By Racheal Myers
It is the end of the semester, and I wanted to finish off my class blog the same way Bob Barker and Drew Carey finish off an episode of The Price is Right…HELP CONTROL THE PET POPULATION. HAVE YOUR PETS SPAYED AND NEUTERED!
Spaying (female) and neutering (male) your animals is an easy thing to do. Most veterinarians recommend getting the surgery performed when the animal is around 6 months of age. The surgery can take up to 45 minutes to do, depending on the size of the animal, and the species. A cat neuter takes about 5 minutes, while a large dog can take longer. A neuter of any species can go home the same day, while a spay generally stays overnight, just so the doctors can monitor their behavior in the morning.
The cost of the surgery can vary, depending on several different factors. Anesthesia, which is the gas they use to keep the animals under while the surgery is being done, is the most expensive factor in any surgery. The more an animal weighs, the more anesthesia will be used. The price of a spay can be affected if a female is in heat, the animal version of a period. The blood vessels to the uterus are enlarged during this time, which makes tying them off more time consuming. The best time to get a female spayed is when they are not showing signs of being in heat.
Spaying and neutering your animals is a great way to ensure their quality of life down the road. A female that has not been spayed is in jeopardy of developing cancers, deadly uterine infections, and adding to the population of unwanted animals. Unneutered male dogs also have the risk of developing cancers and may become aggressive the longer his testosterone is affecting him. Unneutered animals also have a tendency to run way to find a mate (the scent of a female in heat travels up to 7 miles) which increases their chances of being lost, or hit by a car.
Many clinics and shelters offer low cost programs and clinics to help owners with spays and neuters. Call your local shelter for more information on such programs.
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