Spaying female dogs and cats benefits pets, pet owners and the community.

Spaying female dogs and cats provides benefits for the pet, the pet owner and the community at large.

What happens when a dog or cat is spayed?

Spaying a female dog or cat involves removing the reproductive tract of the pet. In the US, it is customary, in most instances, to remove both the uterus and ovaries. However, in European countries, removal of the ovaries alone is commonplace and may eventually become standard practice in the US as well.

Spaying female pets benefits the community

Spaying female dogs and cats helps decrease the number of unwanted puppies and kittens born, placing less pressure on pounds and shelters in the area.

Spaying female pets benefits the pet

Spaying benefits pets in several different ways.

• Female dogs and cats who have been spayed will not experience dystocias (difficult births) or other complications of pregnancy.
• A spayed female dog or cat will also not develop the severe uterine infection known as a pyometra, a condition which can be fatal in unspayed dogs and cats.
• Spayed female dogs and cats are less likely to develop mammary tumors, if spayed at an early age.
• Spayed female dogs and cats do not come into heat.

Spaying female pets benefits pet owners

There are benefits to pet owners who have their dogs and cats spayed as well.

• Pet owners of spayed animals need not worry about unwanted pregnancies and unwanted puppies and kittens.
• Pet owners of spayed animals need not worry about their pets coming into heat. Female dogs bleed when in heat and can be messy. Female cats in heat will vocalize loudly and exhibit erratic behavior, generally becoming extremely annoying for many pet owners.
• Many communities encourage spaying of pets by making licensure less expensive for pets which are spayed. 
• Some communities also require a refundable deposit when a pet owner adopts a pet from a shelter or pound which is returned to the pet owner when the pet is spayed. (Other communities actually spay pets at an early age, before adoption from the pound or shelter, to avoid the possibility that pet owners may decide not to spay the animal.)

There have been concerns raised over a higher incidence of certain types of cancers being seen in spayed pets. However, the correlation between the development of these diseases and the spay surgery is unclear at best and there are a variety of other factors which are likely contributing to causing these diseases which are not related to the surgery. When considering the risk of the medical issues which may occur in un-spayed female cats and dogs in comparison with the risk of medical issues arising as a result of the surgery itself, the risks of not spaying the pet still far outweigh any risks inherent with spaying.

Spaying female animals is the most responsible thing for a pet owner to do in most cases. Spaying a female dog or cat can be beneficial in many different ways. Though the procedure does carry the minor risk encountered with any surgical procedure, spaying is generally a safe and routine procedure.