Pet overpopulation continues at epidemic statistics throughout our society causing homeless, stray animals to suffer neglect, abuse, injury and starvation.
Animals can be spayed or neutered by a very simple surgery thus preventing a lot of unwanted animals in our society.
February is national spay/neuter month and if you are not familiar with benefits from each of these procedures, an explanation of each along with reasons to have it done will be presented below.
Spaying, or ovariohysterectomy, removes a female's ovaries and uterus. Spaying permanently removes the chance of pregnancy and the complications that may be presented.
Here are some other benefits for spaying an animal:
Attendant males around while female is in heat, spotting during heat period, false pregnancies, uterine infections, tumors of the ovaries or uterus, stress, mammary tumors and the added food needed during pregnancy and nursing
Heat periods occur twice a year for about three weeks each time. Female cats will howl and rub excessively during the heat period, can become agressive and more nervous as well.
Neutering, or castration, is the procedure that removes a male animal's testicles. An unneutered male can smell a female in heat from many miles away and roam. Neutering can cut that problem by up to 90%. Symptoms of wanting to reproduce will include irritability, fighting with other dogs, lack of appetite, depression, and acting sick.
Benefits for neutering include the following:
Wandering and escaping, auto injuries, prostate enlargement, prostate tumors, infections, tumors of the testicles, penis and anal area, stress, perineal hernia, extra food, territorial, aggression, marking, fighting, and riding inappropriate things
There are many low cost spay/neuter clinics available. Please do yourself and your pet a favor and get them spayed or neutered. You will be glad you did.
Credit to Pet Tails Magazine for article first published in February, 2011
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