Why Spay/Neuter? | 2023-Alteredtails

Benefits of Spay/Neuter

The following are some benefits to having a pet spay/neutered. Additionally, If your pet is not fixed and you're considering surrendering or re-homing your pet because of unwanted behaviors, please consider keeping your furry companion and getting them spayed/neutered first because…

Your spayed female won’t go into heat.
- While cycles can vary greatly, female cats can go into heat and reproduce up to four times a year, in Central Arizona's climate. That's up to 16+ cats in just one year, from one cat!
- Dogs can go into heat every six months.

No accidental litters! No unwanted litters.

Your neutered male won’t need to roam away from home…An intact male will do just about anything to find that perfect mate, including digging his way under or jumping over the fence. Once he’s free to roam, he risks injury in traffic, fights with other males, impregnating female stray dogs, and the possibility of becoming lost. A male dog or cat can sense a female dog or cat in heat, over two miles away.

Your female dog or cat will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying a female cat or dog helps prevent breast cancer and pyometra, a dangerous infection of the uterus. Breast cancer can be fatal in about 50 percent of female dogs and in 90 percent of female cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.

There are major health benefits for your male animal companion, too. Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male dog or cat prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age. The risk increases if neutered at a later age.

…and he will be much better behaved. Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. A neutered dog protects his home and family just as well as an unneutered dog, and many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering. Unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house and yard. These behaviors are reduced when a male pet is fixed; all your pets are fixed.

Example: Most fixed pets display less bad behaviors (as mentioned above) because a spay/neuter prevents the hormones from being produced, therefore removing many of the tendencies displayed by intact male/female animals.

Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat. Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds, not neutering or spaying. Your pet will remain fit as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.

Spaying or neutering is highly cost-effective. The cost of your pet’s spay/neuter surgery is much less than the cost of having an unexpected situation arise from an unaltered animal. This can include caring for an accidental litter of puppies or kittens (minimum of 8 weeks plus cost of vaccinations, food, and other supplies) or an emergency medical condition that could arise from your pregnant pet. Emergency c-sections are common with small breed canines, and many times, felines require medical assistance during birth. You will also protect your dog from a Pyometra; a dangerous infection of the uterus. All emergencies that cost nearly $1,000+ to treat and save your pet.

Your pet does not need to have a litter for your children to witness the miracle of birth. Letting your pet produce offspring that you have no intention of keeping teaches your children irresponsibility. There are countless books, videos, and Humane Education classes available to teach your children about birth in a responsible manner; further teaching your children that pets are not objects. For example: If this cycle continues at each home you give the animals to...Your four puppies/kittens can now become 20+ animals added into the community, in just one year, from this one cycle. Each year, Maricopa County shelters take in over 30,000 animals each year; please consider these statistics and a pet's lifespan (14 years on average for a dog and 19 years for a cat) when making these decisions as a responsible pet owner.