Top Reasons to Spay and Neuter Your Pets
Every community has homeless animals. Millions enter animal shelters every year but, sadly, only about half of them are adopted. The best way to prevent future euthanasia of potential companions is to spay or neuter your pet. It's the only effective method of birth control. Pet owners who spay or neuter are taking a positive action that benefits the animal and the community. Forever Vets Animal Hospital encourages you to consider the important decision to spay and neuter in Jacksonville, FL.
Spay/Neuter
Spay and neuter are terms that refer to the sterilization of an animal. Spaying refers to a female pet while neutering is the term used for a male. These procedures help reduce the unwanted animal overpopulation, which saves the lives of innocent animals.
Why You Should Consider Spaying or Neutering Your Pet
Spay and neuter campaigns educate the public on why it's important for pet owners to spay and neuter pets. There are many good reasons why pet spaying and neutering is encouraged. The top ones include:
- Helps reduce overpopulation of companion animals
- Increases your pet's chance of a longer, healthier life (average is 1 to 3 years for dogs; 3 to 5 years for cats)
- Spaying females prevents breast cancer and eliminates uterine infection
- Neutering reduces a male pet's chance or testicular cancer and prostate problems
- Reduces the urge to roam, which decreases the risk of contracting diseases or getting hurt
- Reduces potential public health hazards in the community (potential source of rabies and other diseases)
Benefits of Spaying
Spaying your female pet has benefits for the pet, for you, and for the community. After spaying, females don't go through heat cycles that attract males. That means fewer unwanted cats and dogs. Spaying reduces an animal's desire to roam. This reduces the probability of your pet being struck by a moving vehicle or contracting unwanted diseases. Spaying also eliminates the risk of mammary gland tumors and ovarian and uterine cancer. The bottom line is that you're helping your pet live a longer, healthier life.
Benefits of Neutering
Having a male pet neutered lets your pet enjoy a longer, healthier life. It reduces the desire to roam, making it less likely the animal will be injured. Neutering eliminates or reduces spraying, marking, and aggressive behaviors, including biting. It has a positive impact on your pet's overall health as it eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and decreases the chance of prostate disease. Neutering also reduces the number of unwanted dogs and cats to be gathered and impounded in the community.
When Should I Spay or Neuter My Animal?
Puppies can be spayed or neutered as young as eight weeks if your veterinarian determines they're healthy, but it's typically done between six and nine months. It's recommended that cats be spayed or neutered any time between eight weeks and five months old. Talk to a professional at an animal hospital about what's best for your pet.
If you're looking for a pet spay and neuter hospital in Jacksonville, FL, visit Forever Vets Animal Hospital. We strive to provide the highest-quality care with an extraordinary level of compassion at all 8 of our locations. You'll find us in Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, St Augustine, St. Johns, Orlando, and Nocatee, FL.
