Animal Clinic of La Plata

Veterinarian

Address:  6685 Glen Albin Road,   P.O. Box 1732,   La Plata, Maryland   20646        Phone:  (301) 932-1881     FAX: (301) 934-1055    

Photo of building, ACLP, veterinarian clinic, La Plata,
Services by appointment only:
     To schedule, call 301-932-1881
Office Hours:
  Monday-Friday   8AM-7PM
Saturday    8AM-1PM    
Sunday         Closed    

Services - Spay / Neuter

Chart showing number of cats and dogs who are not spayed or nutured
Poster of cat and dog - Love your pet - Spay or Neuter

Why you should spay/neuter your pet

Curb pet overpopulation and make your pet healthier.  The decision to spay or neuter your pet is an important one for pet owners.
It can be the single best decision you make for their long-term welfare and reduce the risks of infections and cancers later in life.

When to Spay or Neuter Your Pet

For dogs: While the traditional age for neutering is six to nine months, puppies as young as eight weeks old can be
neutered as long as they’re healthy. Dogs can be neutered as adults as well, although there’s a slightly higher risk of
post-operative complications in older dogs, dogs that are overweight or dogs that have health problems.

For cats: It is generally considered safe for kittens as young as eight weeks old to be spayed or neutered. In animal shelters, surgery is often performed at this time so that kittens can be sterilized prior to adoption.  

Curb bad behavior

Unneutered dogs are much more assertive and prone to urine-marking (lifting their leg) than neutered dogs. Although it is most often associated with male dogs, females may do it, too. Spaying or neutering your dog should reduce urine-marking and may stop it all together.

For cats, the urge to spray is extremely strong in an intact cat, and the simplest solution is to get yours neutered or spayed by 4 months of age before there's even a problem. Neutering solves 90 percent of all marking issues, even in cats that have been doing it for a while. It can also minimize howling, the urge to roam and fighting with other males.

In both cats and dogs, the longer you wait, the greater the risk you run of the surgery not being completely successful.

  • Other behavioral problems that can be ameliorated by spay/neuter include:
  • Roaming, especially when females are "in heat."
  • Aggression: Studies also show that most dogs bites involve dogs who are unaltered.
  • Excessive barking, mounting and other dominance-related behaviors.

Getting your pets spayed/neutered can help curb undesirable behaviors and reduce incidents of road traffic accidents.