Pet Spaying And Neutering In Albuquerque
At Valley Vetco Albuquerque, we understand that when it becomes time to start thinking about spaying or neutering your dog or cat, you might not be quite sure if it is the right thing to do. If you’re wondering whether you should just leave your dog or cat as nature intended, consider the positive and negative aspects of spaying and neutering before making your decision
What Do Spaying And Neutering Mean?
Neutering is a procedure used to “de-sex” an animal. This procedure has been used to control animal population growth, reduce unwanted sexual behavior in pets, and decrease or eliminate the possibility of certain disease conditions later in life, such as pyometra or infection in the uterus.
Castration is a term used to describe the removal of the gonads (testicles) in male animals. Spaying is a term used to describe the sterilization procedure of females. The procedure of spaying most often consists of removal of both the ovaries and uterus, which is called an ovariohysterectomy. Both procedures are performed under general anesthesia and both involve a surgical incision.
Neutering at Valley Vetco is usually performed on dogs at 13 weeks and older and cats at 16 weeks and older.
Is The Procedure Painful For My Pet?
Dogs and cats undergoing sterilization are under general anesthesia during surgery and do not feel a thing – they are completely asleep. In most cases, pets are back to their normal routines the very next day, although limited activity is recommended for the first week to speed healing.
All surgeries check in at 7am the day of surgery and pets go home that same afternoon. No overnight stay is required.
Valley Vetco also provides all surgery patients with take home pain management to ensure your pet’s lasting comfort during their recovery period.
Spaying And Neutering – THE POSITIVE
- Removes the risk of pregnancy – unwanted pregnancies lead to unwanted puppies and kittens, as well as possible life-threatening delivery complications.
- Makes dogs and cats better pets – rids pet of the desire to mate, reducing sexual behaviors in the home and the desire to wander.
- Keeps dogs and cats healthier – eliminates the risk of certain cancers and life threatening infections.
- Saves money on pet licensing – Albuquerque currently charges a $150 annual premium to license an intact cat or dog.
Spaying And Neutering – THE NEGATIVE
- Pet sterilization – spaying and neutering cannot be reversed.
- May cause weight gain – pets should be kept on a lower calorie diet to prevent excessive weight gain.
Every year about 6-8 million pets enter shelters. Shelters euthanize 2.7 million adoptable cats and dogs each year. The tragedy is that this is unnecessary. Much of the problem could be eliminated by simple surgery: Spaying and neutering operations are performed under general anesthesia and are quite painless. By neutering pets, owners can help lower the numbers of unwanted and homeless animals.
