Myths About Spay/Neuter |
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Myth: Female dogs and cats should
have at least one litter before having
them spayed.
Truth: There is no medical evidence
to justify allowing a dog or cat to
have a litter before spaying. In fact,
spaying female dogs and cats
eliminates the possibility of
developing uterine or ovarian cancer
and greatly reduces the threat of
mammary cancer.
Myth: Animals become less active
and overweight as a result of
spaying or neutering.
Truth: As any animal matures, it is
necessary for human guardians to
adjust dietary intake to compensate
for more sedentary lifestyles. Animals
become overweight only when they
are fed too much and not exercised
properly.
Myth: Behavior is adversely affected
by sterilization.
Truth: The only changes in dog and
cat behavior after spaying or
neutering are positive changes.
Male cats tend to reduce territorial
spraying, depending on their age at
neutering. Neutered dogs and cats
fight less, resulting in fewer bite and
scratch wounds and lessening the
spread of contagious diseases. Male
dogs and cats tend to stay home
more after neutering because they
no longer wander in search of a mate.
Myth: Spaying and neutering is
painful to my dog or cat.
Truth: Surgical sterilization is
performed under general anesthesia
by a doctor of veterinary medicine.
The procedure itself is not felt by the
patient. There may be mild
discomfort after the surgery, but most
animals return to normal activity
within 24 to 72 hours. The minimal
discomfort experienced by dogs and
cats that are spayed or neutered can
be lessened with post-operative pain
medications and is well worth the
endless suffering that is prevented
by eliminating homeless puppies and
kittens.
Myth: Children should be allowed to
witness the miracle of birth.
Truth: Most dogs and cats have their
litters at night in quiet, dark places
far out of anyone's sight. Besides,
every litter of puppies and kittens
born contributes to the thousands of
unwanted dogs and cats who die
every day across America in our
nation's pounds and animal shelters.
Myth: Spaying and neutering are
expensive.
Truth: The cost of sterilization varies
greatly from one private veterinarian
to another. SNAP provides free and
reduced-cost sterilization for animals
through regular clinic programs. For
more information, email: CLICK HERE
have at least one litter before having
them spayed.
Truth: There is no medical evidence
to justify allowing a dog or cat to
have a litter before spaying. In fact,
spaying female dogs and cats
eliminates the possibility of
developing uterine or ovarian cancer
and greatly reduces the threat of
mammary cancer.
Myth: Animals become less active
and overweight as a result of
spaying or neutering.
Truth: As any animal matures, it is
necessary for human guardians to
adjust dietary intake to compensate
for more sedentary lifestyles. Animals
become overweight only when they
are fed too much and not exercised
properly.
Myth: Behavior is adversely affected
by sterilization.
Truth: The only changes in dog and
cat behavior after spaying or
neutering are positive changes.
Male cats tend to reduce territorial
spraying, depending on their age at
neutering. Neutered dogs and cats
fight less, resulting in fewer bite and
scratch wounds and lessening the
spread of contagious diseases. Male
dogs and cats tend to stay home
more after neutering because they
no longer wander in search of a mate.
Myth: Spaying and neutering is
painful to my dog or cat.
Truth: Surgical sterilization is
performed under general anesthesia
by a doctor of veterinary medicine.
The procedure itself is not felt by the
patient. There may be mild
discomfort after the surgery, but most
animals return to normal activity
within 24 to 72 hours. The minimal
discomfort experienced by dogs and
cats that are spayed or neutered can
be lessened with post-operative pain
medications and is well worth the
endless suffering that is prevented
by eliminating homeless puppies and
kittens.
Myth: Children should be allowed to
witness the miracle of birth.
Truth: Most dogs and cats have their
litters at night in quiet, dark places
far out of anyone's sight. Besides,
every litter of puppies and kittens
born contributes to the thousands of
unwanted dogs and cats who die
every day across America in our
nation's pounds and animal shelters.
Myth: Spaying and neutering are
expensive.
Truth: The cost of sterilization varies
greatly from one private veterinarian
to another. SNAP provides free and
reduced-cost sterilization for animals
through regular clinic programs. For
more information, email: CLICK HERE
Program Information
We are NOT a veterinary clinic. St. Seton's
provides funding for spay/neuter at our
clinics:
Kincheloe Clinic, Fredericksburg, VA
Faquier SPCA, Casanova, VA
Prevent a Litter, Richmond, VA
Shenendoah Clinic, Harrisonburg, VA
transport available through the Humane
Society of Culpeper
Cost
Dogs 40-95lbs: $40.00
Dogs over 95lbs $50.00 (Shenendoah
Clinic only)
We are currently out of funding for dogs
under 40lbs.
Cats $20.00
Charges for pregnancy and in heat vary
according to each veterinarian's charges.
We do NOT cover vaccines. Kincheloe
Clinic and Shenendoah Clinic requires the
rabies vaccine. The cost is $10.00.
