dogs in heat may be more likely to show aggression to other females and will bleed, making a mess.
• Neutering your male cat or dog at an early age may reduce the breeding instinct and the behavior that goes along with it – spraying or marking territory with urine, aggressive behavior, and the drive to escape from your home and roam.

It’s Good for the Community!

Did you know that millions of cats and dogs are euthanized each year in shelters?

Shelters across the country are forced to euthanize many adoptable cats, dogs and other companion animals each year. Many of these animals were the result of unwanted and unplanned litters, or cats and dogs that seemed “cute” as kittens and puppies, but were no longer wanted as they grew into adults. Many of these are even purebred animals.

By spaying or neutering your pet, you are doing your part to bring an end to the pet overpopulation problem. Your pet will not have unplanned puppies or kittens that end up in a shelter – and that means that the animals already waiting for homes will have that much more of a chance to find one.