Have you recently brought home a puppy? You might be wondering if you should get them fixed. Here we explain the benefits of spaying or neutering your dog, including preventing certain diseases and helping minimize unwanted behaviors.
Should I Get My Dog Fixed?
According to the
ASPCA, about 3.3 million dogs arrive at US animal shelters annually.
Spaying or neutering your dog is an effective way to help reduce the number of dogs currently crowding the shelters due to unplanned pregnancies and stray breeding.
The benefits of spaying and neutering your pet go far beyond just controlling the population and providing relief to our shelter teams. Having your puppy fixed can help to curb many undesirable dog behaviors and reduce the risk of your dog developing serious health issues.
What Is the Difference Between Spaying and Neutering?
When we refer to a pet being ‘fixed,’ we are using a blanket term that refers to both the spaying of female animals and the neutering of male animals.
Spaying Female Dogs
When we spay a dog, the uterus and ovaries (or occasionally just the ovaries) of the female dog are surgically removed. After the spaying procedure has been done, the dog will not be able to have puppies.
Neutering Male Dogs
Neutering, also referred to as castration, involves removing the male dog’s testicles. When your male dog is neutered, the dog will be unable to father puppies.
Benefits of Spaying Your Female Dog
Help Control Unexpected Births
Even before a female dog reaches six months old, she may actually be mature enough to have puppies on her own! By spaying your female dog before she reaches this stage, you eliminate the potential for any surprise litters.
Female dogs can have as many as two litters a year, and when we consider that the average litter can range from one to twelve puppies, that is a staggering number of dogs you could end up being responsible for.
Reduce Health Risks for Your Female Dog
Spaying your puppy before she has her first heat can help to reduce her risk of pyometra (infection of the womb) as well as mammary tumors. Pregnancy and the birth process can be risky for young dogs, and costly to their humans.
It’s also important to note that female dogs carrying infectious diseases can pass serious conditions on to their puppies who go on to spread the disease even further.
Deter Nuisance Behaviors
Female dogs who are not spayed will go into heat frequently throughout the year, attracting male dogs from across the neighborhood to your home and garden. Unneutered male dogs prowling around your property, looking for your female, can be problematic since these males can tend to mark territory, fight, and howl.
Spaying your female dog can help to keep male dogs out of your backyard.
Save Wildlife
It is estimated that dogs in the US kill a significant number of wildlife each year. Keeping the numbers of homeless dogs to a minimum can help to save the lives of countless birds and other wildlife.
Benefits of Neutering Your Male Dog
Help Control Population
While male dogs don’t give birth to puppies themselves, one unneutered male dog in your neighborhood can make many un-fixed female dogs pregnant. If each of these females had 6-8 puppies each, there would be a whole host of dogs now needing homes nearby.
That’s why neutering male dogs is as important as spaying females when it comes to population control and reducing the burden on shelters.
Reduce Health Risks for Your Male Dog
In some cases, neutering can help to reduce dog aggression. Neutered males also tend to stay closer to home which helps to reduce their risk of being injured by vehicles.
Deter Undesirable Behaviors
Unneutered male dogs typically mark inside the home more than neutered males and may be aggressive towards their human family members. Having your male puppy neutered while young can help to prevent these behaviors from starting.
Also, male dogs who are not neutered frequently roam over large areas in search of unspayed females to mate with. These males will mark their territory and often fight with other male dogs which can be bothersome, noisy, and smelly.
Talk to your vet about the right time to neuter your dog based on breed and lifestyle.
What Are the Side Effects of Spaying or Neutering Your Dog?
Spaying or neutering procedures, outpatient procedures completed in most cases within a day’s trip to your local primary care hospital.
While they are considered safe, especially with the introduction of Minimally Invasive Technique, risk cannot be totally eliminated from every surgical or medical procedure.
Without adequate
post-surgical at-home care, your dog’s procedure-site is at risk of infection or damage. Make sure you are following the aftercare instructions provided by your pet healthcare team to help ensure your dog’s recovery goes smoothly.
Dogs who have been spayed or neutered may gain weight if their diets are not adjusted accordingly, so make sure to discuss
nutrition with your veterinarian after your dog’s procedure.
Waiting to spay or neuter is sometimes recommended based on breed and lifestyle, so talk to your veterinarian about your pet’s specific case.
It is important to have your vet run a blood test before spaying and neutering and conduct a full physical exam to make sure everything is as safe as possible for general anesthesia, which is needed for the procedure.
The benefits of neutering or spaying almost always outweigh the risks. However, you should ask your vet which choices are best for your pet.
When Should You Have Your Dog Fixed?
It is typically recommended that puppies be spayed or neutered at around five to six months old. However, every pet is unique so your vet will be able to offer advice on when you should have your dog spayed or neutered. Adult dogs can also be spayed or neutered at any point. If you adopted a dog that isn’t fixed already, or you decide at a later date that it’s time for your dog to be fixed, it’s not too late to have them spayed or neutered.
Please Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding your pet. For an accurate assessment of your pet's condition and unique needs, please make an appointment with your vet.
