Importance of Spay & Neuter

THINK OUTSIDE THE SHELTER

WRITTEN BY: HALI SELERT, Staff Writer

We hear it all the time-- “spay and neuter your pets!” Whether that be from your vet, a family member, a rescue organization, or a random person on social media-- it’s a hot topic.

First, what exactly does it mean to have your dog spayed or neutered? A spay surgery involves removal of a female dog’s uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. This removal renders a female dog unable to reproduce or go into heat, and reduces the amount of estrogen she produces, significantly. Neutering, or castration, is the surgical removal of a male dog’s testicles. Again, this renders him unable to reproduce and dramatically reduces the amount of testosterone in his body. Spay and neuter surgeries are generally outpatient procedures and the pet gets to return home for recovery. Most vets will spay or neuter a dog or cat as early as 8 weeks old.

But why? What is so important about fixing your pet?

Let’s start with the most glaring-- if you remove an animal’s reproductive organs, they can’t reproduce. Whether you’re an advocate of “adopt, don’t shop,” or a proponent of responsible breeding, we can probably all agree that there is a serious pet overpopulation problem, especially here in the southern states. If we jump back in time a decade or so, the overall local euthanasia rate for shelters was upwards of 50%. As time has gone on, that number has gotten lower and lower, thanks in large part to the spay/neuter movement. It’s simple-- the less animals with reproductive organs, the less animals overall. Currently, there are still too many animals to go around, so we need to continue our efforts of spay/neuter. The other obvious reason is the medical benefits associated with spay/neuter. Up to 27% of unneutered male dogs will develop testicular cancer in their lifetime, and health benefits from alteration aren’t just for the males. A similar percentage (25%) of unspayed female dogs will develop pyometra, an infection of the uterus where it swells to several times its natural size and fills with green puss; fatal if not caught early enough and treated immediately. Treatment for pyometra and testicular cancer is spay/neuter-- so the question is why risk your dog contracting a deadly illness?

Finally, if you were not sold by the moral and medical reasons for spay/neuter, how about behavioral? A lot of common behavioral problems with pets are rooted in their instinctual/ hormonal desires; marking, humping, escaping, and fighting to name a few. When you remove the organs that produce those hormones, you are decreasing the likelihood of that animal having those hormonal urges. Obviously, a quick snip isn’t going to turn your “bad” dog into a perfect angel overnight. You will still need to put in consistent work with your pet, but it will definitely help avoid those unpleasant behaviors.

If you are wanting to have your pet altered but cannot afford the astronomical bill that is common in most vet practices, don’t despair-- there are a multitude of low-cost options in the lowcountry! Try contacting Pet Helpers, Pet Paws Spay Neuter Clinic, or Charleston Animal Society! Luckily, these low-cost clinics are spread across the lowcountry, so transporting your pet to/from should be a breeze! The average cost is about $135 for a male dog, $200 for a female dog, $80 for a male cat, and $100 for a female cat. Sometimes, there are vouchers available that will completely cover the cost of the surgery. If all else fails, reach out to your favorite shelter or rescue, and maybe they can help!

At the end of the day, the most responsible thing to do is have your pet spayed/neutered. Whether your driving force is to reduce the possibility of an unwanted litter, add a few years to your pets lifespan, or avoid unwanted behaviors from occurring, it is the right thing to do. ■