The sterilization of animals is certainly the best method to avoid the unwanted birth of dogs and cats and their subsequent abandonment, in case they cannot be taken care of. For this reason , more and more associations offer this sterilization service at affordable prices in order to entice owners to choose this option.
The canine and feline overpopulation results in the large number of stray animals living on the street in poor conditions – sometimes becoming a source of diseases that can also be dangerous for humans – or in the saturation of shelters for animals that are unable to take care of them as they should, not to mention the number of dogs and cats that are killed daily in municipal kennels and catteries. Faced with this scenario, the sterilization imposes itself as a responsible choice.
Sterilization of dogs and cats: what it is
Sterilization is a rather simple surgical operation , which must always be performed by a veterinarian and to which both males and females can be subjected, with the aim of neutralizing the reproductive capacity of these animals. Below we give you a series of details to learn a little more about this intervention:
- the operation requires the use of total anesthesia and is not very invasive;
- the ovaries and, in some cases, also the uterus are extirpated from the female specimens;
- the testicles are removed from the male specimens;
- animals can be sterilized from six months;
- the chances of complications arising during the operation are really very low;
- healing and recovery are quite fast: within 24 hours, or 48 at the most, our furry friends can already return to their normal life.
It is also good to remember that, despite various baseless but widespread beliefs, neutering your pet will not change its character or make it fat. You will only have to introduce some variations in his diet, small changes that adapt to his new physical condition: there are even foods specifically for neutered animals. Your vet will certainly be able to advise you in this regard. Neutering itself does not cause obesity, the fact is that, more simply, your pet will need less energy and, consequently, eat less food.
Even the fact that it is necessary that your cat or dog, before being operated on, must necessarily have given birth at least once, to ensure its physical health and mental balance, is an urban legend: always remember that sexuality of animals is different from that of men and is regulated only and exclusively by their hormones, so they will not feel any kind of frustration or manifest an irrepressible desire to have puppies despite the impossibility caused by the operation.
Other benefits of sterilization
Neutering is not a responsible choice just because it is a way to avoid the overpopulation of dogs and cats, with their consequent abandonment and / or killing: it is a choice that also has other benefits.
Let’s see what they are:
- Spayed pets are calmer, as they will not run away or fight during the heat period. This way you don’t have to worry about them getting lost, having accidents or returning home injured .
- It decreases the risk of the appearance of other pathologies.
- In females: bacterial infection of the uterus, ovarian cysts and tumors and breast cancer (if the animal is spayed before the first heat, the chances of developing breast cancer are virtually nil).
- In males: anal, prostate or testicular cancers and prostatitis.
- It prevents the contagion of certain diseases , such as leukemia and feline immunodeficiency .
- Improve Behavior: In males you will notice how both aggressive behavior and marking , which are usually linked to a high level of testosterone, will disappear . Females, as far as they are concerned, will be much less irritable than they show in periods of heat and, moreover, will stop suffering from hysterical pregnancies (or pseudo pregnancies).
Do not doubt: the early sterilization of your furry friend can only have positive effects on his existence : it will certainly help him to have a longer and healthier life. Even if yours is a purebred animal, don’t feel obliged to mate it to ensure its ancestry. In any case, do not hesitate to seek the advice of your veterinarian if you have any doubts you can think of regarding this aspect.
According to the statistics referenced by the bodies that deal with the protection of animals, only 2 puppies out of 10 will have the opportunity to have a stable accommodation and someone who takes care of them adequately. For this reason, do not forget that, with sterilization, you will contribute to keeping the feline and canine population under control, avoiding unnecessary abandonment, poor living conditions and massive suppressions.
