Red Fern Spay & Neuter Mobile Veterinary Clinic

Early age spaying and neutering is being performed frequently and there is a range of benefits provided for both animals and owners.  Research has proven that it is safe to spay and neuter kittens and puppies at a much earlier age than veterinarians once believed.  Early age spay and neuter surgeries are now safely and routinely performed on kittens and puppies at 8 weeks of age.  Low body fat makes these surgeries easier to accomplish and puppies and kittens tolerate the procedures very well and recover more quickly than older animals. The “two pound” guideline states that as long as a healthy puppy or kitten is two pounds they may be spayed or neutered safely.

What is Spaying/Neutering?

Spaying/neutering are safe, inexpensive and permanent procedures that prevent accidental breeding, but also reduce potential behavioral and health problems.  A female cat does not have to go through the heat cycle before being spayed.  In fact, multiple heat cycles increase her chance of developing mammary cancer.  In males, neutering reduces the risk of testicular cancer and enlargement of the prostate and related infections.  Many animals adopted from shelters are young in age.  Studies have shown that if these animals are not spayed/neutered before going into their new homes, many may never be done.  They frequently continue to produce more unwanted pets. 

The American Veterinary Medical Association has adopted a resolution that supports the concept of early-age spay/neuter to decrease the overpopulation of cats and dogs.  The sponsors are convinced that the early age approach will reduce the killing of unwanted pets by preventing unwanted litters by making shelter policies of “neuter” before adoption” more effective.  The AVMA supports the concept of early age (8-16 weeks of age) spay and neuter in dogs and cats, in an effort to stem the overpopulation in these species.  Some adjustment of technique is needed on the part of the veterinarian when operating on puppies and kittens, but research shows that performing surgery on a young animal is not more difficult and may be easier because of less body fat than older animals.  There is little scientific information to back up the current standard of age of six to eight months for spaying and neutering.  This figure seems to have been chosen arbitrarily and followed down through the years without question.  Today the safety and benefits of early-age spay/neuter are recognized.

Reasons for early-age spaying/neutering:

• Helps control pet overpopulation; less homeless offspring

• Decreases the rate of animals returned to shelter

• Decreases killed animals

• Improves animal’s adoptability

• Improved health care of pets

• Surgery less stressful/quick recovery for younger animals

• Spayed and neutered pets are less aggressive, less likely to roam, less likely to fight and less likely to contact contagious diseases.