Desexing Your Cat or Dog

The Importance & Benefits of Cat & Dog Desexing

Neutering your cat or dog is an effective way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and keep your pet healthy. Many cities in Australia have also introduced laws mandating that all cats must be microchipped and desexed. If you are looking to do both of these things and more, we offer wellness packages for cats, dogs, kittens and puppies – experience premium care for your pet and great savings on vet bills. There are many benefits of desexing for males and females:

In females, desexing prevents: unwanted pregnancies, unwanted advances from roaming males, hormone-related behavioural changes, false pregnancies and pyometra (a life threatening infection of the uterus). It also greatly reduces the likelihood of mammary cancer in dogs.
In males, the benefits include: reducing the risk of prostate-related problems, eliminating the risk of testicular problems such as cancer, reducing extreme hormone-related behaviours such as roaming, aggression and territorial urine marking.

What Happens During the Desexing Procedure?

Before: Our vets will work with you to determine the best time to desex your cat or dog. Usually, the procedure is done when they are around 6 months old.

During: The procedure to desex your pet is very straightforward. Our veterinary surgeons and team will be on hand to answer your questions and ease your concerns at an initial consultation.

After: The recovery from surgery is fast and you can expect that most cats and dogs can go home on the same day of their surgery. Good post-operative care is essential to allow your cat or dog to recover quickly from their operation and avoid complications. Your vet will talk this through with you.

Common Desexing FAQs

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Desexing

Is cat desexing expensive?

Having your cat spayed or neutered is an affordable and cost-effective procedure, particularly when compared to the costs associated with cat pregnancy and ongoing care for a litter of kittens. For more information, contact our friendly staff today.

Will cat desexing change my pet’s behaviour?

Studies have shown that cat desexing can help to minimise aggression, but this isn’t a guarantee. What is guaranteed is that female cats that have been desexed won’t go into heat (occurring repeatedly throughout the breeding season, this typically results in lots of urinating and yowling). Male cats that have been desexed are also less likely to mark their territory by spraying and aren’t as prone to roaming far from home (a habit which often leads to fights over territory and an increased risk of being injured in an accident).

What does cat desexing involve?

Your cat will have an initial consultation with a vet to determine when is the right time for desexing to occur. The actual procedure is very simple a routine procedure and is performed by an experienced surgical team while your cat is under a general anaesthetic. Once the procedure is completed, most cats will return home on the same day. Our vets are more than happy to talk you through the whole process, from the initial assessment through to post-operative care, answering any additional questions you may have.

What are the health benefits of cat desexing?

There are numerous health benefits, for both male and female cats. In males, cat desexing prevents testicular cancer, minimises prostate-related issues and lowers hormone levels especially around 6 months of age reduces undesirable behaviours such as spraying and roaming.(which can otherwise result in undesirable habits such as aggression and roaming). In females, cat desexing prevents false unwanted pregnancies and other conditions which can affect the uterus, while also protecting them from unwanted pregnancy and the attention of roaming males.

How old should my pet be before desexing?

We recommend that your puppy and/or kitten are desexed from 6 months old (Please speak to a veterinarian to discuss the best time for your pet to be desexed). Desexing has numerous benefits, including reduced recovery times from anaesthesia and wound healing.

Is desexing safe?

Spay and neuter surgeries are the most commonly performed animal procedures. For females however, it is still quite a major procedure and may have some risks involved. Most animals experience relatively little discomfort and are back to their normal activities within a day or two (anaesthetics are used during surgery, and pain medication is always given afterwards).

Will my pet’s personality change?

Desexing may reduce aggressive behaviour in some cases but doesn’t guarantee a favourable change in your pet’s personality in any way.

More about cat desexing and dog desexing

Dog desexing or cat desexing is important to prevent unwanted pregnancies and help ensure your pet is healthy. It is also a requirement of many Australian councils, which have introduced mandatory microchipping and desexing laws.

Cat and dog desexing is a routine surgical procedure performed under anesthesia by highly trained veterinarians. The dog or cat desexing surgery involves removing the reproductive organs of the animal to stop them from breeding.

Dog desexing can have health benefits such as a reduction in the risk of mammary cancer and uterine infections in female dogs. In male dogs the procedure can help prevent prostate and testicular cancer. Dog desexing can also lead to behavioral improvements, with a reduction of mounting, urine marking and wandering in male dogs. When a female dog is desexed it won’t come into heat and is less likely to make noisy cries looking for a mate.

Similarly, cat desexing can create better health outcomes for your cat. Neutered male cats are generally calmer and roam less. Female cats who have been spayed are less likely to wail to get the attention of a new mate. After cat desexing, there is also a reduced risk of contracting diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and some types of cancer.

To find out more about cat desexing and dog desexing, contact the Port Kennedy Vet Hospital today.