Dog Spaying and Neutering
Spaying or neutering your dog is a very common procedure to help reduce pet overpopulation, prevent certain diseases that can develop from them keeping their sex organs and can aid in controlling certain behaviour problems. As part of an overall health program, we will discuss with you the right time to spay/neuter your pet as well as the further benefits and risks that are involved.
What does neutering/spaying a dog do?
Spaying or neutering removes the sex organs that are in large part responsible for hormone levels in your pet. This can help control numerous behaviour problems. Additionally, their metabolism will drop after the surgery, so it is important to reduce their feeding amount to avoid gaining weight.
Why is it important to neuter/spay my dog?
Spaying or neutering your dog as an elective procedure has many benefits including prevention roaming, uterine infections, testicular torsions (twisting), and cancer. Not every dog will be a good parent so the idea of letting them all have a litter may result in orphaned puppies or strays that end up in the shelters. If the surgery is not done, we may end up having to do an emergency surgery to save your dog’s life.
How old should a dog be before neutering/spaying?
The age at which your dog should be spayed or neutered will vary with their breed and size. Generally, 6 months of age is the earliest we recommend spaying/neutering your dog. For larger breed dogs, we can discuss with you the pros/cons of postponing the surgery for a short while as they have different growth circumstances that can be affected by spaying/neutering.
How much does it cost to neuter/spay a dog?
The cost to spay or neuter your dog will vary with a number of factors. Age, weight and add-on benefits such as intravenous fluids and pre-anesthetic blood tests will alter the total cost of the procedure. Pain medication is not negotiable. During a visit with your dog or if you call us and we have seen your dog, we can provide a specific estimate and outline the individual cost of the components.
