Should I spay or neuter my pet?

As a new pet owner (or an experienced owner of a new pet), you may ask yourself whether or not you should have your dog, cat, or rabbit spayed (for females) or neutered (for males).

​From a pet population perspective, the answer is crystal clear: an unambiguous yes. A female cat will produce 12 kittens per year on average. (A female cat will usually produce 3 litters per year, with an average size of 4 surviving kittens per litter. )  Each of those kittens can start having her own litters by the time she's 6 months old. So in 10 years, a single cat and her offspring will produce more than 50,000 new cats. Check out this kitten calculator for the details. That is obviously far too many cats for the available homes. Spaying and neutering prevents the suffering and possible starvation of unwanted pets, so is clearly the responsible choice for the population.

But what about the individual perspective? Spaying and neutering has health benefits for each individual pet too.

Prevent disease in dogs, cats, and rabbits:

• Spayed and neutered dogs will live an average of 20% longer than intact dogs.
• Mammary (breast) cancer can be almost 100% prevented by spaying prior to the first heat, and ovarian and uterine cancers are 100% prevented. Intact rabbits are pretty much guaranteed to get uterine cancer if not bred, and  spaying removes that risk.
• Neutering prevents 100% of testicular cancers.
• Infection of the uterus (pyometra), a common and life-threatening condition of intact older females is prevented by spaying.
• Prostatic hypertrophy (enlargement of the prostate), a condition that can make it difficult for older males to urinate, is prevented by neutering.​

Prevent unwanted behaviors:

• Spaying eliminates heat cycles. Female cats go into heat for 4-5 days every three weeks during breeding season. If you haven't had the experience, this involves a lot of yowling - usually at night - and frequent urination - not always in the litterbox - as she tries to attract her mate. Female dogs will bleed during their heat cycle twice a year and may need to wear a diaper to prevent soiling the house and furniture. 
• Neuter to decrease the urge to roam. Intact dogs and cats will get creative in their drive to escape and find mates in heat. Neutering will keep them safe from traffic and fights over mates or territory. 
• Neuter to decrease spraying and humping. Intact dogs and cats often feel the need to mark their territory by urinating, and the urine smells strongly. Neutering will decrease this, but can't remove the behavior entirely once it's been learned. Early neuter (before 6 months old) is the best way to prevent it. The urine odor decreases dramatically once neutered.

What are the risks of spaying and neutering?

• Myth: my pet will get fat. Reality: no, your pet won't get fat because of the spay or neuter. The reality is that excess calories for your pet's level of exercise leads to packing on the pounds. Our pets' metabolisms slow down after 6 months of age because they stop growing so quickly, so it's easy to over-feed them. See our blog post on how much to feed for more information.
• Myth: Spaying is risky and painful. Reality: at our AAHA-accredited hospital surgery is safe and pain is minimized. Our patients are monitored throughout their entire anesthesia and recovery, and we use multi-modal protocols involving small doses of multiple medications to minimize risk of side effects. Pain-relieving medication is used before, during, and after surgery. We want you keep your pet quiet and calm after surgery, but our clients tell us it's just about impossible because their pets are feeling so well they want to run and play.
• Myth: spaying and neutering is expensive. Reality: the cost of the spay or neuter is far less than caring for a single litter of puppies or kittens. Low-cost spay and neuter facilities that are subsidized by donations (like UCAN here in Cincinnati) make responsible pet ownership affordable to all.
• Fact: Spaying and neutering can slightly increase the risk for certain medical conditions in dogs. These are very breed and gender specific, and can be impacted by the age at time of spay or neuter. For example, urinary incontinence can occur in large-breed spayed female dogs, with the greatest risk occuring if they are spayed before 3 months of age.  Talk to us about your individual pet so we can determine the optimal timing to achieve the benefits listed above while decreasing any negative impact. The AVMA has the technical details here. 

Remember, the most important fact is that spayed and neutered pets will live longer on average than intact ones. Give us a call at 513-791-7912 and we'll be happy to answer your questions.