You’ve just taken home your new puppy. You’ve purchased food, supplements, and supplies. You’ve scheduled vet appointments for important puppy vaccinations. What’s the next step? Spaying and neutering them, of course! Put simply, both spaying and neutering involve the surgical prevention of your pet from being able to reproduce – whereas spaying consists of the removal of the ovaries and uterus from females, neutering involves the removal of the testicles from male dogs. While these procedures may seem daunting at first, they are nevertheless crucial to the health and well-being of your pets, and allow them to live much healthier lives than pets who are not treated.
There are so many benefits of spaying and neutering your dog; Royal Flush Havanese presents some of the most important reasons for opting for this procedure:
Will Spaying and Neutering Extend the Life of My Pet? – YES!
We echo all veterinary experts when saying that spaying and neutering reduces or even eliminates instances of hormonal cancer in your dog. In fact, a female canine has greater chances of developing mammary gland tumors, ovarian and uterine cancer, mastitis, and transmissible venereal sarcoma if they are not spayed. Likewise, male dogs who are not neutered have higher risks of developing testicular cancer, venereal tumors, perineal hernias, acute and chronic prostatis, and perineal gland adenomas. In other words, if you care about the short- and long-term health of your pup, always get them spayed and neutered!
Will Spaying and Neutering Positively Impact My Pet’s Behavior? – YES!
Male dogs who are not neutered – or, dogs that are “in-tact” – are more prone to territorial aggression, and especially in warmer months where dogs can roam freely outside, have greater chances of fighting with other dogs that enter their personal space. Similarly, in-tact dogs have greater tendencies to wander outside, heightening their chances of getting lost or being injured, being hit by cars, and reproducing with other dogs. In the case of females, non-spayed dogs can become particularly aggressive towards humans and become protective of belongings as their estrogen levels rise and fall. Many behavioral problems can be nipped in the bud, so to speak, when you spay and neuter your pet at an early age.
Does Spaying and Neutering Prevent Pet Messes? – YES!
If you would like a clean (and worry-free) home, it should be a no-brainer to spay and neuter your pets. On one hand, neutered males are less prone to spraying, or “marking their territory,” on household objects, outdoor spaces, and even other, female dogs. On the other hand, spaying eliminates the possibility of frequent urination and bloody vaginal discharge in female dogs, behaviors that signal when a female is ready to reproduce and looking for a male dog to mate with her. Female dogs also tend to mark their territory when they are not spayed, sometimes even more than males!
Does Spaying and Neutering Help Control the Pet Population? – YES!
Since the ability to reproduce is removed when spaying or neutering your pet, the chance of unwanted pup pregnancies is completely eliminated, helping control your community’s pet population. Unwanted litters are an expensive and time-consuming hassle to pet families, especially when they are not prepared to take care of large quantities of puppies. In worse-case scenarios, this could lead to unwanted puppies being abandoned on the streets, posing a hazard to other animals, humans, and the surrounding environment. Plus, this leads to over-crowding in local shelters, and contributes to the millions of animals per year that are being euthanized. By spaying and neutering, you’re not only saving your pet’s life, but you’re saving other lives, too!
Are Spaying and Neutering Cost-Effective? – YES!
There are many programs across the country that help reduce the cost of spaying or neutering your pet if you are unable to afford paying for the procedure. In New York, for example, there is a helpful hotline that you can call (877-SPAY-NYC) which lists low-cost spay/neuter facilities in the state. Most importantly, however, the cost of spaying and neutering is significantly less than the cost of raising an unwanted litter, or managing the long-term health costs associated with an in-tact pup. Spaying and neutering really pay for themselves when considering the abundance of benefits for your dog’s health and your own community.
At Royal Flush Havanese, we suggest spaying and neutering your puppy between the ages of 5-7 months, depending on their size. If your puppy is very tiny, the latter age may work best (7 mos.), as their bodies will be strong enough to handle anesthesia.
Contrary to popular belief, spaying or neutering your dog does not cause weight gain, nor does it hinder your dog’s ability to learn and play with other dogs. Rather, these procedures are incredibly beneficial to your puppy’s well-being, and will ensure that they will live long, happy, and healthy lives!
Remember, at Royal Flush Havanese we do endless amounts of research on not only what’s best for your puppy but what’s best for you! We are ALWAYS here to help you! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about your Havanese puppy’s health!
Be sure to check out our Reviews on Google Reviews, Best Local Reviews, Facebook, and bbb.org to hear from parents who have already taken their Royal Flush Havanese puppy home! If you’re in need of your puppy fix, check out our Havanese videos on YouTube!
Visit our Havanese Puppy Care page for more information on puppy care, and our detailed guide for taking care of your pup as they grow older. Also check out our News Articles page for more tips, tricks, and advice from Royal Flush Havanese!
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