I feel very strongly that "altering" is the right choice for any household pet animal. I find that altered animals are much better pets than their in-tact counterparts. I think that SPCAs which alter the pets they house before allowing them to be adopted are doing the best thing for our society. I feel very strongly that the best time to spay/neuter an animal is before it finds a home, so that the chance of that animal reproducing is eliminated and the new owner has a happy, healthy pet that's already gone through the most important surgery of its life. This also eliminates the spay/neuter surgery cost to the new owners, so that the adoption fee they pay does not seem so exuberant.

spay/neuter general information

Spaying (ovario-hysterectomy) is the surgical removal of the reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes) of the female animal. Neutering (orchiectomy or castration) is the surgical removal of the reproductive glands (testes) of the male animal. The outer covering (scrotum) is left, only the testes are removed. There are some veterinarians who will do a scrotal ablation which is basically removal of the scrotum along with the testes. Appearance depends upon the dog's age at the time of the surgery. A scrotal ablation will leave a much longer incision than a simple castration, but healing time remains the same. Females and males should be spayed or neutered by 6 months of age. Currently some clinics are performing surgeries on animals as young as 8 weeks of age. I did this in veterinary school and found it to be a perfectly safe procedure. As this becomes more common, perhaps it will be available in all areas. Older animals can be done as long as they are in good health. All sterilization surgery is performed under general anesthesia by a licensed veterinarian.

Female dogs and cats can be spayed when in heat or pregnant. This can usually be done up until a few days before delivery. These surgeries can take longer, and can therefore cost more. Also there is more danger to the animal since the vessels of the reproductive organs which are to be removed are enlarged during heat and pregnancy. Therefore, you should not wait till the first heat cycle to have your pet spayed; although it is still a perfectly safe procedure. Spaying before having a first litter or heat cycle is usually much simpler. The heat cycle for dogs is once or twice a year starting as early as 6 months of age. Duration is about 3 weeks. Heat cycles in cats start as early as 6 months and occur every 3-4 weeks during spring through early fall. The gestation period for both dogs and cats is about 2 months. Female cats can become pregnant again as soon as 10 days after giving birth (while still nursing the first litter).

behavioral & health benefits

Spayed animals no longer feel the need to roam to look for a mate. The result is that they stay home and have less chance of being involved in traumatic accidents such as being hit by a car. They also have a much lower incidence of contracting contagious diseases, and get into fewer fights.

In males, neutering decreases the chances of developing prostatic disease and hernias. It eliminates the chances of developing testicular cancer. After all, they can't become diseased if they don't have them. Neutering also reduces problems with territorial and sexual aggression, inappropriate urination (spraying), and other undesirable male behaviors.

In females, spaying decreases the incidence of breast cancer (the rate goes down to almost zero if the spaying is done before the first heat cycle!). It eliminates the chance of developing a serious and potentially fatal infection of the uterus experienced by many mature unspayed animals (pyometra). Spay surgery also eliminates the heat cycle and associated mood swings and undesirable behaviors, messy spotting (in dogs), and the attraction of all available males to your yard.

In cats specifically, spaying and neutering eliminates the very loud mating behavior often mistaken for screaming children outside of your windows. It also make it easier to make your kitty an inside cat, since they don't have the drive to go out looking for a mate anymore.

The simple fact is that spaying and neutering greatly increases the lifespan of your pet and increases quality of life as well!

6 common excuses

1. my pet will get fat and lazy

Neutering or spaying may diminish your pet's overall activity level, natural tendency to wander, and hormonal balances, which may influence appetite. Pets that become fat and lazy after being altered usually are overfed and do not get enough exercise.

2. we want another pet just like Rover and Fluffy

Breeding two purebred animals rarely results in offspring that are exactly like one of the parents. With mixed breeds, it is virtually impossible to have offspring that are exactly like one of the parents.

3. my pet's personality will change

Any change will be for the better. After being altered, your pet will be less aggressive toward other dogs or cats, have a better personality, and will be less likely to wander. Spraying (urine marking), which is often done by dogs and cats to mark their territory, diminishes or ceases after pets are altered. Most often owners of dogs and cats spayed/neutered before sexual maturity report absolutely no change in their pet's behavior.

4. we can sell puppies or kittens and make money

Even well-known breeders are fortunate if they break even on raising purebred litters. The cost of raising such a litter -- which includes stud fees, vaccinations and other health care costs, and feeding a quality food -- consumes most of the "profit." Well-known breeders raise breeds that they like. These breeders also try to improve the standard of the breeds they raise.

5. my children should witness our pet giving birth

Pets often have their litters in the middle of the night or in a place of their own choosing. Because pets need privacy when giving birth, any unnecessary intrusion can cause the mother to become seriously upset. These intrusions can result in an unwillingness to care for the offspring or in injury to the owners or to the pet. Very often, birth is not a simple process and your pet has to be taken to the veterinarian in the middle of labor to have a procedure like a Ceserean section performed under general anesthesia. This is dangerous to the pups/kittens. Also, many births do not end in a happy, healthy litter of pups or kittens. The pups/kittens can die during delivery or be born dead.

6. I am concerned about my pet undergoing anesthesia

Placing a pet under anesthesia is a very common concern of owners. Although there is always a slight risk involved, the anesthetics currently used by veterinarians are very safe. Many veterinarians use equipment that monitors heart and respiratory rates during surgery to ensure that their patients are doing well under anesthesia. Thus, the medical benefits of having your pet spayed or neutered far outweigh the slight risk involved with undergoing anesthesia. Consult your veterinarian if your are concerned about this aspect of the procedure.

excuses and reasons adapted from "Should You Spay/Neuter Your Pet?" by Alpo Pet foods