The Benefits of Neutering Your Pets

Sure everyone loves a soft and furry kitten or a cuddly puppy, but the fact is there are too many pets out there and not enough homes. Some people wish to breed their animals as a way of making money. Others just love a particular breed so much they want to make more for the world to enjoy. Still others are taken aback when they find out their dear little Fluffy is in a family way. For both the health of your pet as well as taking responsibility for the growing pet overpopulation, having your pet sterilized is a solid moral choice.

Every year 15 million homeless pets are brought to animal shelters across the United States. Only 25-30% of these animals find homes, meaning the roughly 11 million that are left are put to sleep. Not only is this a waste of a life but there are resources involved in disposing of these animals. These animals come from everywhere. Some are strays who were born in the wild. Yet some were the product of some well-meaning pet owner who wanted to breed their dog or cat only to find they had a few extra from the litter left over.

The best reason to have your cat or dog neutered is simply for their own health. The risk of breast, uterine, prostate and testicular cancer drops dramatically in neutered pets. If you have more then one dog or cat they will get along better if they are not constantly trying to mate. A male dog will often act with aggression because of his instinctual need to mate and are more likely to roam, increasing their chances of getting injured or perhaps getting killed. Female cats and dogs go through cycles called being in heat, during such times they bleed constantly and stain anything they sit on. Female cats will go into heat every two weeks from February until October until they are allowed to mate and will often go through another heat cycle while nursing a litter. Male suitors can detect a female in heat from blocks away and the effects last for 3 weeks in dogs. Countless puppies have been conceived in an otherwise well fenced in backyard as the drive to mate is often insurmountable.

Some people see breeding their pets as a money making tool when in fact it is not. The mother must make frequent trips to the veterinarian during her pregnancy to ensure a healthy litter resulting in high vet bills. Once the puppies or kittens are born the owner is now faced with caring for the new additions for 2 months until they are ready for sale. There are expensive shots and deworming for each pup or kitten. It's difficult to sell a puppy without proof that he is a purebred and with that comes the fees for proper registration. Then there are the fees for advertising your litter.

The best way to prevent innocent animals from being euthanized is to ensure that they don't exist. Puppies and kittens can be neutered as early as 8 weeks and any time thereafter. Females can be spayed when they are in heat or in early pregnancy but this poses great risks to your pet. There is no benefit in letting a female go through one heat cycle before spaying her. If money is a problem you can check with your local humane society for a list of low-cost spay/neuter clinics. Protect your pet's health and don't add to the overpopulation of unwanted cats and dogs. Have your pets spayed or neutered.