Neuter
- This term refers to the castration of male animals
Having your pet neutered can
make him a nicer, healthier pet and just as importantly, can prevent many
litters of unwanted puppies and kittens. We recommend having your pet
neutered between four and six months of age, although it can be done at almost
any age after that.
What are the benefits
of having my dog or cat neutered? (We also neuter rabbits and other
pets)
Neutering
your pet will greatly reduce the risk of certain health problems as he
gets
older. The risk of problems such as prostate cancer, anal tumors and
many others can be virtually eliminated through early neutering.
An animal's behavior can be effected by
neutering, usually for the better. However, most animals will not
exhibit any behavioral changes after the surgery. Neutering is the
best option for animals that have aggression in early stages of
development, territory marking and many other undesirable behaviors. In
most cases the behavior modification will come slowly over a long period
of time. If you are hoping to correct a behavior problem with this
surgery, it is recommended that you first discuss the situation with the
doctor to determine if this is a viable option. As always, the only
guarantee we can make with this surgery is that your pet will not be
able to reproduce.
Another equally important reason to have your pet neutered is to prevent
unwanted litters. Millions of dogs and cats
are put to sleep every year because they don't have homes. Unless
you plan to breed your purebred dog, you should have your animal neutered
at 4-6 months of age. Don't think that because your pet is an
indoor-only animal that it can't or won't get out. A female in heat can be
sensed by dogs and cats from long distances, and animals have been known
to tear down doors, screens and jump fences to get to her. Don't
risk losing your pet because he is not neutered.
How
is the surgery performed?
Neutering is a fairly
simple procedure. Your pet will be given general anesthesia for this
surgery. After anesthesia is administered, a small incision is made
and the testicles are removed. Blood vessels are cauterized and the
incision is closed. Some dogs will have sutures that need to be
removed in 10-14 days when we recheck the incision, but cats have no
external sutures at all. Not all incisions require skin sutures,
which means we sometimes do not have to see the patient back. The incision
is less than 1/2 inch and heals in within a few days. In most cases
when you get your pet home he will be able to resume most of his normal
activities with few restrictions. Almost all animals are fully
recovered and "back to normal" after only a few days.
When
do we perform this surgery?
We perform surgeries
Tuesday
through Thursday only. SURGERY IS DONE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. For all surgeries we need to have your pet in
the office at 7:30 a.m. Please allow about 10 minutes to complete the
surgery authorization form and stay with your pet if needed until we begin
the procedure. If these hours don't fit with
your schedule, we can often make other arrangements.
On the day of
surgery, we will perform the
procedure in the morning and your pet will be ready to go home the same
evening. Overnight stays are usually not necessary. Please
call our office to schedule an appointment or contact
us if you have any other questions.
