Dog Spaying and Neutering
In addition to controlling populations of stray animals, spaying/neutering your pet is a responsible choice that also has many health and behaviour-related benefits.
What does neutering/spaying do to a dog?
Spaying and neutering is the term used to describe the process of removing the reproductive organs, testicles in males and ovaries and uterus in females.
Spaying (Ovariohysterectomy)
Spaying a female dog involves the removal of almost the entire reproductive tract including the ovaries and the uterus [“ovario-“ (ovaries), “-hyster-“ (uterus), “-ectomy” (removal)]. A dog spay is a major abdominal surgery, hopefully, the most major your dog will ever need. Although a major surgery, it is one of the surgeries veterinarians perform most often.
Neutering
Neutering involves complete removal of the male testicles. This surgical procedure has few risks and a shorter period of recovery compared to a spay.
Why is it important to neuter/spay my dog?
Neutering/spaying your dog has a number of important health benefits including:
- Eliminating the high risk of uterine infection (pyometra) – a common, severe, and often fatal condition in older intact female dogs
- Significantly decreasing the incidence of breast and testicular cancer.
- Reduction in unwanted behaviours (marking, aggression, dominance, roaming, bolting).
- Decreasing unwanted pregnancy and increasing the number of pets needing a home.
How old should a dog be before they are neutered/spayed?
Our veterinarians can help you determine the best time to neuter or spay your pet, depending on the breed, the temperament, body development and the type of pet you have (working dog vs companion). The usual recommendation is to spay females around 6 months of age.
