Page 3 - Summer 2012

Basic HTML Version

by
Lauren Lucas VN
Southfield Veterinary Centre
Neutering...
The neutering of males is called castration;
this procedure is the removal of both testicles
to stop the production of sperm and also
reduces the production of testosterone
therefore reducing the effect of this hormone
on the body.
The neutering of females is called a spay or
ovariohysterectomy, this is the removal of the
uterus and both ovaries stopping them being
able to get pregnant.
There are many reasons for having your pet
neutered that not only benefit your pet, but
also you as the pet owner. With female dogs
when they come into season it can be a
messy time as they drip blood from the vulva,
which can last around three weeks. When a
female is in season she becomes highly
desirable to males and so will attract a lot of
attention. As the owner of a bitch in heat it
will be your responsibility to keep her away
from unneutered males. Having a female dog
spayed before her first season will greatly
reduce the risk of her developing mammary
tumours when she is older. Having her
spayed will also stop her being able to
develop a condition called a pyometra, which
is usually seen in older unspayed females,
this is where the uterus become infected and
the condition can be fatal.
Unneutered males can also have problems;
for example, an unneutered cat can urinate
frequently to mark his territory known as
spraying. Spraying has a very powerful and
unpleasant smell and male cats may spray
within your house. A male dog may attempt
to escape by running off on a walk or
jumping the fence at home if he can sense
a bitch in heat. I know of an entire male
completely stopping eating because another
female dog in the household has come into
season. Neutering a male dog will massively
reduce the chances of prostate disease
and the risk of some cancers. Neutering
male cats reduces the risk of feline
immunodeficiency virus (FIV) which is spread
through saliva usually from fighting and
hopefully will stop them straying, reducing
the risk of a road traffic accident.
Neutering can take place from six months of
age. If your female dog is older than this and
has had a season the ideal time to have her
neutered would be between seasons.
Neutering of pets is an everyday occurrence
at a veterinary practice, but as
a pet owner deciding to neuter your pet can be a difficult decision to make.
Neutering can be the best
thing for you and your pet,
please contact your veterinary
practice as they will be happy
to advise the best time to
have your pet neutered.
In summary...