The Whys and Whens of Sterilising your Pet

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There are some pet owners that don't see the point of spaying or neutering their pets.
What they might not know however, is that there are many benefits to sterilisation. Read on to find out what these are.


Increased life span

Spaying your female pet eliminates uterine cancers and infections. Furthermore, it also prevents mammary tumours, which are cancerous in 50% of dogs, and 90% of cats. Likewise, for your male pets, neutering eliminates testicular cancer, and decreases prostate disease. Hence, the routine procedure can add 3-5 years on to your companion’s life.

Turn the heat down

If your female cat is sterilised, you won’t have to deal with her being in heat, and keeping you up at night as she searches for a mate.

Chill out

Neutering at a young age can help manage some behavioural issues. It has often led to better behaved, calmer male pets.

No place like home

Sterilisation means that your pet is less likely to wander off your property in search of a mate. They are therefore less likely to get into fights with other animals, get hit by a car, get lost, get stolen, or come back pregnant with a litter of puppies or kittens for you to feed and look after.

Don't Litter

There are thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens born each year from unspayed and unsterilised animals. The prospects of these little animals are not bright, and the pain they might experience in life could have been prevented by sterilising your pet. So do the responsible thing, and spay or neuter your pet, and educate those around you on the importance of doing so.

So when should your four-legged friend have the procedure?

It is commonly said that the operation should be done before their first heat. Depending on the breed, this occurs around six or seven months of age. It is recommended that cats be spayed or neutered at four months, after their primary vaccinations are completed. For dogs, 4-6 months is the standard for both procedures.