David Finlay Pet Health Care Centres

Speying and Neutering:
Your puppy will be starting to develop sexually at around 5 and a half months of age. This is the time to consider speying and neutering. Every year, tens of thousands of unwanted litters are euthanased as a direct result of pet owners failing to have this simple procedure carried out. You can do your part to prevent the unnecessary suffering by following the example of the Guide dogs for The Blind, who routinely have all their dogs and bitches castrated or speyed at this time. Stop those twice a year ‘periods’! Most bitches will come into season or heat twice a year. This is the canine equivalent to a woman’s period and can be very distressing, uncomfortable and even painful with heavy bleeding. In the weeks following the period, hormonal changes can also give rise to a condition known as false pregnancy. This condition can be so bad that the bitch will become physically unwell and require veterinary treatment. If speying is done before a bitch’s first season, they will never suffer from a false pregnancy, or from the horrible pre-seasonal hormonal changes. The other advantages of neutering and speying are: Prevents unwanted pregnancies (bitches). Prevents dogs wandering and fighting with other dogs (dogs and bitches). Prevents dogs wanting to roam after bitches in season. Minimises male territorial behaviour, e.g excessive urination and soiling around the house. Reduces the risk of disease, particulary cancer of the testicles and prostrate gland in dogs, and breast, uterine or ovarian cancer in bitches. It is worth laying to rest a few of the old wives tales about the effects of neutering. Having a litter confers absolutely no psychological or medical benefit on either dogs or bitches. So they do not ‘lose out’ in any way by being neutered. Another popular misconception is that castratration of a male dog ‘breaks his spirit’. This is categorically not true. Speying and neutering also does not make a pet ‘fat and lazy’. In a healthy dog or cat, free of hyperthyroidism or medical disorders, overfeeding and insufficient exercise are the sole causes of obesity. So don’t blame it on the speying or neutering! Keep a record of your pet’s weight and ensure that you are feeding the correct diet. Remember, only you have the power and intelligence to make a difference to the population of unwanted dogs and cats. If you do allow your bitch to have puppies, be absolutely certain that you have found them a good home, with responsible people and commited owners, before conception.