**All fees must be pre-paid to St. Seton's
at least 3 days prior to your appointment.
Payments will be made via our website
Surgical fees are waived for persons who
can provide proof of receipt of
government assistance. Examples: SSI,
Food stamps, disability payments from
the Veteran's administration, TANF or,
proof of income which shows you are at
or below the poverty level set by the
federal government.
How do I register?
1. Do NOT contact the clinic directly unless
asked to do so. This will result in YOU
paying the surgery costs.
2. EMAIL:
Your full name
Full street address (no P.O. Boxes)
Your day time telephone number (the clinic
needs to call you to schedule an
appointment)
Pet's name, sex, species (dog or cat)
Tell us if the pet has any health issues
Email address: saintseton@hotmail.com
We are NOT a veterinary clinic. St. Seton's
provides funding for spay/neuter at our
clinics:
Kincheloe Clinic, Fredericksburg, VA
Faquier SPCA, Casanova, VA
Prevent a Litter, Richmond, VA
Shenendoah Clinic, Harrisonburg, VA
transport available through the Humane
Society of Culpeper
Cost
Dogs 40-95lbs: $40.00
Dogs over 95lbs $50.00 (Shenendoah
Clinic only)
We are currently out of funding for dogs
under 40lbs.
Cats $20.00
Charges for pregnancy and in heat vary
according to each veterinarian's charges.
We do NOT cover vaccines. Kincheloe
Clinic and Shenendoah Clinic requires the
rabies vaccine. The cost is $10.00.
**All fees must be pre-paid to St. Seton's
at least 3 days prior to your appointment.
Payments will be made via our website
Surgical fees are waived for persons who
can provide proof of receipt of
government assistance. Examples: SSI,
Food stamps, disability payments from
the Veteran's administration, TANF or,
proof of income which shows you are at
or below the poverty level set by the
federal government.
How do I register?
1. Do NOT contact the clinic directly unless
asked to do so. This will result in YOU
paying the surgery costs.
2. EMAIL:
Your full name
Full street address (no P.O. Boxes)
Your day time telephone number (the clinic
needs to call you to schedule an
appointment)
Pet's name, sex, species (dog or cat)
Tell us if the pet has any health issues
Email address: saintseton@hotmail.com
Health Benefits
Dogs and cats have a greatly improved chance of
long life, good health, and contentment if they are
sterilized. The most reliable cure for numerous
health and behavior problems, sterilization also acts
as a powerful preventative.
Male Cats
As with unneutered male dogs, an urge to breed
increases the chances that a male cat will slip out of
the house in search of a mate and suffer fight
wounds and other injuries. By far, most serious cat
fights occur between unneutered males. The
resulting wounds frequently develop into abscesses
that must be surgically drained and treated with
antibiotics. Worse, even a single bite can transmit
deadly diseases - most often, Feline
Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) or Feline Leukemia
(FeLV) - from one cat to another. FIV, for which no
vaccine or cure currently exists, causes fatal failure
of the immune system.
Female Dogs and Cats
Spaying removes the ovaries and uterus from
female animals and so eliminates the possibility of
ovarian and uterine infection or cancer. Bacterial
infection of the uterus (pyometra) commonly afflicts
older unspayed dogs and cats. As pyometra
advances, bacterial poisons enter the bloodstream,
causing general illness and often kidney failure. If
the uterus ruptures, the dog or cat will almost
certainly die. Pyometra requires emergency
spaying, which may fail to save an animal already
severely weakened. The best preventative is to
spay dogs and cats while they are young and
healthy.
Spaying can also prevent mammary gland tumors,
the most common tumor in unspayed female dogs
and the third most common in female cats.(1) A
high percentage of mammary tumors are malignant:
in dogs, nearly 50 percent; in cats, nearly 90
percent. Once a mammary tumor spreads to the
lungs or bones, the cancer will be fatal. An
unspayed dog is approximately 4 times more likely
to develop mammary tumors than a dog spayed
after only two heats, 12 times more likely than a
dog spayed before her first year (by 6 -8 months of
age).(1) An unspayed cat is seven times more
likely than a spayed cat to develop mammary
tumors.
Spayed dogs and cats avoid the dangers of giving
birth. A birth canal that is overly narrow - due to
injury (such as a broken pelvis) or, as in bulldogs,
to a breed trait of narrow hips - make giving birth
perilous. So does inadequate body size, which can
leave a Chihuahua, toy poodle, Yorkshire terrier, or
other small dog too weak to deliver puppies
naturally.
Such disabilities often necessitate Caesarian
section to save the dog or cat's life. When a small
dog begins to nurse her puppies, she is also
vulnerable to eclampsia, in which blood calcium
plummets. Initial symptoms include panting, high
fever, and trembling. Unless given an emergency
intravenous injection of calcium, the dog will suffer
seizures and die.
