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Fact Sheet
The
Spay / Neuter Decision
De-sexing,
sterilization, castration, “spaying” or “neutering”.
However it is said, just the
thought is enough to make us squirm a little, isn’t it?
Yep! We
are veterinarians, but we do understand most people’s discomfort
with discussing the reproductive systems of their pets
and the in-depth details of surgical procedures. But please
do excuse us if we get a little technical. It is important
for your pet that you understand certain key facts about
these surgical procedures.
So
here goes!
What’s it all about?
 Spaying is
surgery to remove the female reproductive organs – i.e.
the ovaries, the uterus and the fallopian tubes.
Neutering is
surgery to remove the male reproductive glands, or testes.
Both spaying and neutering
are fairly straightforward surgical procedures.
Why
do it?
Quite simply, to prevent unwanted
puppies or kittens, to avoid the mess of having a female
dog bleed for several weeks while in heat, to avoid certain
types of cancer and other problems and to spare your precious
gal the unwanted attentions of interested male dogs or
cats.
It is also done to avoid all
those undesirable behaviors associated with “natural” animal
sexuality such as territorial aggression, urine marking,
fighting and straying . . .
the list goes on!
But
breeding is only natural!
Yes! It is
only natural for our pets to breed and reproduce. That’s
exactly what Mother Nature intended. But unlike in the
wild, where nature keeps the numbers down, if our pets
were allowed to breed freely, things could get a little
“crowded” in the living room - with cleanliness, hygiene
and good taste going out the window as well.
Will it affect my pet’s
health?
Yes! Very
definitely yes! And for the better! In fact, spaying or
neutering will increase your pet’s quality of life and
quite possibly his or her life span as well. Here are just
some of the good things.
No more hormonal urges to
go looking for a mate. That means there’s...
• Less interest in leaving home or wandering away
• Less chance of being hit by a car
• Less chance of being accidentally shot or poisoned
• Less chance of picking up a contagious disease
• Less chance of getting into a fight.
Will
it help spare us “serious” medical problems?
Absolutely!
In males, neutering decreases the chances
of developing testicular and perianal gland cancer, venereal
tumors, perineal hernias and prostratic disease.
In females
the list of benefits is huge. Spaying decreases the incidence
of breast cancer (the rate goes down to almost zero if
the spaying is done before the first heat cycle!) It protects
against cystic endometrial hyperplasia, false pregnancies,
breast tissue infection (mastitis, which can occur during
false pregnancy), venereal tumors, ovarian and uterine
tumors, cystic ovaries and hyperestrogenism, chronic endometritis,
vaginal hyperplasia and prolapse and uterine torsion or
uterine prolapse. Spaying also completely eliminates the
chance of developing a serious and potentially fatal infection
of the uterus called pyometra, which is experienced by
many mature unspayed animals.
How
about behavior?
Without the usual hormonal
ups and downs and urges, gone is much of the urine marking,
sniffing, licking, riding, rubbing, arousal and frustration
that pets would otherwise experience. And with frustration
gone, gone also are the snaps and growls and irritants.
Perfectly natural for an animal in the wild but something
most of us at home we can live without.
But what about…?
Yes!
We know! Every proud pet owner – us included – feels that
their pet is absolutely the greatest and everyone else
wants one just like him or her!
Well, truth is - it
just doesn’t work that way!
Babies are seldom carbon
copies of mum and dad. Genetics, individual circumstances,
the family environment, and the general randomness of
life all have their part to play in creating each individual
pet.
So for that “love at first
sight” experience, it’s off to the nearest animal shelter!
Uh! Huh! What if my pet gets
fat and lazy?
Yes! Hormones
perhaps drove your pet to roam and wander in search of
a mate (or a good fight!) and kept him or her trim, taught
and terrific! Obviously, without that hormonal drive
there will be a little slowing down. However, good balanced
diet and a 20-30 minute walk each day will fix any weight
problems and you’ll feel terrific! And hey! So will the
furry one!
When should I have my pet
“done”?
At Chastain Veterinary Medical
Group (CVMG) at Preston Road Animal Hospital we feel that
between 3 and 6 months of age is the ideal time for spaying
and neutering. By 3 months of age your pet will have been
dewormed, had his or her first distemper boosters and rabies
vaccination and generally be in better shape to cope with
the surgery. On the other hand, by six months of age, some
females will already have begun to display signs of heat.
Be aware that recent scientific
studies have shown that spaying and neutering can be done
safely as early as 8 weeks of age, or at almost any age
for older pets. So for those who want to get it over with
early, we’re ready for you. And for those who may have
let time slip by, it’s never too late!
Yes, female pets can be spayed
during pregnancy or in heat but it is a slightly more complicated
procedure, it takes longer, requires more materials and
can therefore cost more. Spaying is much simpler before
her first litter or, better still, before her first heat
cycle.
Where?
Since spaying and neutering
are surgical procedures that your pet will have done only
once in their lives, we’re sure you’ll agree with us that
it is important that they are done right. Therefore, we
recommend that you look for a small animal veterinarian
– like us at CVMG - whose facilities and methods have been
reviewed, approved and certified by the American Animal
Hospital Association.
The American Animal
Hospital Association (AAHA)
is an international organization of more than 22,000
veterinary care providers committed to excellence in
small animal care. Through a wide variety of inspections,
certifications and services, AAHA offers member veterinarians
tools to help them continuously excel in delivering high
quality care for pets.
Established in 1933, the association
is well known among veterinarians for its demanding standards
of veterinary care. As part of our long term commitment
to the health and happiness of pets and their people, we
at Chastain Veterinary Medical Group have been certified
members of the American Animal Hospital Association since
1960. Upholding the AAHA standards of pet medical care
isn’t easy, but we’ve never felt that doing things the
easy way was as important as doing them the right way.
At Chastain Veterinary Medical
Group, sterilization surgery is always performed under
general anesthetic by a skilled veterinarian with one or
two trained surgical assistants. Most surgical incisions
are made using a state-of-the-art CO2
surgical laser, which reduces bleeding, swelling and
post-operative pain. This speeds up your pet’s recovery
and return to well being.
To help increase patient safety,
we always perform a pre-surgical physical exam and an ECG
screening before surgery. We also recommend optional pre-anesthetic
screening blood tests and intra-op fluid therapy.
Pre-anesthetic blood tests
and intra-op fluid therapy are optional but we really do
feel they are well worth the extra cost, and not only for
peace of mind.
During the operation, we electronically
monitor body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate,
cardiac electrical activity and blood oxygen levels. And
since no machine is a reliable substitute for a concerned
eye and a caring touch, one or two trained veterinary nurses
are always at hand to assist the surgeon, monitor the telemetry
and help monitor and care for the patient
At CVMG, we believe strongly
in the importance of post operative pain relief for our
patients. We feel that pain relief not only increases our
patient’s general sense of comfort but also encourages
a more rapid recovery. To help make this as simple as we
can, we have developed several post-op pain relief options.
We will find the right pain relief option to keep your
pet comfortable and still fit your budget.
How
much?
At Chastain Veterinary Medical
Group we always tailor the surgery to suit the needs of
each pet and to fit the pet owner’s particular circumstances
and preferences.
To get started, we will need
to know what species your pet is, how big or small (smaller
pets need less anesthetic and less surgery time), and if
it is male or female (if female, is she pregnant or in
heat?). Then we will describe the surgery to you in more
detail and go on to discuss specific pain control and anesthetic
safety options that you may wish to consider to make certain
your pet is as comfortable and safe as possible.
Please contact our office
for a customized cost estimate.
Can
it wait?
Ouch! The clock is ticking!
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