Spay/Neuter

Spaying or neutering is the surgical sterilization of your male or female pet. By removing certain reproductive organs, your veterinarian ensures that your pet cannot reproduce. For female pets, the procedure eliminates her heat cycle and breeding instinct, while for male pets the procedure reduces or eliminates many breeding behaviors.

At Lake Cable Animal Hospital, we recommend spaying or neutering at the earliest possible age to both improve your pet’s behavior and avoid certain health conditions that are common with breeding and reproducing.

• Your female pet will live a longer/healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and reduces the chance of getting breast cancer, which is fatal in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
• Your spayed female won’t go into heat. Female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during their 9-month breeding season. Female dogs will go into heat generally twice a year. Both will attract interested males, but cats will often yowl and urinate more often to attract male cats.
• Neutering provides major health benefits for your male pet. Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male pet prevents testicular cancer if done before six months of age.
• Your neutered male will be better behaved. Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families, virtually eliminating aggression problems that can occur when males are not neutered.
• Pets that have been spayed or neutered are generally better companions for your family members. Spaying or neutering will not impact your pet’s intelligence or ability to learn, play, work or hunt.

Scheduling your young pet for spaying or neutering can be a bit stressful but be assured that this is one of the most common surgeries performed by our veterinarians. While any surgery bears some risk related to the procedure and use of anesthesia, spaying and neutering overall has an extremely low incidence of complications.

Prior to the procedure your pet will be given a full examination, including blood panel, to be sure he or she is in good health and ready for surgery. We observe and care for your pet following surgery to assure he or she is ready to go home. You will receive full instructions for care and medication to minimize pain while your pet recovers.

Spaying or neutering your pets is the best way to prevent overpopulation. Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays as a direct result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.

For more information about spaying or neutering in the Canal Fulton, Jackson Township, Massillon, or surrounding Ohio areas, contact Lake Cable Animal Hospital. The health and safety of your pet is very important to us, and we will treat your pet like our very own family member.