We all want to keep our beloved pets happy and healthy, so we offer them good food, comfortable places to sleep, and a huge supply of our love. But on top of this, we can improve our pets’ lives by neutering them before they start to reproduce. Here are the best reasons why spaying females and neutering males is essential.
When you neuter your pet, you are reducing their risks of health issues. Intact male dogs and cats can develop testicular cancer and diseases of the prostate gland. Non-spayed females can develop potentially fatal infections, cysts, and cancers of the ovaries, uterus, and breasts. Not suffering from these conditions will allow your pet to enjoy a much happier – and longer– life. A University of Georgia study of more than 70,000 animals found that, compared to the lives of non-neutered animals, the life expectancy of neutered male dogs was 14% longer and of spayed female dogs was 26% longer.
Neutering your pets can also eliminate the production of hormones that encourage intact animals to roam in search of a mate. Free-roaming dogs and cats are at high risk for injuries resulting from vehicles and other animals.
Neutering can enhance your pet’s life by helping them to feel more relaxed. An intact dog or cat may be aggressive to other animals, vocalize loudly for a mate, and spray urine to mark territory outside and inside the owner’s home. When your dog or cat isn’t worried about finding a mate, they can remain calm and focus their attention and affection on their human family.
You will save money by neutering your pet because you won’t incur the expense of caring for litters of accidental puppies and kittens. The expense of veterinary care before and after pregnancy is much higher than the cost of spaying or neutering your pet. Neutering also costs less than the price you may pay if your non-neutered pet roams in search of a mate, fights with other animals, or destroys property.
Perhaps you’ve heard that neutering an animal will make it fat, but that idea is a myth! If your neutered pet continues to eat appropriate amounts and exercise daily, they will not gain weight from the surgery. Overfeeding and lack of exercise may pack on the pounds, but neutering alone does not increase your pet’s weight.
So make sure your pet has the best chance of a good life by having them neutered or spayed, ideally when they are young. Then you can look forward to enjoying many rewarding years with your dog or cat!