Neutered animals often live longer, and make better pets

See an actual bitch spay or ovariohysterectomy at our surgery

Most of the objections put forward against neutering are unfounded worries. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to speak to us.

We advise Tom cats are neutered between 4 and 6 months (or as soon as they weigh 2 kgs) to:

• stop development of that potent Tom cat scent in the urine
• reduce territorial fighting (and thus reduce risk of contracting Feline Aids (FIV))
• reduce territorial urine spraying/marking
• reduce tendency to wander far from home (so reducing risks of car accidents)
• reduce numbers of unwanted kittens

We recommend that female cats or queens are spayed between 5 and 6 months (or as soon as they weigh 2kgs) to:

• stop your cat having unwanted litters of kittens
• reduce unwanted attention (and resultant smell) from entire Tom
• stop her "calling" - a distressing wailing sound .

Male dogs can be neutered from 6 months to:

• Stop or reduce male sex-hormone driven behaviours
• Reduce wandering/roaming/straying (also reducing car accidents)
• Reduce the chances of a dog bite
• Reduce aggression towards other dogs
• Reduce territoriality
• Reduce prostatic disease (something very common in older entire male dogs)
• Remove the risk of testicular cancer (especially common in retained testicles)
• Alter the conformation of the dog - he will be less muscly and can be prone to putting on weight but that is entirely in your hands. If you feed him too much, he will put on weight!

Bitches should be neutered from 6 months or if they have had a season then 4 weeks after a season or 4 weeks after a false pregnancy.

Early neutering will:

• Dramatically reduce (by 70%) the risk of mammary cancer.
• Stop unwanted heats/seasons - the inconvenience of three weeks of bleeding and attractiveness to male dogs. Bitches in season have been known to scale metre high fences to get out.
• Reduce the risk of false pregnancies, a very common and distressing condition.
• Remove the risk of a pyometra - a life-threatening womb infection very common in older or middle-aged entire bitches.
• Reduce the number of unwanted puppies
• Increase the likelihood of obesity - it is important that neutered bitches are fed slightly less (approx. 10%) than entire bitches. Their weight is in your hands and they will only get fat if they are overfed.
• Increase the chances of a urinary leakage problem - this occurs in entire bitches too, and can be managed by drops.

In Male Rabbits neutering (from 4 months) will:

• Reduce aggression
• Make him more of a pet and less likely to bite!
• Allow him to be kept in mixed rabbit company without inter-male aggression, or unwanted baby rabbits appearing.
• Stop spraying when handled

In Female Rabbits neutering (from 5 months before she gets too fat), will:

• Stop the development of cancer of the womb.
• Reduce aggression
• Stop the development of false pregnancy states.
• Makes them better pets.
• Stops development of pyometra - a womb infection which can be fatal in rabbits.

All animals which are neutered by us will be given strong pain relief by injection, and this can be topped up with oral pain killers as necessary. You will be given appropriate advice when you collect your pet after the operation. In the majority of cases, the use of modern anaesthesia, pain relief, and the application of gentle tissue handling during the procedures, facilitates discharge home on the same day as the operation. Occasional animals will require an overnight stay - but nearly all are done as day procedures.

We will send your pet home with an Elizabethan collar if they are likely to lick their wound.

If, in the unlikely event an animal does work at a wound sufficiently badly to open it, immediately place the collar on, and phone us for advice. Most are not emergencies and can be left to the next available appointment to be assessed. The exception to this would be in a situation where a body cavity were opened, or where the animal is in pain.