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Why is Spaying and Neutering So Important?

September 1 2016

Veterinarians agree—spaying or neutering your pet early on in life is one of the best things you can ever do for their health and happiness. Learn about some of the many benefits of the procedure from your vet in McHenry, IL:

Cancer Risk

When a male or female pet is spayed or neutered, the risk of genital cancer is virtually eliminated. In addition, the likelihood of other cancer types, like breast or prostate cancer, is greatly lowered. Responding to cancers of these types later in life will not only be time consuming and costly, it will be heartbreaking. Save yourself the trouble and have your pet spayed or neutered early.

Other Health Issues

Spaying or neutering your pet has other health benefits as well. Did you know that common problems such as urinary tract infections—a health issue that is particularly common among our feline friends—are far less likely to occur in a pet who has been spayed or neutered? A UTI will require medication and veterinary office visits to deal with later, and it will cause your pet suffering. Why not avoid the problem initially with a simple procedure?

Improved Behavior

When it comes to you and your pet’s home life, spaying and neutering is one of the best ways to keep things positive. That’s because pets who have been spayed or neutered behave far better on the whole than pets who have not had the procedure performed. Animals who remain intact are much more likely to exhibit house soiling, urine spraying, aggressive behavior, chewing, digging, scratching, loud vocalizations, and other undesirable behaviors. Plus, pets who have been fixed aren’t as likely to roam when mating season arrives, reducing the likelihood of a lost pet.

The Broader Benefit

Of course, there is a broader benefit to having your pet spayed or neutered. Every year, millions of pets across the nation go homeless or must be euthanized, simply because there aren’t enough families or homes to take them all in! By keeping your pet intact, you’re contributing to unrestricted breeding and only further exacerbating the homeless pet epidemic. Don’t be a part of the problem—contact your veterinarian to have your pet spayed or neutered early on in life.

Do you have further questions about the spaying or neutering procedure? Is your dog or cat in need of the procedure? Make an appointment with your McHenry, IL vet.