Prospect Veterinary Clinic in Frederick, MD, offers full spaying and neutering services for dogs, cats, and even pocket pets. These procedures are a humane way to control local animal populations. These routine procedures can also confer health benefits on pets and, in many cases, lead to improved behavior compared to non-altered pets. Spaying and neutering is also strongly recommended for certain pocket pets due to their metabolism and physiology. If you are in need of a Veterinarian in Frederick, MD, that provides spaying and neutering services, look no further than Prospect Veterinary Clinic.

What Are Spaying and Neutering Procedures?

Spaying and neutering procedures are routine surgeries that prevent pets from reproducing. Neutering a male pet involves removing the testicles. Spaying a female pet involves removing the ovaries or both the ovaries and the uterus. Animal shelters all across the country are overcrowded, and many thousands of pets have to be euthanized every year due to pet overpopulation. Spaying or neutering pets is one way that we can help to reduce overcrowding and sad outcomes for so many animals.

Medical Benefits of Spaying and Neutering

  • When a male pet is neutered, he can never develop testicular cancer. Many prostate issues are also prevented by neutering.
  • When a female pet is spayed, it prevents uterine infections and breast cancer tumors. In more than half of dogs and nearly all cats, breast tumors are malignant and life-threatening. Spaying an animal before its first heat cycle is the best protection against these risks. Spaying helps many female pets to live longer and healthier lives than they otherwise might.

Behavioral Benefits of Spaying and Neutering

  • Male pets become much less likely to roam away from the house when neutered. If a male escapes from the home and starts roaming to either mark territory or look for a mate, he runs the risk of getting into fights with other animals or being hit by traffic.
  • Neutered males often behave better than non-neutered ones. Aggressive behaviors, territorial marking inside the house, and other issues can be prevented, especially if the pet is neutered at a young enough age.
  • Spayed female cats and dogs won’t go into a heat cycle after their surgery. Female cats will start to yowl and may even urinate inside the house when they go into heat. These behaviors are eliminated after the pet is spayed.

When to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

Puppies in good health can be spayed or neutered when they are as young as eight weeks of age, but most owners wait a little longer than that. Six to nine months of age is the traditional age when puppies are altered. Dogs can have the surgery when they are older as well, although there is a risk of additional complications if the animal is overweight or has certain health problems.

Kittens can be spayed or neutered as young as eight weeks of age. It’s a good idea to have the procedure done before the animal reaches five months of age. That will prevent the odds of the cat spraying urine or becoming pregnant.

Every pet is different, so talk to your veterinarian in Frederick about the best option for your dog, cat, or pocket pet when it comes to spaying or neutering.

Myths about Spaying and Neutering

One misconception about spaying or neutering is that it causes pets to become overweight. This is simply not true. Once the pet has healed from its procedure, owners should get him or her back on a regular play/exercise schedule and provide a regular, healthy diet. Overfeeding and lack of physical activity are what make pets become overweight – not the spay/neuter procedure.

Also, keep in mind that neutering a male dog doesn’t guarantee that it will eliminate all bad behaviors. If a pet learns aggressiveness or territory marking before he is neutered, he may still do those things after the procedure. While it does reduce testosterone levels, neutering a dog is not a “silver bullet” that fixes every behavior problem.

Contact us about Spaying and Neutering Procedures in Frederick, MD.

If you have a new pet and want to ask about a spay/neuter procedure, call our office to schedule an appointment today!