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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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