We recommend that you spay or neuter your pet. These procedures are performed at a veterinary hospital under general anesthesia. Your pet should first have pre-anesthetic blood work completed a few days before the procedure. The night before the procedure they should be fasted and then will need to be dropped off at the hospital early morning at a time specified by the hospital. Once your pet is at the hospital he/she will be examined by a veterinarian to ensure that they are healthy. They will then be given a sedative and intravenous fluid therapy. They will be anesthetized and then the surgery will be performed. On recovery, they will be kept warm and closely monitored. They will need to stay at the hospital for the majority of the day and they will be groggy when they go home. It is a good idea to book this procedure for an evening when you don’t have to leave the house. You will need to ensure that your puppy does not have access to stairs and will not try to jump onto or off of the furniture. You will also be expected to watch the incision for any abnormalities and to prevent any licking or chewing of the incision. Any concerns should be presented to your veterinarian.
Spay, or ovariohysterectomy is the term used to describe the procedure used to surgically sterilize your female pet. It includes the removal of the ovaries and uterus to prevent your pet from producing offspring. Your pet’s risk of mammary (breast) cancer and other diseases will be decreased if performed.
Neuter, or orchidectomy is the term used to describe the procedure used to surgically sterilize your male pet. This procedure involves the removal of the testes and will aid in the prevention of unwanted behaviours and pet overpopulation. Neutered males also have a decreased risk of certain diseases such as anal tumours and prostatic disease. We recommend that this procedure be performed between 8 – 24 months of age.
Overall, we recommend that you speak to your veterinarian to determine the optimal age for spaying or neutering your pet. Your veterinarian will take your pet’s breed, disease risks and behaviour into account to help you determine the optimal timing. Even if your pet is older, it is still recommended to aid in the prevention of disease as well as pet overpopulation.
I want to adopt a dog next week, and I’ve heard a little about spaying or neutering our pets, so I want to know more about its process. I liked what you said about consulting with a veterinarian about what’s the best age for my dog to get spayed, so I’ll look into it as soon as I get her. Thanks for the insight on spaying and neutering our pets to prevent illness development.