WE RECOMMEND SPAYING AND NEUTERING YOUR PET WHEN THEY ARE AROUND
4-6 MONTHS OLD.
These procedures can provide a number of behavioral and health benefits for your four-legged friend.
Spaying and neutering, also known as sterilizing, are among the most common surgical procedures performed on dogs and cats. Here at Harlingen Veterinary Clinic, we recommend that all dogs and cats be sterilized after they have received all their required vaccinations. For both dogs and cats, we recommend the procedures around 4-6 months of age. However, for large dog breeds, we recommend that the procedures take place around 12 months of age.
Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
Although spaying and neutering are optional surgeries, they provide various benefits for your pet that can actually extend their lifespan. They can also make your four-legged friend a more pleasant, better-behaved companion. The benefits include:
Females:
- Elimination of heat cycle and roaming behavior*
- Prevention of unwanted pregnancies
- Reduced risk of uterine infections and mammary cancer
Males:
- Reduction of aggressive and roaming behavior
- Reduced chance of marking and mounting behavior
- Prevention of prostate gland enlargement and infection
- Reduced risk of testicular cancer
*For the best results, we recommend that you spay your pet before their very first heat cycle.
About Our Spay and Neuter Procedures
Spaying (ovariohysterectomy) involves removing the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes of a female pet while neutering (castration) involves removing the testicles. Just as with any other surgical procedure we perform, we make your pet’s safety and comfort a #1 priority before and while they’re under anesthesia and during their recovery. Our anesthesia protocols will be customized to your pet’s size and weight, and all their vital signs will be monitor while they are anesthetized.
Although you may need to wait hours between the drop-off and pick-up times, the neuter procedure usually takes a maximum of only 20 minutes to complete. Spaying takes longer (30-60 minutes), since it involves removing several organs. By the time you pick your pet up, they will already be awake and recovering. We will provide post-surgical instructions and pain medications so your pet can recover as comfortably as possible at home.
