Preventing Unwanted Pet Pregnancies

How do I prevent my dog or cat from getting pregnant? When it comes to our pets, we always want to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Your veterinarian can help you decide the best path for your dog or cat and what age is best to get that done. Here is a brief explanation of the options available.

Surgical Sterilization for Cats and Dogs

During surgical sterilization for dogs and cats, a veterinarian removes certain reproductive organs making the pet unable to reproduce and eliminating their breeding instinct. Before opting for a surgical option, do some research to find out what level of care your pet will receive. If possible, tour the facility and the surgery room. Find out about how anesthesia will be done and how your dog or cat will be monitored and ask how your pet’s pain will be controlled after surgery. Any surgical procedure, does require some anesthetic and surgical risk, but the overall occurrence of complications is low.

Canine and Feline Spaying (Ovariohysterectomy): Should I spay my dog or cat? Spaying involves removes the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus of a female dog or cat.

• • Facts to Consider:
    – Early spaying can create a low risk of some types of cancer for puppies.
    – Removing your pet’s ovaries removes certain hormones and can result in a low risk of health problems such as urinary incontinence.
    – The cost of your pet’s spay or neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter or treating a medical issue we could prevent.
    – Uterine, cervical, ovarian and mammary cancer can be prevented with spaying.
    – Spaying female dogs and cats before their first heat can help protect them from some health problems such as uterine infections.
    – Requires minimal hospitalization.
    – Eliminates her heat cycle.

Canine and Feline Neutering (Orchiectomy): What does neutering a dog do? Neutering removes the testicles of your male dog or cat.

• Facts to Consider:
  – Removes males inclination to roam so they are more content to stay at home.
  – Can lessen his risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate gland) and testicular cancer.
  – Unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house.
  – Helps avoid many aggression problems.
  – Early neutering can create a low risk of some types of cancer for puppies.
  – Removing your pet’s testes removes certain hormones and can result in a low risk of health problems such as urinary incontinence.

Surgical Alternatives to Traditional Spaying and Neutering

There are other alternative surgical options to prevent pregnancy; however, these alternatives are not commonly used. Like any surgical procedure, they include some anesthetic and surgical risk.

Hysterectomy in Dogs and Cats: the uterus and part of the fallopian tubes are removed from a female dog or cat.

• • Facts to Consider:
    – Ovaries remain and will produce hormones.

– This may not eliminate the dog or cat’s behaviors associated with the breeding instinct.

Vasectomy for Dogs and Cats: only the vas deferens, which is a duct in the male body that conducts sperm from the testes, are removed.

• • Facts to Consider:
    – Testes remain and will produce hormones.

– This may not eliminate the dog or cat’s behaviors associated with the breeding instinct, just renders him sterile.

Ovariectomy in Dogs and Cats: the ovaries are removed from a female dog or cat, but the uterus remains.

• • Facts to Consider:
  • – Eliminates her heat cycle and breeding instinct-related behavior.
    – Prone to pyometra, which is an infection in the uterus that occurs as a result of hormonal changes in the female’s reproductive tract.

Nonsurgical Options

For Females:

Consider using a breeding-control harness that attaches to the female and deters unwanted or accidental breeding. The female will continue to have a heat cycle.

For Males:

There is an approved product used to neuter male cats and dogs that is injected into the testes to stop sperm production which causes the dog or cat to become infertile. Not all of the hormone-producing cells of the testes will be affected by the drug, therefore the testes will continue to produce some hormones.

Before selecting a sterilization option for your dog or cat, it’s important to consult with your pet’s veterinarian to help choose the right option for your pet and your family.

Sources:
AVMA
Pets WebMD