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Neutering is the generic term for the de-sexing of animals. Specifically, females are spayed and males are castrated.
As part of Greenbank's affordable animal care approach to preventative veterinary medicine we have now been offering cut price neutering of pets since 2004.
So what are the advantages (and disadvantages) of neutering?
The bitch (female dog) – Advantages:
- no unwanted pregnancies;
- spaying before the first season dramatically reduces the risk of malignant mammary cancer (breast cancer);
- removes the risk of pyometra (a serious infection of the uterus) – this is a common and serious illness in the unspayed bitch as they age.
Disadvantages:
- minor risk of urinary incontinence – this is a very treatable condition.
- occasional changes in coat quality.
On balance the argument is firmly in favour of early spaying of bitches.
The dog (male dog) - Advantages:
- does not cause unwanted pregnancies;
- decreased risk of prostatic disease and the secondary problem associated with this of perineal hernia;
- can help 'calm' them.
Disadvantage:
- there are no disadvantages to having a dog castrated
The queen (female cat) - Advantages:
- no unwanted pregnancies;
- decreased territorial behaviour – marking, wandering, fighting.
There are no disadvantages to having a queen spayed;
The tom (male cat)– Advantages
- does not cause unwanted pregnancies;
- dramatic decrease in territorial behaviour fighting, territorial marking
(most often urine spraying in the house), wandering
Disadvantages
- no disadvantages to having the tom castrated.
Ages for neutering:
- Cats (for both sexes) – from 6 months of age
- Bitches – from 6 months
- Dogs – from 6 months
- Rabbits – from 4 months
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