Pet Advice
Desexing
Contents
When should I desex my pet?
Are there any other benefits to Desexing
Will it change the personality of my pet
Will my pet put on Weight?What is involved?
Are there any stitches to come out?
What if my dog or cat is already pregnant?
What is the cost?
When should I desex my pet?
We recommend desexing of dogs and cats from 6 months of age. Most pets won’t come into season until after this age, so this will help prevent unwanted puppies and kittens. Just visit the pound or RSPCA to see the homeless animals and you’ll understand why this is so important.
Are there any other benefits to Desexing
YES! For female pets desexing can prevent many diseases, such as mammary cancer and uterine infection. It can also solve problems like false pregnancies and those unwanted males animals that always seem to be “hanging around”.
For males desexing not only helps to prevent prostatic cancer, but it can also help with some of the biggest behavioural issues in pets. Males who aren’t desexed tend to wander off and roam the streets, or get into fights over a pretty lady or a patch of land. There is also the tendency to water every post in sight! Desexing can eliminate many of these problems.
Will it change the personality of my pet
No. Your friendly lovable pet will remain as friendly and as lovable as ever. However desexing should keep your pet at home more and eliminate the need to roam and fight to defend their territory.
Will my pet put on Weight?
Some pets put on a little weight after being desexed. Part of this weight gain is because they are maturing but mostly it is caused by eating too much and not getting enough exercise.
What is involved?
At the Tweed Coast Vet desexing is a day procedure. This means you can drop your pet off in the morning and they are ready to go home that afternoon.
The night before the surgery, your pet can have a normal meal - but nothing to eat after that! A small amount of water is still OK though..
The morning of the surgery, your pet can come into the vet surgery where they are usually given a tranquilizer prior to their anesthetic.
In females desexing (spaying/ovario-hysterectomy) involves removing the ovaries and uterus.
In males desexing (castration or neutering) involves the removal of both testicles. Believe it or not dogs and cats don’t seem to mind as much as we humans would!
After they have woken fully from the anesthetic, your pet is able to go home. Often they will even eat a small meal that night. Please try to keep your pet quiet for the next few days as they recover.
Are there any stitches to come out?
Sometimes. In some cases, we use dissolving sutures. This prevents your pet from being able to lick the stitches out and also saves you a trip back to the surgery. On occasions this will cause a small hard lump under the skin as the stitches dissolve, but this is usually nothing to worry about.
In other cases, however, because of the type of skin or the size of the incision, we put in stitches that will have to be removed. This is done 10 days later and involves a short free trip to the vet.
What if my dog or cat is already pregnant?
If your cat is already pregnant they can still be desexed or you can allow them to go on and have the litter. There are a number of other options to help you handle and unwanted pregnancy. Please come in and discuss the options.
What is the cost?
Cost varies depending on size weight and age of the pet. However the cost of getting your animal desexed will probably work out less than the cost of not getting your pet desexed! In any case we have Ezypay to help spread your payments to suit you.