You are responsible for your pet’s health and wellbeing, and every day, you must make decisions that can have lasting impacts on your furry friend’s quality of life. An extremely important decision is whether to spay or neuter your pet. During a spay or neuter surgery, your veterinarian removes your pet’s reproductive organs to prevent your four-legged friend from experiencing or causing a pregnancy. These reproductive sterilization procedures help control pet overpopulation and benefit your furry pal’s health and wellbeing. Our Smithtown Animal Hospital team explains reproductive sterilization’s importance, helping you make a confident, informed decision regarding your pet’s lifelong health.

#1: Spaying or neutering your pet increases their longevity

Spaying or neutering your pet significantly improves their health and life span. Studies show that spayed dogs live about 23% longer, and spayed cats live about 39% longer than intact female pets. Neutered dogs live about 18% longer, and neutered cats live about 62% longer than intact male pets. By having your pet’s reproductive organs removed, you help safeguard your furry pal from numerous diseases, and they usually live longer, healthier lives than intact pets.

#2: Spaying or neutering reduces pet overpopulation

Pet overpopulation is a pressing concern, and having your four-legged friend spayed or neutered can help prevent this problem from escalating. Overcrowded shelters across the United States must euthanize millions of animals every year because they are unable to find homes for every pet in their care. When you have your pet spayed or neutered, you prevent your four-legged friend from producing offspring and increasing overpopulation, which reduces animal shelters’ burden and saves many pets’ lives. 

#3: Spaying or neutering reduces behavioral problems in pets

Sterilization can have significant behavioral benefits for female and male pets. This surgery benefits each sex differently:

  • Spayed female pets’ behavioral benefits — Spayed female pets do not experience heat cycles. Typically, intact female dogs experience two heat cycles per year, each lasting two to four weeks. During this time, your female dog may become more agitated than usual, and exhibit more aggressive behavior. Female cats typically experience a heat cycle every three weeks from March until September, each lasting four to five days. During this time, your female cat may vocalize loudly, calling for a mate. Pets in heat may also spray urine on vertical surfaces to mark their territory. Remember, when your veterinarian removes your female pet’s reproductive organs, your four-legged friend no longer experiences heat cycles, and these behavioral problems stop.
  • Neutered male pets’ benefits — Intact male pets are more likely than neutered males to urine mark their territory, behave aggressively, and mount other pets, people, or inanimate objects. Neutering may reduce or eliminate these behavioral problems. However, neutering will not stop behaviors that your pet already has learned or that have become habitual.

#4: Spaying or neutering prevents certain diseases in pets

Spaying and neutering also play a vital role in preventing reproductive pets’ cancers. This surgery benefits each sex differently:

  • Female reproductive disease prevention — Spayed female pets will not develop uterine or ovarian cancers later in life. Spaying also prevents female pets from developing the serious uterine infection pyometra. A spayed female pet is less likely to develop mammary cancer, if they have surgery before their first heat cycle. In addition, spaying prevents pregnancy, protecting your female pet from birthing complications.
  • Male reproductive disease prevention — When you have your male pet neutered their testicular cancer risk is eliminated. Neutering also reduces their potential for developing various prostate problems. 

#5: Spaying or neutering can help you save money on veterinary costs

While you will have to pay for your pet’s spay or neuter, the long-term financial benefits far outweigh the one-time cost. The expense of an intact pet’s veterinary care can quickly accumulate. Consider how spaying or neutering can be cost-effective:

  • Unplanned litters — An unintended pregnancy can lead to the financial burden of caring for a litter of puppies or kittens. The costs for multiple animals’ veterinary care, vaccinations, food, and other supplies add up quickly. By having your pet spayed or neutered, you eliminate the risk of your four-legged friend having or causing an unplanned litter, saving you the expenses associated with raising and finding homes for your furry pal’s offspring.
  • Reproductive disease medical costs — Intact pets have a high risk of developing reproductive diseases. Reproductive disease treatment can be costly, and severe cases may require emergency care or hospitalization. By having your pet spayed or neutered, you significantly reduce these medical conditions’ likelihood and their associated expenses.
  • Behavioral training — Intact pets are more likely to have behavioral problems that may require professional training, which can be time-consuming and costly. Having your pet spayed or neutered helps mitigate behavioral issues, saving you the time and expense of needing to address these issues through training. 

Choosing to have your pet spayed or neutered is an extremely important aspect of responsible pet ownership, and a meaningful investment in your pet’s long-term health and wellbeing. If you have questions or are ready to schedule your pet’s spay or neuter procedure, contact our Smithtown Animal Hospital team.