When you get a pet, there are a lot of things to take into consideration in the first few months including: vaccinations, worming, diet, and pet insurance. One of the most important decisions to make is whether or not to get your pet desexed. Veterinarians strongly recommend that all pets are desexed unless their owners plan to use them for breeding purposes. Local councils also support desexing by offering significant discounts on dog registration fees if dogs are desexed. Usually pets are desexed around 6 months of age as most dogs and cats do not reach puberty until this time. However, the procedure can be done earlier if necessary. There are a lot of myths about desexing your pet and it is important that you speak with your veterinarian about your concerns, in order to make the right choice for your pet. Questions we are often asked include:

What are the benefits of desexing my pet?

• Desexing female animals prior to their first season is protective against developing mammary or breast cancer later in life.
• Desexed females are significantly less likely to get the life threatening infection of the uterus, called “pyometra”, which is only cured by emergency surgery to remove the abscessed organ.
• Desexing female cats prevents the 3-weekly annoying and noisy heat cycles.
• Desexed males are much (90%) less likely to wander / run off to find a “partner” in season. Correspondingly, desexed females are less likely to attract males into their yard / home.
• Desexed males are less likely to have prostate problems (including infections, enlargement or cancer, which can not only affect their ability to go to the toilet normally but can also be life threatening).
• Desexed males cannot get testicular tumours.
• Desexing males reduces their inclination to be aggressive to others.
• Inappropriate mounting is also eliminated in around 70% of desexed male dogs.
• Desexed male cats are less likely to spray urine to mark their territory, roam and are therefore less likely to get into fights and sustain wounds.

Is there a benefit to waiting until my pet has had her first litter before she gets desexed?

There is a common myth that waiting until this has happened will allow the animal to become quieter in nature & nicer pets. However, the age at which a dog or cat is ready to breed also corresponds with the age at which they mature & settle anyway. There is no substantiated scientific evidence that waiting for a litter is of any benefit to your pet.

The other reason not to wait until your pet has had a litter, is that there are many possible complications associated with pregnancy, including the possibility that your pet may need a caesarean section (very expensive), the puppies/kittens may die, or if they survive it can be very difficult to find homes for them. Hundreds of puppies and kittens are euthanased every week because they are from unwanted litters & no one is willing to take them on, not even pet stores.

Will my pet get fat after surgery?

Appetite & energy levels should not change after surgery. However, there will be less hormonally induced “stress” and a slightly slower metabolic rate as a result of the lower sexual hormone levels. Therefore your pet could forseeably gain some weight due to less energy being burnt through “stress” and the presence of sex hormones. However, if your pet’s diet is regulated and exercise levels are maintained, they should not gain any weight after desexing.

What does the desexing procedure involve?

Desexings are the most commonly undertaken surgeries in veterinary clinics. As such, they are completed relatively quickly. In general, animals are admitted the morning of their surgery after being fasted over night (water is OK up until they are brought in to the vet clinic). All animals are then given a general anaesthetic in order to have their testicles (male pets) or ovaries and uterus (female pets) surgically removed.

They are given pain relief for post operative comfort, and in most cases are ready to go home the same day they were brought in for the surgery. There is minimal recovery time at home, with most pets being back to normal energy levels & behaviour the next day. It is best to restrict activity levels for the next week or so for all dogs, and female cats to minimise the amount of strain on the stitches that have been placed, and reduce the build up of fluid between the skin and underlying tissues. (Male cats are lucky, and usually require no stitches or restricted activities.) If your vet has placed stitches in your pet’s skin, they will need to be removed 10 to 14 days after the surgery took place. Pets should not be allowed to lick at their surgery sites because this will cause an infection to take hold, and therefore your pet will require further treatment. Elizabethan collars (or variations on these collars) are available to be used to mechanically prevent your pet from licking its surgical site. For more specific information regarding your veterinarian’s desexing protocol, please ask them directly.