Why it is Important to Neuter Your Pet

      Orchectomy is the surgical removal of testicles. It is commonly referred to as neutering or castration.  The main purpose for neutering is to prevent any unwanted pregnancies.

      One reason why neutering will increase your pets lifespan is that it decrease the tendency to roam. Intact male dogs and cats tend to explore the neighborhoods looking for intact females. Female will release a scent that males can pick up even if it's miles away. By decreasing the need to find a female in heat, they are less likely to get into fights with other animals and it will reduce the risk of them getting injured like being hit by car. In addition, many diseases can be contracted via bite wound like rabies or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). In addition, neutering will also reduce other behaviors like leg humping in dogs, territory marking in dogs, aggression towards other animals, territorial aggression, and spraying in cats. Some studies have shown that if your pet is older than 1 year and still intact, some of those behaviors can be permanent even if they are neutered later on in life.

      Another reason for neutering is the development of prostate cancer in intact males as they get older. As the dog get older, the prostate gland gradually gets larger which can influence the amount of testosterone that is produce and it also predisposes them to infections of the prostate. The enlargement can cause pain. So by neutering them, you are eliminating the chances of your intact dog developing testicular cancer and reduce infection. Plus it greatly reduces the risk of perianal tumors. Overall, neutering your pet will increase your pets lifespan by decreasing the chances of disease.

      The most known reason to neuter is to decrease animal overpopulation. Shelters and rescue organization are overwhelm at certain times of the years. Intact male cats can help multiple female cats conceive meaning that multiple females will give birth to litters. According to the feral cat study at University of Washington's Math Department in North Carolina, "One female cat give birth to 6 kittens per year. Kitten gender is 50 percent female, and only 25 percent of kittens survive to reproductive age All surviving females kittens become adults and reproduce with the same birth and kitten mortality rates. If no adult cat ever die, how many cats/ kittens would there be at the end of 7 years? One female cat and her offspring could produce between 100 and 400 cats by the end of 7 years."

      Sadly, a lot of these cats will end up homeless either on the streets or in shelters waiting to be adopted. And not all humane societies are like the ones in Wisconsin with the no kill policy. So it really is important to neuter your pet to prevent any unwanted pregnancy and help fight the cause against overpopulation.