Spaying and Neutering for Pets

Spaying and neutering are procedures that prevent your pet from reproducing their own offspring. It is one of the most common procedures performed by veterinary teams all over the world, and help prevent overpopulation and unwanted breeding, which puts a strain on the resources of animal rescues and animal welfare shelters. Like vaccines and parasite prevention, spaying and neutering are a must-do for all responsible pet owners. Please feel free to call our team at 519-426-0111 to learn more about these procedures, and to schedule your pet’s next check-up.

What is neutering and what are its benefits?

Neutering, also commonly known as castration, is when both testicles are removed to sterilize the patient. ​Reasons to neuter your cat are plentiful. Intact males will have undesirable behaviours such as marking (when a feline sprays/urinates on inappropriate items and places), being territorial, roaming, strong smelling urine, fighting with other cats and siring unwanted pregnancies. Once a male reaches sexual maturity he will start to spray and fight with other cats which can lead to life threatening illness such as FIV, FeLv and infections. The longer they have their testicles, then the more likely neutering will not work to stop this kind of unwanted behaviour. ​​In addition, there are many advantages to neutering your dog. The procedure decreases the risk of roaming, siring unwanted pregnancies, decreases the risk of prostate disease, stops certain types of aggression and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.

Does neutering have any side effects?

​Many pet owners are concerned that after neutering, their pet will become fat and lazy. While neutering does slow down their metabolism which can lead to them putting on some unwanted pounds, if you monitor their food intake and keep them active, you can easily prevent weight gain in our pet.

What is spaying and why is it a good idea?

Spaying, also known as ovariohysterectomy, is the procedure in which the ovaries and the uterus are surgically removed to sterilize the patient. Once your pet is spayed, they can enjoy several health benefits that include: eliminated risk of ovarian and uterine cancers, significantly reduced risk of breast cancer (especially if they are spayed before their first heat), eliminated risk of pyometra (a serious and life threating condition), and prevention of unwanted behaviours (e.g. loud and persistent crying, frequent rubbing, rolling around on the floor and marking).