Bitch Spay
On the whole an excellent idea as it prevents seasons, false pregnancies, avoidable womb problems later in life and if done early enough prevents breast cancer. It has the drawback of being associated with urinary incontinence occasionally, although this can almost invariably be controlled if it does occur. This practice advocates operating 4 months after a season – when the womb is at its most quiescent. Spaying can be done at 5½ - 6 months of age which is prior to the first season. Spaying early in life is not associated with an increase in ill effects except there is some evidence that large breed, late maturing bitches may suffer a greater amount of joint trouble later in life if spayed early. With a large breed spay it is probably best to allow them to grow to full size before neutering.
Dog Castration
We feel this is a good idea because it prevents testicular cancer later on in life and prostatic hypertrophy (enlargement) which is quite common in older dogs. It also reduces the tendency to vagrancy and urine marking and also stops indiscriminate breeding. It can be done anytime from 5 months of age. However, as with bitches, neutering large breed dogs early may lead to greater amount of joint trouble later in life. It is preferable to neuter large, late maturing dogs after they have fully grown.
Cat Neutering
Early neutering is the norm in both male and female and can be safely done at 5½ months of age. Most felines have grown to a robust and healthy size to undergo the anaesthesia at this age.
Rabbit Neutering
Neutering the female is considered a good idea to prevent cancer of the womb later in life.It will also prevent phantom pregnancies, fur pulling for nesting and as a result reduce gastric fur balls and aggression towards humans and other rabbits. Neuter from 5 to 6 months of age.
Castration of males allows keeping in groups without explosive rises in population. It helps to prevent aggression and urine spraying.
Guinea Pig Neutering
Female neuter from 5 months of age. Prevents breeding and uterine cancer.
Male neuter from 5 months of age. Helps to prevent fighting. If there is already fighting in a colony neutering of all males and not just the dominant male should be undertaken but may not fully resolve the problem although it will help to ease it.
Chinchilla Neutering
Males can be neutered from 5 months of age.
Gerbil
Male neuter from 4 to 5 months of age.
It has to be stated that any rodent anaesthetic carries a slightly higher risk than an anaesthetic carried out on your dog and cat. We use the most modern of drugs and techniques but however this slight risk remains even in an apparently healthy animal.
As a Practice we are all of us content to neuter our pets. We realise it is an operation that the animal itself might not wish to have done, but the frustrations and health hazards involved with leaving our pets entire far outweighs any temporary discomfort they may feel at the time of the surgery.
