3 Reasons To Spay Or Neuter Your Pet
Posted on: 23 June 2016
If you're a dog or cat owner, chances are your pet is pretty much one of your best friends. With that said, while you might treat your pet like a human in some ways, it's important for your animal's health to remember that it is a cat or dog and that it is going to need some specific treatments at the local veterinarian's office in order to live its best life. This includes spay and neuter surgery. If you haven't yet gotten your furry friend spayed or neutered, here are three reasons why you should get this done as soon as possible.
Your Pet Could Live Longer
While it's true that the immediate aftermath of a spay or neuter operation can cause your animal some discomfort, it is likely the best possible thing you can do for your pet's long-term health. An article in USA Today showed that pets who live in states with the highest spaying and neutering rates also tend to live the longest. While it's just one report, the numbers are significant. As an example, neutered male dogs were shown to live 18 percent longer than un-neutered ones and spayed female dogs lived 23 percent longer than un-spayed ones.
Spaying or Neutering is Less Expensive Than The Alternative
A leading reason why some pet owners don't want to get their pet spayed or neutered is because of the expense. But here's another way to look at it: think about how much money you might have to end up spending if you suddenly find out one day that your pet is either pregnant or responsible for getting someone else's pet pregnant. You may have to pay money to take care of the animal during pregnancy and also help nurse the litter that is born until the puppies or kittens are old enough to be adopted. The cost of spaying or neutering probably looks a lot better now, right?
Help Control the Pet Population and Prevent Euthanization
The idea of a pet having to be euthanized because no one wants it probably makes you sick to your stomach as a pet owner. But that is exactly the situation you risk happening if you don't get your pet spayed or neutered. If your pet, whether male or female, is involved in a pregnancy, there is no guarantee that an owner will be able to be found for every animal in the litter. Some dogs or cats might need to be handed over to the local pet kernel and from there, there's no guarantee an owner will be found. Do your part to help keep this situation under control.
If your pet is not spayed or neutered, one obvious reason to get the procedure done is that the operation can have long-term health benefits for your pet that may extend its life. That said, spaying and neutering, such as at Haverford Animal Hospital, can also benefit the pet owner because it is less expensive than caring for a litter and will also help ensure that the pet population in your area remains under control, hopefully preventing additional euthanizations or stray pets wondering the streets.
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