There’s no question that puppies and kittens are adorable. Who can resist “oohing and aahing” while watching a furry litter of youngsters tumbling about on the kitchen floor?
Allowing your pet to procreate comes with a significant responsibility, however. Before you consider leaving your new puppy or kitten intact, your friends at BEEVET encourage you to review the many compelling reasons to spay or neuter your pet early on in life.
Responsible Pet Ownership
One of the best reasons to have your pet spayed or neutered is to reduce pet overpopulation. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that between 6 to 8 million pets enter animal shelters each year, and of these, at least half are euthanized. By having your pet spayed or neutered, you are doing your part in combating this devastating situation.
The Benefits of Early Spay or Neuter
Aside from controlling the pet population, having your puppy or kitten spayed or neutered has myriad health benefits, including:
- Reduced risk of uterine, ovarian, and mammary cancer in females
- Reduced risk of prostate disease and testicular cancer in males
- No complications related to pregnancy
- Studies show that spayed or neutered pets live an average of 1-3 years longer than intact pets
Certain troublesome behaviors can also be reduced or eliminated after a spay or neuter procedure, including:
- Territory marking or “spraying”
- Female heat cycles
- Aggression
- Roaming tendencies
It’s important to note that while spaying or neutering a pet isn’t a cure-all for behavioral issues, reducing the production of hormones can be very helpful. Proper care and training is necessary to make sure pets are on the right track as far as behavior is concerned.
Not Just for Puppies and Kittens!
For maximum health benefits and protection from reproducing, a pet should be spayed or neutered before he or she has reached sexual maturity. This time frame varies slightly among individual animals, but generally occurs before 5 months of age. However, a pet can be spayed or neutered at any age! Your veterinarian will help you to determine the appropriate time to spay or neuter your pet.
If you’ve recently adopted a puppy or kitten, we encourage you to take advantage of our puppy and kitten preventive care package! This convenient plan allows your newest addition to receive all of the important care he or she needs during the first year of life at a discounted rate. Please contact us for more information.
