Every year thousands of healthy animals are euthanised because homes cannot be found for them. It is extremely important that we do not contribute to the large number of unwanted pets by routinely neutering them. Females benefit from not having to be separated from dogs during their season and males benefit from not being driven crazy by the local female in heat!
Speying bitches also prevents false pregnancies and uterine infections (pyometra) which can be fatal. Speying a bitch before her first season, at about 6 months of age reduces the chance of her developing mammary tumours later in life greatly. The benefits of this reduces following each season.
Routine castration of dogs can be carried out from 6 months old. This reduces the likelihood of prostate problems later in life and prevents testicular tumours. It also has the added benefit of reducing aggressive and antisocial behaviour such as mounting and roaming and can make training a lot easier.
Cats can be speyed and castrated from 5-6 months old. This often stops spraying behaviour in Tom cats and will prevent unwanted pregnancies in female cats who can breed from as young as five months old when they are little more than kittens themselves!
Speying of female dogs and cats involves surgically removing the entire uterus and both ovaries. This means that the animal will never again come in season and will be physically unable to become pregnant.
Castration of male dogs and cats involves surgical removal of both testicles but the scrotum (sack) will be left and will shrivel up over time.