What Are Reasons to Spay?

Spaying is a procedure conducted on young female dogs and cats to prevent them from being able to produce puppies and kittens. Spaying a dog or cat is essentially the female version of neutering a male. It involves the surgical removal of the ovaries. Veterinarians do the process generally on animals that are as young as five months old.

  1. Pregnancy

    • The primary purpose for spaying is to get rid of the possibility of undesired pregnancies. This is especially important for animals that are often outdoors and that encounter other animals frequently. Although litters of puppies and kittens are cute, you may find it difficult to place them with responsible owners. This could lead to homeless animals, of which there are millions, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (ASPCA). Homeless animals end up in overcrowded or high-kill animal shelters.

    Health

    • Spaying a female dog can lead to better and sometimes greater longevity. VetInfo.com indicates that if a dog is spayed before she reaches her first "heat" (period of sexual receptiveness), her chances of developing serious health issues, such as breast cancer or urinary tract infections, dramatically decreases.

    Messiness

    • For dogs, menstruation is a natural process that happens roughly twice a year during heat. Animals not spayed leave a bloody discharge throughout the house, from the carpeting to the sofa, to the dog beds and hardwood floors.

    Emotional Stress

    • According to "Everyday Health," female animals, from a physiological point-of-view, are generally created to become pregnant and nurse their offspring. If unspayed animals are not doing either of those things, they are likely to feel physiological and emotional stress.

    Behavior

    • Spaying a female animal can greatly improve her behavior. This is because spaying reduces chances of heat occurring. When female animals are in heat, in order to lure a male animal, they tend to yowl. Yowling can be very loud and persistent, and bothersome for the entire household.