Do you want to know the advantages of sterilizing a puppy? Sterilization consists of annulling fertility, and there are different methods to achieve it. One example is drugs, but one of the most common methods is surgery, one of the most frequent surgical interventions in the veterinary clinic.
Sterilization has a number of advantages, which are listed below:
- Avoid unwanted litters.
- Prevents “psychological pregnancies” or pseudo pregnancies.
- Reduces the probability of developing mammary tumors (very frequent in older females).
- Prevents uterine diseases (such as tumors, infections or pyometra).
- It prevents ovarian alterations (such as ovarian cysts or tumors).
- Eliminates the zeal and its corresponding symptoms (bleeding, attraction to males).
Even so, it is normal for you to have doubts about whether the spaying or neutering procedure is painful or dangerous, or when it is best to spay a female dog.
Do not be alarmed, castration is a safe and very common procedure in veterinary clinics, and the recovery is very fast. During this procedure, the most common procedure is to surgically remove the ovaries and uterus, making a small incision in the abdomen. This process is called ovarian hysterectomy, and is performed under general anesthesia, so that the animal does not suffer any pain. Once the operation is done, your dog can usually go home the same day. You will have to keep an eye on her and follow special care during her recovery, following the advice given by the veterinarian.
As you can see, this procedure involves few risks a priori and many advantages. However, the development of the intervention and the advantages derived from it will depend on the age of your dog as well as her state of health, so your veterinarian will always be the best advisor on the pros and cons of the intervention.
Nowadays, there are new spaying techniques that are being introduced in more and more veterinary clinics: spaying by laparoscopy. This is a much less invasive surgical procedure and therefore allows a better recovery of your dog.
When to spay or neuter a puppy: dangers of not doing it in time
Each dog is unique and there are even recommendations according to the type and size to carry out the sterilization. The same happens with the pathologies that can appear if they are not sterilized.
One of the most important factors in identifying the ideal age is size:
- Small-sized bitches should be spayed before or just after their first heat (7-9 months). In this way, future breast tumors and other ailments can be avoided.
- But if it is a larger breed, it is advisable to have it sterilized after its first year of life, since the process of its development and growth should not be interrupted.
In addition to these recommendations, it is also possible to spay bitches over eight years of age. But it is not advisable to wait that long, because at that age spaying does not prevent as effectively as it does when the bitch is still young. Breast and reproductive tumors, ovarian cysts, endometritis and endometriosis, pyometra or unwanted pregnancy are more likely if the intervention is not performed in time. For this reason, from the age of eight years it would be necessary to assess whether it is worth it or not. As always, we recommend talking to your veterinarian before making a decision.
And once she is spayed, don’t forget to change her diet to a low-calorie food, if suggested by your veterinarian. Have you spayed your dog? At what age? Tell us what the process was like and how your dog experienced it.