Neutering Common Questions

Most veterinarians and animal care professionals encourage pet owners to neuter their animals. Pet owners often question whether it is wise or kind to put their pets through the neutering process. To people, it may seem cruel and unnecessary to neuter a male animal since he cannot give birth to a litter. However, there are many advantages to neutering aside from controlling the animal population.

  1. What Is Neutering?

    • Male cats and dogs go through a neutering procedure called orchidectomy, where their testicles are removed. The veterinarian makes an incision in the animal's lower abdomen or scrotum and removes the testicles. All vessels and nerves leading to the testicles are then cut and tied off.

    Why Should Males Get Neutered?

    • Even though males cannot give birth, they can impregnate many females at once, increasing the population of animals. Indoor animals are known to slip out of the house from time to time and impregnate a female. According to Cat Channel's website, animals that are not neutered are more likely to roam because they are driven toward females in heat.

    Is Neutering Painful?

    • Animals are given general anesthesia during the process, so there is no pain during the procedure. Usually the veterinarian will provide the animal with some pain medication so it does not feel pain when the anesthesia wears off. Animals provided with pain medication tend to heal faster than those who are not medicated. There may be some discomfort during the healing process. Keep your dog or cat quiet and limit the animal's activity for a week after the surgery.

    Are There Health Advantages To Neutering?

    • For cats and dogs, neutering usually resolves behaviors such as spraying, roaming and fighting. Neutering dogs at an age before they reach sexual maturity reduces the likelihood of dominant behavior patterns toward their owners. Neutering also eliminates risks for diseases of the testicles. However, neutering is not guaranteed to produce a well-behaved animal. Many of these unwanted behaviors may still be present in the animal after he is neutered. It is up to the owner to train the dog. Neutering has been linked to certain health problems such as incontinence and prostate cancer. However Pet Health 101 states that the benefits of neutering far outweigh its risks.