Pet Health Library – Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
New Dog
Why Spay or Neuter?
Important Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet
More than 4 million pets are euthanized in U.S. animal shelters each year simply because they have no home. Many are puppies and kittens less than 6 months old.
Help stop this needless loss of life. Spay or neuter your pet.
Common myths
Spaying or neutering your pet does not:
- Cause laziness or hyperactivity
- Postpone or delay normal behavioral maturity
- Reduce its instinct to protect your family and home
- Alter its personality in any manner
- Cause immature behaviors
Our staff members can answer your questions about spaying or neutering your pet or any other procedure your pet may undergo at our hospital. Please don’t hesitate to ask.
Spaying your female pet (ovariohysterectomy)
Removal of the ovaries and uterus. Ideal age is 4 to 6 months.
- Eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer.
- Eliminates unwanted pregnancies.
- If spayed before the first heat cycle, your pet has less than 1 percent chance of developing breast cancer.
- If spayed after one heat cycle, your pet has an 8 percent chance of developing breast cancer.
- If spayed after two heat cycles, the risk increases to 26 percent. After two years, no protective benefit exists.
- Pets with diabetes or epilepsy should be spayed to prevent hormonal changes that may interfere with medication.
Neutering your male pet (castration)
Removal of the testicles and spermatic cord. Ideal age is 4 to 6 months
- Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer, the second most common tumor in male dogs.
- Greatly reduces the risk of prostate infection.
- Reduces the risk of perianal tumors.
- Reduces roaming and fighting.
- Eliminates or reduces spraying or marking in males neuteredbefore 6 months of age or before the onset of these behaviors.
- Eliminates the risk and spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Eliminates unwanted litters.
House-Training Hassles
The first step in turning an adult dog into a reliable house pet is to embrace a key concept: There’s no such thing as a “partially” house-trained dog. He either is or he isn’t.
Why is realizing this important? Because if you have a dog who is “sometimes” reliable, you have a dog who doesn’t understand what’s required of him, probably because no one taught him properly in the first place. Punishing your pet isn’t fair, and it isn’t the answer: You have to go back to square one and teach him properly. No shortcuts here.
Before you start training, though, you must be sure that what you have really is a behavior problem and not a physical problem. This is especially true with a dog who has been reliable in the past. You won’t be able to train your pet if he’s struggling with an illness. So check with your veterinarian first for a complete checkup.
WHEN YOU ACQUIRE A PET, you accept responsibility for the health and welfare of another living thing. You are also responsible for your pet’s impact on your family, friends, and community. A pet will be part of your life for many years. Invest the time and effort necessary to make your years together happy ones. When you choose a pet, you are promising to care for it for its entire life. Choose wisely, keep your promise, and enjoy one of life’s most rewarding experiences! For more information, visit: www.avma.org and www.akc.org.
Maddie Barboni
If you choose a puppy, be prepared for several weeks to months of house training and some initial medical expenses for wellness exams, vaccinations and neutering. If you plan your puppy’s arrival when there is sufficient time to socialize and house train it, your puppy will learn faster and more likely grow into the adult dog you’ve always wanted. If your community offers puppy classes, they are a great way to socialize your new companion and help it learn some basic commands. Frequent, positive contact with people and other dogs early in the puppy’s life enhances its future interactions with your family, other people, and their dogs.
Any dog can become bored and potentially destructive if left alone all day without an outlet for its exercise, exploratory, and social needs. Therefore, set aside time each day for activities that are fun for you and your dog such as walking, playing, petting, grooming, etc. Remember that dogs are highly social creatures, and isolating a dog to the backyard with no interaction is one of the worst things you can do. More