Getting a pet “fixed” is a big decision. We’re here to tell you: Fix away!
Seriously: Spaying or neutering is one of the best things you could ever do for your fur baby. It can prevent serious health problems, curb undesirable behaviors, and help decrease the number of unwanted animals who can’t find homes.
Spaying and neutering is the smart thing to do.
Living the Good, Long Life
Pets who are spayed or neutered, on average, live longer. Much scientific research has proven intact pets have a shorter lifespan. Intact pets are more susceptible to certain types of cancer, and suffer more serious and fatal injuries—fights with other animals, getting hit by cars—due to their increased and insatiable urge to roam in order to mate.
A spayed or neutered pet is far better off and lives a much better life.
Spaying or neutering makes your pet healthier—and rest assured it won’t fundamentally change your beautiful, amazing fur baby. Your pet will still be his or her unique self; that one-a-kind personality, playfulness, protective instinct, passion, and spirit will remain.
Why Spay? The “C” Word: Cancer Will an unspayed cat luck out and stay healthy? We can only cross our paws.
Unspayed dogs and cats have a far greater chance of developing uterine cancer and other cancers of the reproductive system.
Intact female pets also run a much higher risk of a life-threatening uterine infection called pyometra. This bacterial infection is serious, toxic, and painful. It causes the uterus to fill with nasty pustules, which can only be removed by major, and expensive, emergency surgery. Left untreated, or treated even moments too late, pyometra will kill your pet.
Even with immediate surgery, your pet might not survive pyometra. Her uterus could rupture, spilling bacteria into her abdominal cavity. Even with the best urgent care, this complication often proves fatal. We cannot stress enough how awful pyometra is—please spay your female fur baby to keep her safe from it.
Why Neuter? Stop the Pee and the “C”
Intact dogs are much more assertive and prone to urine-marking, e.g. peeing on all your stuff. In intact cats, the urge to spray is extremely strong. For the sake of your pet and your home, neutering is the best option to stop this behavior for good.
We recommend neutering your pet as young as safely possible, so urine-marking never becomes an issue. If your cat is already spraying, we have good news! Neutering solves 90% of urine-marking issues in cats. Plus, neutering can minimize howling, aggression, and the urge to roam.
And yes: the “C” word again. Neutered male pets have a dramatically reduced risk of testicular and prostate cancer. Caring for a pet with cancer can easily run into the thousands of dollars: a fraction of what spaying or neutering costs.
Undesirable Behavior 101
In general, behavior issues can be complex; they can be about fear, anxiety, or underlying medical issues. We offer behavior consultations customized to your unique pet and situation. But there are still some behavior problems that are pretty common and clear…
If your pet is intact and driving you crazy—scratching at the screen door, howling incessantly, destroying your furniture—spaying or neutering can really help. We’ve known pets who’ve actually busted through walls—yes, walls—to get outside to find a mate. The biological urge really is that strong. And when a female cat is in heat? Forget it. Even a fortress can’t keep that cat inside and safe.
Spaying or neutering can help curb excessive barking, mounting, and other dominance-related behaviors. It can certainly curb the urge to roam.
But the longer you wait, the greater the chance spaying or neutering won’t help at all. Once undesirable behavior based on the biological urge to mate is totally ingrained, you may have to live with it forever.
OK But…
- My pet is perfect! We agree! So let’s give your perfect pet his or her best chance at a long, healthy, happy life. The Eno team cares most about the best life for your pet. Spaying and neutering is the best care.
- My dog won’t be a “man.” Sorry fellas—your dog’s not a man. Your dog’s a dog. Neutering won’t change his fundamental personality or awesomeness. It will protect him from painful, awful problems in the future. P.S. Your dog cares about being your best friend for as long as possible…not at all about his “manhood.”
- It’s too expensive. You’re right that spaying and neutering is a surgical procedure. That means we have to put your pet under anesthesia—and we always take the utmost precautions and provide the best care, from initial sedation to recovery and beyond. The cost upfront now is small compared to any future cost of treating cancer or providing emergency care—not to mention the emotional cost of having to euthanize your fur baby due to something that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.
Spaying or neutering is an investment in the best life of your pet. Please call us at (919) 471-0308 with any questions or concerns.
There Aren’t Enough Forever Homes to Go Around Caring for pets is our mission and calling.
The Humane Society estimates as many as 8 million animals enter shelters every year. We wish we could adopt them all. But here’s the cold reality.
Barely half of these animals find forever homes. The rest are euthanized. They aren’t sick, and they are not bad pets. They are healthy, sweet, beautiful, loving creatures who simply can’t find forever families.
As veterinary professionals, we dedicate our lives to advocating for and protecting animals. To us, this is a massive tragedy.
Millions of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized nationwide every year. And they aren’t usually “street” or feral animals—they’re often the offspring of cherished family pets and even purebreds.
In North Carolina in 2018, more than 23,000 shelter dogs and 47,000 shelter cats were euthanized. Those animals could have been fur babies, fetchers, lap cats, best friends, constant companions…but there will simply never be enough forever homes to go around.
We encourage adoption and enthusiastically support our local rescue groups. Many shelters are no-kill. But the tragedy of unwanted animals can, and should, be avoided altogether.
It is far better to prevent overpopulation than react to it. We can make a positive difference by simply doing what’s right for our pets: spaying and neutering. Spaying and neutering is the only 100% guaranteed way to decrease the overpopulation of unwanted animals.
The Best Care
Spaying and neutering is the best care for your beloved fur baby. It improves your pet’s health and well-being both right now and forever. And it furthers the greater good of both animals and rescue groups!
We’re always here to help, and happy to talk to you in detail about what’s best for your pet. We are your other family doctor, and we love being your vet.