VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

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SNYP!  Spay/Neuter Your Pet!

By Janet Bennett

Do you love your pets?  What an absurd question, of course you do!  You want to do what's in the best interest for your pet's health and longevity.  But if you haven't neutered or spayed him or her, you're doing your pet a disservice.

There are so many good reasons to spay or neuter your pet, such as preventing

  • The possibility of ovarian and testicular tumors
  • Injuries and diseases associated with escaping and roaming
  • Marking and spraying of territory
  • Persistent barking or meowing
  • Fighting with other pets
  • Bleeding and other problems due to females being in heat
    •

You might be thinking that there must be drawbacks to spaying and neutering your pets. There have been occasional drawbacks, I won't lie. But they are rare and far outweigh the benefits. Like any surgery, spaying and neutering poses a slight risk to your pet. Females, for instance, must go under anesthesia and a very small percentage do not make it out. I've heard of isolated cases where males get infected afterwards and die. But these are the minority and there are things you can do  to reduce the risk of danger to your pet.

Your pet should be in good health before the procedure. That means they should have no colds or other infections that they're fighting off. After the procedure, read the post-op information. Pets should be kept indoors for a few days and refrain from exerting themselves.

Still not convinced you should spay or neuter your pet? Maybe you can relate to one or more of these myths.

  • Dogs and cats should have one litter before being spayed.
    This is simply untrue. It's better to fix your pet before her first litter and better yet, before her first heat. She will be healthier because of it.
  • Spaying and neutering will make my pet fat and lazy.
    Nope, it's lack of exercise and overfeeding that causes this.
  • My pet is a purebred and should be bred.
    Many purebreds end up in shelters. Breeding is expensive, time-consuming, and doesn't create clones of your pet.
  • I can't afford to have my pet fixed.
    You can't afford     not to have your pet fixed. Spaying and neutering is a one-time cost and, if you live in Folsom, Orangevale, or Fair Oaks, is FREE through Folsom Feline Rescue's SNYP Program. Compared to taking care of a litter or tending to your cats medical problems (see first set of bullets above), spaying and neutering is cheap!
  • Spaying or neutering will alter my pet's personality.
    This is false. Pets have no concept of sexual identity. Your pet will be the same loving pet after the procedure.

Think of it this way. For every kitten and puppy born in United States, there is another healthy, adoptable kitten and puppy being euthanized somewhere because there simply aren't enough homes for them all. We need to make the ones that are here happy, healthy, and in homes and stop the unnecessary suffering of unwanted pets. Please spay and neuter and know that you are saving the lives of other lovable cats and dogs by improving their already slim odds of finding a home. Together, we can make a difference.