Getting a new pet can be a magical experience for your whole family. But before you can begin your life with your new furry friend, it’s important to take a very important medical step: getting your new pet spayed or neutered. Read on to learn about the top 9 benefits of investing in either of these veterinary services.

Your Pet Will Live a Longer, Healthier Life

When you invest in animal health services like spaying or neutering, you’re ensuring that you get to spend more time with your sweet pet. In female animals, spaying can help prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant in about 50% of dogs and almost 90% of cats. And when you neuter, you’re ensuring the prevention of testicular cancer and even some prostate issues.

You’re Helping to Reduce Pet Overpopulation

This might not be the first thing on your mind when you have your pet spayed or neutered, but it’s certainly an important point that veterinarians want you to understand. There are currently between six to eight million homeless animals entering shelters every year in the United States. Less than half of them are adopted. When you take the time to get your pet spayed or neutered, you’re ensuring that their offspring will never make it into a pet shelter where they’ll risk being euthanized.

Your Spayed Female Pet Won’t Enter Heat

Did you know that female cats can go into heat four or five days every three weeks during breeding season? That means more yowling and more frequent urination (sometimes in less-than-ideal places) in your female cat. All of this is done in an effort to attract a mate, which you also won’t want around your house.

Your Neutered Male Pet Will Be Less Aggressive

Neutered male pets are typically more well-behaved than their non-neutered counterparts. They ‘re less likely to wander away from home in search of a mate, mount people or inanimate objects, and display aggressive behavior. Most animal health services recommend neutering before your male pet reaches four months of age.

Spaying or Neutering Will Not Cause Weight Gain

This myth has prevented countless people from getting their pets spayed or neutered, but it’s just not true. The biggest reasons your pet will gain weight are overfeeding and a lack of exercise. As long as you continually monitor your pet’s exercise and food intake, they’ll be trim and healthy for years to come. Any number of pet hospitals can provide you with this information.

Your Pet Won’t Mark Their Territory

Both male and female animals have a high tendency to mark their territory during breeding season. This process is one of the ways they let potential mates know they’re ready to breed. Getting your pet spayed or neutered your pet can help curb this behavior. If you invest in this procedure, you could prevent it from happening altogether.

You’re Helping Your Community

Again, this might not be at the forefront of your mind when you’re considering spaying or neutering your pet. But when you have pets that are less aggressive, more well-socialized, and less likely to wander around the neighborhood unsupervised, you’re creating a safer community for you and your neighbors.

You’re Investing in a Cost-Effective Procedure

Of all the animal health services you’ll invest in for your pet, spaying or neutering will be one of the most cost-effective. Not only are costs for this procedure much lower than you might think, you’re preventing costs that could be associated with reproductive cancer later on in your pet’s life. In addition, renewing pet licenses may be more expensive if you fail to spay or neuter your pet.

Spaying and Neutering Is Not Just for Dogs and Cats

Many people may think that because they don’t own a dog or a cat, they don’t need to invest in spaying or neutering their pet. While you might not need to spay or neuter a lizard, pets like rabbits are just as important when it comes to investing in these animal health services. Spaying or neutering your rabbits can have just as many of the benefits as spaying or neutering any other pet.

If you have questions about spaying or neutering your pet, don’t hesitate to consult your veterinarian. The sooner you get this procedure underway for your new pet, the better.

You don’t need to wait for an emergency to become familiar with our veterinary services. Get the best care you can find for all of your pet’s health needs. We are more than just an animal hospital. Contact us today or directly call us at 520-888-3177 for more information about our specialty and 24-hour emergency services.