The Health and Behavior Benefits of Spaying and Neutering

Spaying and neutering increases the probability that your cat or dog will live a longer, healthier, and higher quality life. Surgical sterilization is a powerful prevention for many diseases and behavior problems. Not to mention eliminating unwanted pregnancies. Let’s explore it in more detail.

Spaying Female Cats

Spaying, aka ovariohysterectomy, involves the removal of the two ovaries, the uterine horns and the body of the uterus. This eliminates the possibility of a cat getting pregnant. It also eliminates their developing ovarian or uterine cancer. It also eliminates pyometra which is a commonly developed bacterial infection in un-spayed cats. Pyometra is especially common in older un-spayed cats. This infection can spread to the bloodstream and cause sepsis (systemic infection) which can lead to renal (kidney) failure. Death can occur as a result of renal failure, sepsis, or uterine rupture. Treatment for pyometra involves immediate spay, but this may not be able to save an animal that is already debilitated. Spaying cats while they are young and healthy is the best prevention for pyometra.

Spaying also drastically reduces the risk of mammary cancer in cats. Mammary tumors are the third most common tumor of female felines, with an incidence of 2.5%. Mammary cancer is malignant in greater than 90% of cats. Once a mammary tumor spread to the lungs and bones, the cancer is fatal. An un-spayed cat is seven times more likely to develop mammary tumors. The benefit of spaying in reducing the incidence of mammary cancer declines with age and the number of estrous cycles, but reduced risk has been found in spaying animals as old as nine years of age.

Spaying cats also eliminates the risks associated with giving birth. A small birth canal due to narrowing (i.e.: pelvic fracture) or genetics may make giving birth dangerous.

Un-spayed cats can be in heat for up to ten months out of the year. During this time, they are often very vocal and active during all times of the night. Spaying eliminates the heat cycle and thus reduces stress on the cat and the owner.

Overall, the best way to prevent the dangerous health and behavioral problems described above is spaying your female cat when they are young and healthy.

Spaying Female Dogs

Spaying, aka ovariohysterectomy, involves the removal of the two ovaries, the uterine horns and the body of the uterus. This eliminates the possibility of a dog getting pregnant. It also eliminates their developing ovarian or uterine cancer. It also eliminates pyometra which is a commonly developed bacterial infection in un-spayed dogs. Pyometra is especially common in older un-spayed dogs. This infection can spread to the bloodstream and cause sepsis (systemic infection) which can lead to renal (kidney) failure. Death can occur as a result of renal failure, sepsis, or uterine rupture. Treatment for pyometra involves immediate spay, but this may not be able to save an animal that is already debilitated. Spaying dogs while they are young and healthy is the best prevention for pyometra.

Spaying also drastically reduces the risk of mammary cancer in dogs. Mammary tumors are the most common tumors in female dogs, with an incidence of 3.4. Mammary cancer is malignant in about 50% of dogs. Once a mammary tumor spread to the lungs and bones, the cancer is fatal. An un-spayed dog is tweleve times more likely to develop mammary cancer than a dog that has been spayed before her first heat (6-8 months of age) and four times more likely to develop mammary cancer than a dog that has been spayed after their second heat. The benefit of spaying in reducing the incidence of mammary cancer declines with age and the number of estrous cycles, but reduced risk has been found in spaying animals as old as 9 years of age.

Spaying dogs also reduces the risks associated with giving birth. A small birth canal due to narrowing (i.e.: pelvic fracture) or genetics may make giving birth dangerous. Inadequate body size, like toy breeds, can also leave dogs too weak to give birth naturally. Most of these cases require a cesarean section in order to save thedog’s life. Smaller breed dogs are also more likely to develop eclampsia once they start nursing puppies, in which case their blood calcium decreases significantly. Without rapid treatment with IV calcium, the dog will likely develop seizures and die.

Spaying dogs eliminates the heat cycle and its associated problems. Female dogs come into heat about every 5-7 months. When they start coming into heat depends largely on the breed and size of dog. Dogs that are in heat generally have a bloody discharge for several days. This can be a very difficult time when your dog is kept indoors. Spaying dogs also prevents aggressiveness and irritability that some female dogs display during heat.

Overall, the best way to prevent the dangerous health and behavioral problems described above is spaying your female dog when they are young and healthy.

Neutering Male Cats

Neutering, aka castration, involves the removal of both testicles. This prevents a male cat from siring offspring. A male cat is much more likely to roam or slip out of the house due to the urge to breed. As a result, unneutered male cats are more likely to get hit by cars or suffer injuries and bite wounds from fighting other cats. Bite wounds can cause abscesses, which require surgical drainage and treatment with antibiotics. Even worse, a single bite can also spread disease, including Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus. There is currently no effective vaccine or cure for FIV.

Unneutered male cats spray urine, often on furniture or other belongings, to mark their territory. The urine of unneutered male cats also has a very strong odor. Neutering most often eliminates this territorial spraying behavior. Like intact male dogs, intact male cats are more likely to roam and get into fights. Sustaining bites from fighting can result in abscess formation or transfer of diseases like Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus.

Overall, the best way to prevent the dangerous health and behavioral problems described above is neutering your male cat when they are young and healthy.

Neutering Male Dogs

Neutering, aka castration, involves the removal of both testicles. This prevents a male dog from siring offspring. This also prevents the development of testicular tumors, which are fairly common in dogs. Dogs that are cryptorchid, meaning the testicle has not descended into the scrotum thus remaining in the body, are much more likely to develop testicular tumors.

Neutering also eliminates the dog’s sexual drive to bolt from the house or yard, thus preventing injuries or diseases associated with roaming. Neutering can prevent roaming behavior in greater than 90% of dogs. While running loose male dogs run the risk of being hit by a car; harmed by an act of cruelty; acquiring diseases from other animals; and sustaining injury from a fight with other dogs or animals. Dog fighting is more likely in unneutered males as they tend to be more aggressive towards other male dogs.

Neutering dogs often eliminates territorial urine marking and sexual mounting behavior, especially if done at a young age. Intact male dogs are also often more aggressive towards other male dogs, and neutering will often eliminate this behavior as well.

Overall, the best way to prevent the dangerous health and behavioral problems described above is neutering your male dog when they are young and healthy.