Male Dogs (Surgical Sterilization)
Neutering removes the testicles and so prevents
testicular tumors in male dogs. A dog who develops
a testicular tumor must be treated before the tumor
spreads by the only effective means - neutering.
Especially prevalent in older dogs, testicular tumors
are the second most common tumor in male dogs.
(Some dogs have one or two "undescended"
testicles, which remain inside the body; these dogs
have a particularly high risk of testicular tumors.)
Although only a small percentage of testicular
tumors are malignant, even non-cancerous ones
can threaten a dog's life. One type of nonmalignant
testicular tumor sometimes secretes the hormone
estrogen at a toxic level that destroys the bone
marrow's ability to produce blood cells - a fatal
outcome.
By eliminating the sexual drive that can cause a
dog to bolt from the house or yard, neutering helps
protect dogs from injuries and diseases associated
with roaming in search of a mate. Neutering
decreases roaming, one study found, in 90 percent
of male dogs.(3) On the loose, a dog may be hit by
a car, harmed by an act of cruelty, or infected with
a disease transmitted by another animal. He can
also be seriously wounded in a dog fight - always
less likely if a dog has been neutered since
neutering reduces aggressiveness toward other
male dogs.(3)
Dogs and cats have a greatly improved chance of
long life, good health, and contentment if they are
sterilized. The most reliable cure for numerous
health and behavior problems, sterilization also acts
as a powerful preventative.
Male Cats
As with unneutered male dogs, an urge to breed
increases the chances that a male cat will slip out of
the house in search of a mate and suffer fight
wounds and other injuries. By far, most serious cat
fights occur between unneutered males. The
resulting wounds frequently develop into abscesses
that must be surgically drained and treated with
antibiotics. Worse, even a single bite can transmit
deadly diseases - most often, Feline
Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) or Feline Leukemia
(FeLV) - from one cat to another. FIV, for which no
vaccine or cure currently exists, causes fatal failure
of the immune system.
Female Dogs and Cats
Spaying removes the ovaries and uterus from
female animals and so eliminates the possibility of
ovarian and uterine infection or cancer. Bacterial
infection of the uterus (pyometra) commonly afflicts
older unspayed dogs and cats. As pyometra
advances, bacterial poisons enter the bloodstream,
causing general illness and often kidney failure. If
the uterus ruptures, the dog or cat will almost
certainly die. Pyometra requires emergency
spaying, which may fail to save an animal already
severely weakened. The best preventative is to
spay dogs and cats while they are young and
healthy.
Spaying can also prevent mammary gland tumors,
the most common tumor in unspayed female dogs
and the third most common in female cats.(1) A
high percentage of mammary tumors are malignant:
in dogs, nearly 50 percent; in cats, nearly 90
percent. Once a mammary tumor spreads to the
lungs or bones, the cancer will be fatal. An
unspayed dog is approximately 4 times more likely
to develop mammary tumors than a dog spayed
after only two heats, 12 times more likely than a
dog spayed before her first year (by 6 -8 months of
age).(1) An unspayed cat is seven times more
likely than a spayed cat to develop mammary
tumors.
Spayed dogs and cats avoid the dangers of giving
birth. A birth canal that is overly narrow - due to
injury (such as a broken pelvis) or, as in bulldogs,
to a breed trait of narrow hips - make giving birth
perilous. So does inadequate body size, which can
leave a Chihuahua, toy poodle, Yorkshire terrier, or
other small dog too weak to deliver puppies
naturally.
Such disabilities often necessitate Caesarian
section to save the dog or cat's life. When a small
dog begins to nurse her puppies, she is also
vulnerable to eclampsia, in which blood calcium
plummets. Initial symptoms include panting, high
fever, and trembling. Unless given an emergency
intravenous injection of calcium, the dog will suffer
seizures and die.
Male Dogs (Surgical Sterilization)
Neutering removes the testicles and so prevents
testicular tumors in male dogs. A dog who develops
a testicular tumor must be treated before the tumor
spreads by the only effective means - neutering.
Especially prevalent in older dogs, testicular tumors
are the second most common tumor in male dogs.
(Some dogs have one or two "undescended"
testicles, which remain inside the body; these dogs
have a particularly high risk of testicular tumors.)
Although only a small percentage of testicular
tumors are malignant, even non-cancerous ones
can threaten a dog's life. One type of nonmalignant
testicular tumor sometimes secretes the hormone
estrogen at a toxic level that destroys the bone
marrow's ability to produce blood cells - a fatal
outcome.
By eliminating the sexual drive that can cause a
dog to bolt from the house or yard, neutering helps
protect dogs from injuries and diseases associated
with roaming in search of a mate. Neutering
decreases roaming, one study found, in 90 percent
of male dogs.(3) On the loose, a dog may be hit by
a car, harmed by an act of cruelty, or infected with
a disease transmitted by another animal. He can
also be seriously wounded in a dog fight - always
less likely if a dog has been neutered since
neutering reduces aggressiveness toward other
male dogs.(3)