Deciding whether or not to spay or neuter ones pet can be a difficult decision for owners. To complicate matters, well-meaning friends and relatives often provide incorrect information on the subject. Facts show that altering ones pet is a caring step you can take to help ensure a happier, healthier and longer life for your dog or cat. In addition to the benefits realized by you and your pet, you are also helping to prevent over-population. Here are a few of the reasons we urge you to give serious consideration to the merits of this procedure.

Procedure:  Neutering is the permanent sterilization of an animal. In females, the procedure is often called 'Spaying' and is the equivalent of a total hysterectomy (removal of the ovaries and uterus) in women. In males, ‘neutering’ is usually referred to as 'Castration or Altering' and involves the complete and permanent removal of the testicles.

Disease Prevention:  In female pets, spaying will eliminate the chance of uterine infection or uterine cancer. It also greatly reduces the risk of breast (mammary) cancer. In males, neutering eliminates the possibility of testicular and prostate cancer and prevents the occurrence of serious and painful prostate problems common in older males.

Behavior Modifications:  Neutering eliminates many otherwise unwanted behaviors. In males, neutering eliminates most (but not all) of the sex hormone testosterone, which is largely responsible for typical "male" behavioral tendencies, including: roaming, urine marking (leg lifting to spray), fighting, and mounting. Contrary to common belief, neutering will not turn your watch dog into a lap dog. It does not remove an animal's natural instinct and desire (male or female) to defend ones own territory. Some female dogs and cats become irritable and occasionally aggressive during heat (fertile) cycles. Spaying will generally prevent these mood swings.

Additional Benefits:  Neutered animals are easier to care for and overall live happy, healthier and longer lives. Because spaying eliminates a female's heat cycle, you won't have to worry about the discharge associated with that portion of the reproductive cycle. Spaying will also put an end to the persistent visits and serenading of your female pet by neighborhood males. Neutering does not predispose animals to become "fat and lazy" as one common myth asserts. Neutered pets do require fewer calories, but when placed on a proper diet and given adequate exercise, they maintain their trim figures with little difficulty.

Do the benefits outweigh the risk? We certainly think so. Although neutering is a surgical procedure that does require general anesthesia, developments in veterinary medicine have greatly reduced surgical risks associated with this procedure. In our opinion, the minor risk is far outweighed by the benefits listed above.

It saves lives and helps the homeless pet population. According to the Humane Society of the United States every year, between six and eight million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters; some three to four million of these animals are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them. Pet overpopulation is not just a problem for the animals or for the shelters involved. Each year communities are forced to spend millions of taxpayer dollars trying to cope with the consequences of the overpopulation of unwanted pets. The only way to halt the tragedy of pet overpopulation is to stop allowing our pets to breed. The best way to prevent unwanted breeding is to spay or neuter. Before you breed your pet, think about what you will do with the 4-10 puppies your pet may end up with.

It is never too late. Although we recommend that you spay or neuter your pet at about 6 months of age, the surgery generally has the same effect on behavior and always halts reproduction no matter what age it is done.