Spay and Neuter
Spaying and neutering are some of the most responsible ways a pet owner can care for their pet and the community. Getting your pet spayed or neutered can protect your pet from illnesses, improve your pet’s behavior, and may even lead to fewer veterinary bills in the future.
About Spaying and Neutering
At Animal Clinic of North Topeka, we strongly encourage pet owners to spay or neuter their pets at a young age. Understanding the benefits of spaying and neutering can help you determine whether this procedure is right for your pet.
Spaying and neutering are common surgical procedures designed to prevent your pet from reproducing. Spaying refers to the removal of the female reproductive organs. The veterinarian will remove her ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus, eliminating her heat cycle and ability to reproduce. The neutering procedure is performed on male pets where both testicles and associated structures are removed. Although spaying and neutering are typically done when pets are young, this procedure can also be done in older pets. Our experienced veterinarians, knowledgeable staff, and advanced surgical equipment allow us to spay or neuter your pet safely and with minimal time under anesthesia.
Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
Spaying and neutering aids in the control of the pet population and prevents unwanted pet pregnancies. This reduces the population of pets in shelters and on the street. In addition, spaying and neutering has many other benefits, such as:
- Reduced risk of disease: Pets who are spayed or neutered are less likely to contract diseases like certain cancers of the reproductive system. This benefit only applies to pets who are spayed or neutered at a young age, so we encourage pet owners to get their pets spayed and neutered when they are young.
- Better behavior: Pets who haven’t been spayed or neutered may spray urine, yowl, wander away from home, and engage in other undesirable behaviors. These behaviors are instinctive and can be difficult for pet owners to control. However, spayed or neutered pets are less likely to engage in these undesirable behaviors. In addition, some pets (like male dogs) will even be less aggressive once they’ve been spayed or neutered.
- Potentially fewer veterinary bills in the future: Because pets who are spayed or neutered at a young age are less vulnerable to certain diseases or infections, this can save pet owners money in veterinary bills when their pets are older.
When to Spay and Neuter
Our veterinarians recommend most pets get spayed or neuter around 6 months of age. However, studies have shown that with larger dogs waiting until your pet is about 1 year of age is more beneficial to their health. When you bring your pet in for their first visit to our clinic, we will discuss the best age to spay or neuter. Our veterinarian will answer any questions you might have about the procedure, and if you decide that your pet is ready for this procedure, we’ll help you schedule an appointment.