Should I have my pet neutered?

The term "neutral" refers to the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus of a female animal intact (ovariohysterectomy; OHE; Spay) or the removal of the testicles of a male dog or cat (castration). New pet owners often contemplate the decision to neuter their pets or not. Yet there is no real reason to.

For starters, if you're thinking of becoming an amateur farmer in order to make money, think again. If a medical problem arises involving your pet or its offspring, the dream of profits quickly disappear-plus some! Secondly, pets neutered simply lead a healthier life that their peers intact.

Ovariohysterectomy

OHE is a preferred method of birth control in dogs and cats, since it is easy to make and guarantee the sterility of 100 percent. Most veterinarians as a pet for at least six months before such operation.

In addition to birth control, there are many other reasons to perform-ing a LOT on your female dog or cat. For example, in dogs, it will prevent a deadly pyometra (accumulation of pus and fluid in the womb) that occur when your pet gets older. Research has also shown that spay-ing a dog at an early age can reduce the risk for breast cancer in the future.

The entire surgery takes anywhere from ten to twenty minutes, depending on the skill of the surgeon and patient factors. For example, the procedure normally takes longer if the pet is in heat, at the time of surgery, due to a major blood supply to the reproductive tract, requiring additional care and ligatures. Overweight pets are more difficult to sterilize because hinders adipose tissue more inside the abdomen view of sur-geon. Finally, in the case of a LOT because of pyometra, the operation may take two or three times, as long as it normally would, as the surgeon must use gentle care not to rupture of the uterus pus filled.

For whatever reason, veterinarians often get asked if they could only remove ovaries and the uterus (or vice versa). While the inten-tions of such a request can be good, the lack of reasoning. Dogs who have their ovaries removed without uterus are still at risk of developing future pyometra. Similarly, dogs that have had their ovaries left intact, but have had the uterus removed, still unable to develop a uterine stump pyometra in left behind. Also, this does little to reduce the risk of can-cer mammary in that particular individual.

Castration

The technical term for neutral in the male dog or cat is castration, which involves the surgical removal of the testicles. This procedure is com-monly used for birth control and for the reduction of territoriality and aggression in male dogs and cats. The latter benefit is especially important, since the male cats that like to fight other cats are at high risk of contracting deadly diseases such as feline AIDs.

Castration is used as a treatment for medical disorders that are directly influenced by testosterone, prostate diseases (dogs), perineal Hernias (dogs), and some cancers. Retained testes (testicles that have failed to descend into the scrotum) are also candidates for removal, because they have high incidence of becoming cancerous.

Common concerns

A common misconception about spaying a pet is the belief that a girl should be allowed to pass through at least one heat cycle or have at least one pregnancy before the Act is performed to ensure "proper emotional development". This is nonsense.

Probably the biggest concern about neutral in General is that it will lead to laziness and weight gain. While neutral does not lead to laziness, can lead to weight gain if they are not made some adjustments in food intake. Understand that pets neutered will require fewer calories than their peers intact (15% to 25% less), so if a calorie adjustment is not made, post-operative weight gain occur. So simply making the adjustment (you save money on food for animals as well!). And remember that table scraps and lack of exercise are the two most common causes of canine and feline obesity, so address these issues as well.

Dr. Chris Pinney has over 25 years of experience as a veterinary surgeon and surgeon. He is the author of several books on pet health and appeared on a variety of radio talk shows and television programs, including eye on pets and Animal Planet. For practical advice and insider tips on how to save real money on your pet's health, visit the website of Dr. Pinney at http://www.veterinaryinsider.com/