Spaying and Neutering
Balls, testicles, kahunas, gonads. It can be hotter than them or cold as them.
They are swear words, a term for having bravery, and even put on trailer hitches. But, they should not be on your pet.
Every veterinarian will have different recommendations for spaying (ovariohysterectomy) or neutering (orchiectomy) your pet. There are scientific articles and published studies about the procedures, and every vet learns to perform the surgeries in school. I will base this article on what I have seen during my short time working in the clinic. Your veterinarian may have a different recommendation, and that is great! The important thing is to discuss what works best for your pet.
Feline neuter: In general, male cats are neutered around 5-6 months old. Neutering at this age usually helps to prevent spraying in the house before it becomes a set behavior. It also keeps cats in the home and, in general, lazier and slows their metabolism. While any procedure can have risks, cat neuters are usually fairly straightforward.
Canine neuter: This is where veterinary opinions may start to vary, but there is one thing we almost all agree on: they don't need their testicles and will not miss them one bit. The recommended age may change, but larger breeds are neutered at around 8-12 months, smaller ones at 6-8 months. Some studies show that larger breed dogs should be neutered later to allow bone growth. However, intact male dogs tend to run away looking for bitc… female dogs. A majority of hit by car cases are intact male dogs. If your yard is unfenced and you live next to US131, I would rather see your pet for some arthritis in the future than on emergency for losing a game of chicken with a sedan.
Spays: Cats and dog spays I recommend at six months. Again this will vary between vets, but recommended before the first heat, and I will be more than happy to tell you why. Even with the best precautions, going into heat can still have pets ending up with a batch of unintended puppies/kittens. It happens a lot. Second, they become escape artists and try to run away more frequently (again, pet vs. sedan). Third, infection of the uterus (pyometra) can be fatal and requires emergency surgery. The cost of that surgery will have you saying: Ope, shoulda collected more pop cans to return to Meijers (wrap your head around that sentence, Floridians). To quote veterinarypartners.com: “While the end result of pyometra surgery is a spayed dog, there is nothing routine about a pyometra spay. As noted, the surgery is challenging and the patient is in a life-threatening situation. For these reasons, the pyometra spay typically costs five to ten times as much as a routine spay.” Lastly, flabby uteruses and increased fat and blood flow during surgery. There is an increased risk and difficulty to the surgery after the first heat or litter, and usually, an increased cost as well due to the longer surgery time.
Breeding your pets: Generally, breeding your pets is not recommended unless under particular conditions. According to the ASPCA, "Approximately 6.3 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year." Nearly 1 million are euthanized each year. If you are breeding animals for profit or fun, I recommend volunteering at an animal shelter first. Here is a great website detailing diseases each breed is predisposed to: https://www.ofa.org/browse-by-breed
Breeders should be breeding to better the species with tests recommended by your veterinarian and are prepared financially and mentally for an emergency such as needing a cesarean section. The animal should also be an AKC-certified breed with lineage for both parents. This website is a great resource for those considering breeding their dogs or cats:
https://www.akcchf.org/educational-resources/library/articles/responsible-breeding-and.html
In summary, spay and neuter your pets. If you are looking for a new housemate, check out shelters first and be prepared for animal ownership's financial and emotional test(es). Owning an animal is a privilege, not a right. However, finding the animal that is the perfect fit for you can be life-changing and quite the…ball.
PS: Here is some supplemental information on pyometra, this website in general is a fantastic resource for any additional questions you may have: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951481
