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SPAY & NEUTER SERVICES
Your
pet is a companion, a friend, and
in a real sense a member of your family. In order to reduce the
number of animals ending up in shelters or being euthanized, AAHA
encourages you to discuss neutering your pet with your veterinarian.
Together you can work as a team to help reduce the number of
unwanted and abandoned animals. Both male and female dogs and cats
are mature enough to reproduce between the ages of six to nine
months.
 Female
dogs generally go through an estrus or heat cycle every six months.
This is accompanied by a proestrus or bleeding cycle prior to her
true heat cycle in which she is very receptive to the advances of
male dogs.
This
heat cycle may last for several days or up to three or four weeks.
Often female dogs will experience some personality changes during
heat cycles such as becoming short-tempered or anxious.
Female
cats come into heat cycles every three to four weeks during certain
times of the year. Many female cats will become nervous during these
heat cycles and exhibit unusual behaviors such as rolling on the
floor, furtively hiding, or wanting constant attention. Female cats
often become quite vocal, too, meowing plaintively through their
cycle. Surgical neutering of female dogs and cats called
ovariohysterectomy, completely eliminates all heat cycles and the
accompanying unwanted bleeding cycle, nervousness, and desire to
mate. Neutering your female dog or cat will also protect your pet
from uterine infections and other diseases as well as difficult or
dangerous pregnancies. Studies show that by neutering your female
dog before her first heat cycle, you can greatly reduce her chances
of developing mammary cancer later in life. The surgery includes the
removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus.
 Most
male dogs and cats are ready and willing to reproduce by the time
they are six to 12 months of age. There are able to breed
consistently throughout the year or whenever they are exposed to a
receptive female. Both male dogs and cats are prone to wander in
search of romance and find themselves exposed to fighting with
another animals or dangers such as cars.
In
addition, male cats are well-known to mark their territories by
spraying odorous urine on furniture, walls, shrubs, etc. Male dogs
are sometimes equally anxious to mark their territories.
Surgical neutering of male dogs and cats, called orchiectomy,
eliminates any reproductive behavior and reduces urine odor and the
desire to spray. Your male dog or cat will continue to have his own
unique personality. He will be less likely to roam and enjoy staying
at home more. The surgery removes the testicles. Deciding when is the best time to
neuter your pet is a decision you should discuss with your
veterinarian.
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