Spaying
Spaying is when a female pet’s uterus isf the pet’s life, it is the most common form of sterilization.
This surgical procedure is done with anesthesia, so the animal doesn’t feel anything.
It usually takes under 90 minutes. With an incision to the stomach, the uterus and ovaries are taken out.
There’s a lot of aftercare that needs to be done.
You should help them refrain from jumping and running too much. They shouldn’t swim either. But overall, spaying is a routine procedure.
Why Spay?
You might be wondering why you’d take out your pet’s uterus. This is a logical question but there are plenty of reasons you should have this procedure done.
First, spaying eliminates the possibility of her getting pregnant, therefore lowering the number of animals that are either given away, uncared for, or homeless.
There are many homeless cats and dogs that are the result of negligent reproductive practices by the owners.
On the other hand, spaying also mitigates the risk of reproductive diseases. These include uterine and ovarian cancers and mammary tumors.
Furthermore, spaying improves the overall behavior of the pet because they won’t have the reproductive urge that leads them to run away from the house.
There are all kinds of pets who run away because they are in heat. Spaying increases the quality and longevity of life for the animal in general.
Neutering
Neutering is the male equivalent of spaying.
Neutering is the removal of the male pet’s reproductive organs, which is a form of castration. For cats, this is the form of sterilization for males. Like spaying, neutering should be done at a young age. It’s also a surgery that requires anesthesia.
It is a permanent procedure so all pet owners should consult a veterinarian about neutering their pet.
However, neutering a male cat is a painless procedure. Simply put, the testicles are removed, which mitigates the production of hormones that result in sex drive.
It also eliminates the production of sperm. While they won’t be able to reproduce, their health remains relatively intact.
Of course, the drive to reproduce is removed.
Why Neuter?
Since neutering is a form of castration unlike spaying, which removes the uterus not the vagina, it can seem cruel to a lot of people. Still, there are so many benefits to neutering your animal.
Not only does it decrease overpopulation, but it also decreases pet homelessness from running away, and greatly mitigates the risk of reproductive diseases and cancers.
It is seen as a necessary medical procedure for domesticated pets.
Pros & Cons
When you spay and neuter your animals, you are essentially decreasing the number of homeless animals there are on the streets. You cut down on the risk of disease.
You are also improving the animal’s behavior. However, there are also significant risks.
While the procedures are routine, there are always risks. It could go wrong, but an even larger risk is that the animal gets a post-surgical infection.
The animal could react poorly to the anesthesia. Spaying and neutering can also increase joint disorders. Female cats that are spayed are more likely to get uterine infections and males are more likely to have urethral complications.
These animals are also more likely to become obese.
There are a lot of moving parts to spaying and neutering pets. Overall, they are procedures that help animals live safe and healthier lives, but there are drawbacks as well.
You should always consult a veterinarian and think a lot about it before you spay or neuter an animal.