Pet owners hear a lot about the importance of spaying or neutering their four-legged friend but may not know the actual benefits. This would help them understand why trusted veterinary experts, including the Stanton Pet Hospital team, acknowledge that spaying and neutering is one of the easiest and best ways to care for your beloved dog or cat.

Here are our top six spay and neuter benefits for pets.

#1: Spaying and neutering helps reduce pet overpopulation

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 6.3 million pets enter animal shelters every year, and around 920,000 pets are euthanized. Estimating how many of these pets were from unplanned or accidental litters is impossible, but spaying or neutering your pet is the best way to ensure you do not add to the millions of homeless or unwanted dogs and cats. 

If you don’t think spaying or neutering makes a difference, consider this: theoretically, one unspayed cat who each year produces two litters that average 2.8 surviving kittens can contribute to almost 400 unwanted kittens in as few as three years. In four years, the total jumps to 2,000 kittens.

#2: Spaying and neutering reduces your pet’s reproductive cancer risk

Mammary (i.e., breast) cancer is one of the leading cancers in female dogs and accounts for one-third of malignant cancer diagnoses in cats. Without quick intervention, malignant tumors can spread to the lymph nodes and other organs, similar to breast cancer in humans. Spaying greatly reduces mammary cancer risk by significantly decreasing circulating sex hormones.

Because the spaying or neutering procedure removes the pet’s reproductive organs (e.g., the ovaries and uterus in female pets, the testes in male pets), the cancer risk is eliminated in these organs. 

#3: Spaying prevents female pets from experiencing estrus (i.e., heat cycles)

During estrus, female dogs and cats experience significant hormone changes that alter their behavior and physiology. Female dogs in estrus experience a bloody, messy, and inconvenient discharge. Dogs and cats in estrus attract unneutered male pets, and aggressive behavior, fights, and accidental mating can result. For this reason, female pets in estrus must be carefully supervised at all times, kept indoors as much as possible, and securely separated from unneutered male pets. Dogs must be kept on leash while outside.  

Because spaying involves removing the ovaries and uterus in female dogs and cats, spayed pets do not experience a heat cycle. 

#4: Spaying and neutering may reduce undesirable hormone-related behaviors

Many nuisance pet behaviors are actually motivated by sex hormones (i.e., estrogen in female pets, testosterone in males). As such, spaying and neutering may help minimize or eliminate troublesome and potentially dangerous behaviors, such as:

  • Urine marking 
  • Territorial aggression
  • Roaming or leaving home
  • Humping or mounting

However, the longer your pet practices these behaviors, the more likely they will continue, despite spaying or neutering—especially if the behavior, such as mounting, is triggered by arousal (i.e., overexcitement) instead of sex drive. For the best outcome, you must combine spaying or neutering with consistent training or behavior modification.

#5: Spaying or neutering your pet may help them live longer

Everyone wants more time with their precious pets, and various studies have found that spaying and neutering can actually increase a pet’s lifespan. This is likely because spaying or neutering reduces cancer risk and decreases a pet’s desire to roam and potentially be hit by a car or attacked by another animal.

Also, when it comes to extra life, neutered male cats have the most to gain. According to a database review of more than 460,000 cats, neutered male cats lived 62% longer than unneutered male cats. Spayed female cats and dogs lived 39% and 23% longer, respectively, while neutered male dogs enjoyed an additional 18% lifespan.

#6: Spaying eliminates reproductive emergency risks in female pets

Reproductive emergencies are common life-threatening occurrences in unspayed female pets, including those who are not accidentally or intentionally bred. These conditions include:

  • Pyometra (i.e., uterine infection) — During pyometra, the unspayed cat or dog’s empty uterus fills with bacteria (i.e., pus). Pyometra can be open or closed, depending on the cervix. In an open pyometra, discharge can be eliminated, but during a closed pyometra, the multiplying bacteria become trapped inside the pet’s distended uterus, and severe illness and potential organ rupture can result. Pyometra requires emergency surgery and hospitalization.
  • Dystocia — Dystocia is a reproductive emergency in pregnant dogs or cats. During dystocia, the neonate and the mother are at risk for serious complications, or death. Veterinary intervention is necessary to protect both animals, as well as other undelivered puppies or kittens still in the womb.

Fortunately, because the uterus is removed during spay surgery and pregnancy is not possible, your pet’s spay eliminates these common, costly, and sometimes heartbreaking emergencies.

Do you have questions about your pet’s surgery?

The Stanton Pet Hospital team understands that you may be concerned about your pet undergoing surgery. Our team is committed to providing the best possible pre, intra, and postoperative care and support for your pet, including ensuring you have the information you need to feel confident about your pet’s experience and the decision to spay or neuter your dog or cat. If you have additional questions, concerns, or want to know more about surgery at Stanton Pet Hospital, contact our caring team.