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It is a sad truth that the number of puppies born every year is far greater than the number of good homes that can be found for them, as a result, thousands of healthy animals are destroyed and many unwanted dogs are left to fend for themselves. Having your dog neutered will not only help to reduce these numbers, it is also one of the simplest, safest and most practical ways of safeguarding your dog's health and welfare.
Both castration in the male dog and spaying in the female are major operations which need a general anaesthetic. Your dog must be starved overnight before the operation to reduce the of problems on the operating table. Neutering male dogs is a relatively straightforward operation and there is very little chance of anything going wrong. Neutering bitches is more difficult but is one of the operations most frequently carried out by vets and any experienced vet will have done it many hundreds of times. Both castration and spaying involve a single cut - into the belly of the female to remove the ovaries and uterus (Womb), or into the scrotum of the male dog to take out the testicles. Your dog should be ready to come home on the same day as surgery, as soon as the anaesthetic has worn off. If there are any complications, your vet might keep your dog overnight to keep an eye on them.
Females - Neutering will stop the bleeding that occurs with every season and prevent any changes in your bitches behaviour. Bitches who are not spayed, but who do not have pups, may develop false pregnancy or infection in the womb. Early neutering of bitches reduces the risk of them developing breast cancer later in life. Males - Some male dogs develop antisocial behaviour when they reach maturity. This may be in the form of aggressive or sexual behaviour - mounting other dogs or people!! Uncastrated dogs, if left to their own devices, may patrol a wide area in search of a mate and can detect a female in season over long distances. A dog who wanders is far more likely to be involved in a car accident. Neutering male dogs also reduces the risk of them developing diseases of the prostate in later life.
All operations requiring a general anaesthetic involve a certain amount of risk and, on rare occasions, there may be complications after the operation. If you are concerned about your dog after the operation, contact your vet immediately.
Different vets may charge slightly different prices for a neutering operation depending on various factors such as the location and the quality of the facilities at the practice. However, on the whole, all vets prefer to see as few unwanted puppies as possible and thus try to minimise their charges. If money is short then please discuss this with the practice manager, people on income support may get help from one of the animal charities (See the Useful Web Links page or the Useful Numbers page). However, it is wise to balance the costs of neutering against the expense of having an unwanted litter of puppies. A pregnant dog will need more food to support herself and her offspring, the puppies will need veterinary attention and you may have to advertise to find them good homes.
If you want any other information on neutering your dog, please contact your veterinary surgery who will be happy to advise you. Information on this page has been taken from: Vetstream CD Canis Vetstream plc, Langford Arch, Pampisford, Cambridge, CB2 4EE (01223) 500 123
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Westside Veterinary Clinic
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