Spaying (female) is the common surgical procedure of removing both ovaries, as well as the uterus, of the female animal; leaving them unble to reproduce.
Spaying reduces incidence of:
Uterine infections*
Ovarian cancers
Mammary tumors
The desire to roam
Spaying eliminates heat cycles in female animals, meaning you won’t have any unwanted males trying to get into your home. Each time a female animal goes into heat and does not fall pregnant, there is also some residue left – spaying will prevent this from happening.
Usually when females get between 5-9 years they are most susceptible to uterine infections*. The only treatment then, is to have a sterilisation; and this includes putting a now compromised animal under aneasthetic. Therefore we, at Blue Cross, reccommend that females are sterilised at 6 months of age before they come into heat; first heats are generally seen at 7-9 months of age.
Although there have been a few myths on this, it has now been scientifically proven that there is no benefit to postpone sterilisation until after the animal has had their first heat / atleast one litter; in regard to the development of the animal.
Neutering (male) or, more specifically, Castrating is the common surgical removal of a male animal’s testes, leaving them unable to reproduce.
Neutering reduces incidence of:
Testicular cancer
Prostatic disease.
Spraying / marking territory
And can also decrease aggressive behavior
Generally, the earlier the sterilisation procedure is done, the easier it is to control behavioural issues; such as aggression.
In both procedures, spaying and neutering, the animal is put under general anaesthetic. Because of this, it is required that your pet is not fed after 10pm the night before, and that their last drink of water should be before 7am on the morning of the procedure.
You bring your dog or cat in to Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital between 7.30am-9am in the morning. The procedure takes place at around 11am and your dog or cat is available to be picked up that same day at around 3-5pm.
