Animal Clinic of La Plata
Veterinarian
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
Services - Spay / 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.
Getting your pets spayed/neutered can help curb undesirable behaviors and reduce incidents of road traffic accidents.