Sterilisation and Desexing for Your Pet

Welcoming a little canine or feline friend into your home is always exciting.

Considering many things to care for your new pet properly would be best. These considerations ensure that you give them the happiest and healthiest life possible. One of the most important things you’ll need to take care of is getting your cat or dog desexed. As well as reducing the risk of unwanted litters, neutering has several benefits for your pet’s health and well-being.

We’ve compiled some practical information about desexing to help you create a better experience for your cat or dog.

What happens when you Desex or Neuter your pet?

Desexing, also sometimes called neutering or spaying, is a standard surgical procedure that prevents pets from being able to reproduce. If you don’t want your new kitten or puppy to become pregnant and breed, you’ll need to organise to have them desexed at a professional veterinarian clinic.

The most common age to desex your pet is between 4 and 6 months. However, the procedure can be completed at any stage of an animal’s life.

Benefits of Sterilisation for Your Pet

With the world already full of stray and abandoned animals, pet owners must take responsibility and ensure they’re not contributing to that number of unwanted animals. If you don’t want your cat or dog to have a litter, your pet needs to be desexed. This applies to both males and females.

Benefits of sterilisation. 

• Stopping the heat cycle in female cats and dogs
• Living a longer and healthier life
• Preventing testicular cancer and prostate disease in male pets
• Preventing pyometra (infection of the uterus) and mammary tumours (breast cancer) in female animals
• Decreasing aggression towards humans and other animals
• Being less prone to wander, especially in male pets

Your Pet’s Desexing Procedure

Your vet will give you detailed instructions before your pet’s procedure, but here are some things to expect before your cat or dog’s spaying appointment.

The pet will need to fast before their procedure. No food is to be given to your cat or dog after 10 p.m. the night before surgery. The next day, before surgery, no water will be given to the pet after 8 a.m.

A blood test has to be taken before surgery to check vital organ function at the clinic. They will also perform a thorough physical examination before administering a general anaesthetic and pain relief medication.

Caring for Your Cat or Dog after Desexing

Most pets will recover quickly from the sterilisation procedure, although they may have a little tenderness initially.

Limit your pet’s food and water to small portions the first night they return home. Ensure you administer the post-surgical medications properly and check the incision at least twice daily for any signs of infection or disruption, such as bleeding, swelling, redness or discharge.

Prevent your pet from licking or chewing their stitches, and always return to your vet to remove the stitches and have a post-surgery check-up.

Desexing Your Pet in Port Kennedy 

Sterilisation procedures can also be included as part of the clinic’s range of affordable wellness packages. These packages provide regular preventative care for the health of your cat or dog, puppy or kitten.