Spay and Neuter: A Major First Step in Keeping Your Pet Healthy
Spays and neuters are some of the most common surgeries performed in veterinary medicine. Keeping your pet healthy throughout their life is our highest priority, and spay and neuter surgeries are a significant first step in that direction. Furthermore, you can expect various benefits for both your pet and many others living in the area. By having your pet spayed or neutered when they are young, you are also giving other animals a chance at a better life.
How is this possible? Our team in Cedar Lake will be happy to provide you with more information about these procedures and how they keep pets happy and healthy.
Why and When Should My Pet Be Spayed or Neutered?
The decision to spay or neuter your pet is an important one! Females can go into their first heat cycle as early as 6 months, so spaying before that time can reduce their risk of developing certain conditions later in life.
Allowing pets to stay intact can lead not only to various health risks, but behavioral risks as well. This can result in pets getting hit by cars, having unwanted pregnancies and fighting with other animals, both wild and domestic. Additionally, one of the most far-reaching benefits of spaying and neutering is its ability to reduce animal overpopulation.
For a complete list of benefits for male and female cats and dogs, see our list below.
The Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
Spaying and neutering can result in various behavioral and medical benefits for cats and dogs alike, including:
- No unwanted pregnancies
- Females will not go into heat
- Reduced aggression in males
- Males will be less likely to engage in unpleasant behaviors like mounting objects or other animals
- Males and females will be less likely to escape their home or property to find a breeding partner
- Females will not develop ovarian or mammary cancers
- Males will be less likely to engage in marking and spraying
- Decreased incidence of prostatic disease and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer in males
Every pet is different. That's why we look forward to meeting your pet and finding out what treatments will suit them best. Spay and neuter surgeries serve a very important purpose, and we hope to share our knowledge with you so you can make the most confident decision about their long-term care.
Low-Cost Feline Spaying and Neutering
At Hanover Veterinary Hospital, we take extra steps to provide important care for the animals in our community. When possible, we offer low-cost feline spay and neuter clinics to help reduce stray cat overpopulation in the area.
We encourage any pet owners who see stray cats around their property to ask about our low-cost spaying and neutering services. Below are instructions for taking part:
- Call to reserve an appointment. We operate on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Bring each cat in its own separate carrier. Also avoid placing towels or blankets inside, as these can pose a safety hazard.
- Do not feed the cat(s) after midnight before the clinic. Water is permissible until right before their appointment.
- Have payment ready when you arrive. A 3.5% fee is assigned to all credit card purchases.
- We will deworm/vaccinate/treat cats as needed. We automatically treat and vaccinate cats as needed.
- No personal items. We cannot guarantee the return of leashes, tags, or collars.
- Pick-up is same day. We do not permit overnight boarding unless you have made prior arrangements with us.
For more information about our low-cost feline spaying and neutering clinic, please contact our hospital at (219) 374-9443.
