Red Fern Spay & Neuter Mobile Veterinary Clinic

1.  Female dogs and cats will live a longer, healthier life.

Spaying; the removal of the ovaries and uterus, is a veterinary procedure performed under anesthesia that usually requires minimal hospitalization.  Spaying a female dog or cat helps prevent pyometra (pus filled uterus) and mammary cancer.  Treatment of pyometra is an emergency and requires hospitalization.  Mammary cancer can be fatal in about 50% of female dogs and 90% in female cats.  Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases. 

2.  There are major health benefits for male animals.

Along with preventing unwanted litters, neutering (surgical removal of the testicles) your male dog or cat, prevents testicular cancer if performed before 6 months of age. 

3.  Spayed females won’t go into heat.

Female felines usually go into heat 4 to 5 days every 3 weeks during breeding season.  In an effort to attract males, they will yowl and urinate more frequently- sometimes all over the house.  Unspayed female dogs have a bloody discharge for about a week, and are able to conceive for a total of two weeks.  

4.  Male dogs won’t need to roam away from home.

An intact male in search of a mate will dig under the fence and try to escape from the house or yard.  Once free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.

5.  Males will be better behaved.

Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on humans.  Unneutered dogs and cats mark their territory by spraying urine, often all over the house.  A neutered dog protects his home and family and many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering. 

6.  Spaying and neutering will NOT make your pet fat. 

Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to become overweight.  Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.

7.  Spaying and neutering is highly cost effective.

The cost of a pet’s spay or neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of caring for a litter.  It also avoids the cost of treatment when an unneutered male escapes and gets into fights with strays…or the cost of cleaning carpet that an unsprayed female keeps mistaking for the litterbox. 

8.  It is good for the community.

Stray animals cause problems in many parts of the country.  They prey on wildlife, overpopulate, cause car accidents, attack children, etc. 

9.  A pet does NOT need to have a litter for children to experience the “miracle of birth."

Allowing a pet to produce offspring teaches children irresponsibility.  This dangerous myth can be disproven by witnessing an animal euthanized in a shelter for lack of a home.  There are numerous books and videos available to teach children about birth in a responsible manner. 

10.  Spaying and neutering fights against pet overpopulation. 

Millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized yearly or suffer as strays.  These high numbers are the result of unwanted, unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying and neutering.