our advice: ASK DR. CATE
Vet Rap by
Dr. Ryan Cate
“Fixing” Your New Pet
Dear Dr. Cate,
We are planning for a new pet this spring and
were wondering about having it fixed. Can you
explain what the procedures are?
A: There are two different procedures to surgi-
cally sterilize or “fix” your new pet. For cats or
dogs it’s called ‘neutering’ for male animals,
‘spaying’ for females. Both are done in a vet’s
office and your new pet will be home by the
end of the day.
Neutering can be done by a couple of different
procedures, depending on your veterinarian’s
preference, but the result is the same. A male
animal’s testicles are removed so he cannot
reproduce. When a female is spayed, the veteri-
narian removes the reproductive organs, ovaries,
fallopian tubes and uterus. The male procedure
is less invasive than the female’s. Removing the
female organs requires an open cavity abdomi-
nal surgery, while the male removal is done with
a small incision.
Another reason is to keep your pet home and
safe. Dogs and cats that have been spayed or
neutered tend to stay closer to home because
they are not looking for a mate. If they are at
home, they can’t be run over or injured by cars
when they are in the roadway.
There was a study done on Golden Retrievers
that showed the age at which the dogs were
neutered affected their risk for developing
certain cancers and joint diseases, but the results
in this limited study do not outweigh the benefits
of sterilizing your pet.
We as the veterinarian community continue
to look for ways to lessen the invasiveness of
sterilization so we can decrease the number of
unwanted pets. Talk with your veterinarian to
see what he or she suggests when you add a
new member to your family. They will recom-
mend when and how is the best way to take
care of your new furry friend.
The incision may be closed by dissolving stitch-
es or they may need to be removed by your
veterinarian. Both before and after the procedure
is completed, your vet will let you know how
he or she wants to follow up with your pet after
surgery.
A: There are many more pros than cons to
having your pet spayed or neutered. The most
obvious one is to decrease the pet population,
especially in animal shelters. An unspayed
female dog, her mate, and their offspring can
add 12,288 dogs to the pet population in just
five years. An unspayed female cat, her mate,
and their offspring can add 11,801 cats to the
pet population in five years. That’s why when
you adept a pet from a shelter, most will have
to be spayed or neutered before you can adopt
them.
After surgery, animals wake in the vet’s office
in a kennel and are kept until the animal can
swallow and lift their head. Most are given
pain medication for 3-5 days after surgery. A
collar will be fitted to the animal to keep it from
disturbing the incision. Most male animals will
be restricted from regular activity for 5-7 days,
while females will be restricted for up to 10
days.
Q: Why do we need to have our pet spayed or
neutered?
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