Spaying or neutering your pup prevents unwanted pregnancies and litters while curbing undesirable behaviors. These procedures can even lower the risk of certain diseases in your dog. Our Baton Rouge vets will guide you through everything you need to know about having your puppy undergo one of these essential procedures.
Why should I get my dog fixed?
If you have a new puppy, you might be considering whether to spay or neuter them, especially if you plan to have your dog on a leash during walks or confined to your garden or backyard.
In fact, spaying or neutering your dog offers numerous health benefits, behavioral advantages, and potentially even financial savings!
Benefits of Spaying Female Dogs
Dogs fill animal shelters across the United States. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (the ASPCA) estimates that the shelter system in America takes in 3.3 million dogs each year.
Health Benefits of Spaying Your Dog
Spaying your female dog before she reaches her first "heat" can help curb diseases like uterine infections and breast tumors, both of which can cause cancer.
Financial Benefits of Spaying Your Dog
Preventing the birth of unwanted puppies is good for your pocketbook. While there is a fee for spaying, this fee is relatively low compared to caring for a pregnant dog, calling a vet for the birth of the puppies, and caring for newborns.
Deciding Not To Spay Your Female Dog
When female dogs remain unspayed, they enter a reproductive stage commonly referred to as "heat." During this stage, your pup may attract male dogs for up to 18 days, potentially leading to unwelcome encounters during walks or in your yard, and could also result in an unintended litter of puppies.
Benefits of Neutering Male Dogs
As with spaying female dogs, when you neuter your male dog, you help reduce the population of unwanted dogs in the United States.
Health Benefits of Neutering Your Dog
By neutering your dog, you are helping to eliminate the risk of testicular cancer for them. You can significantly curb the risk of prostate diseases (which can be quite serious). Neutering also helps to prevent undesirable behaviors and conditions like perinial tumors and hernias.
Behavioral Benefits of Neutering Your Dog
Neutering can help to curb your dog's desire to roam and may help to reduce behaviors such as mounting and aggression towards other dogs.
Deciding Not To Neuter Your Male Dog
There are many different undesirable behaviors typical of a male dog that hasn't been neutered. These include increased territorial behavior, being over-protective of toys and people, aggression towards other dogs, and roaming (particularly when seeking female dogs).
When to Get Your Puppy Fixed
Typically, puppies are spayed or neutered between five to nine months of age. Adult dogs can also be spayed or neutered. Consult your vet to find out when you should get your dog fixed.
What to Expect When Getting Your Puppy Fixed
Your vet will provide detailed pre-surgical instructions, which will involve restricting your pet's food and water intake before their scheduled procedure.
After the surgery, your vet will issue post-operative instructions to aid in your dog's comfortable recovery. Depending on the timing of the procedure, your dog may also be sent home with pain medication.
Female dogs generally require a longer recovery period after being spayed than male dogs after neutering.
After a female undergoes spaying, she becomes sterile and cannot have puppies.
It's crucial to note that male dogs are not immediately considered sterile after neutering. It can take up to 6 weeks for them to be safely considered sterile.