WHY SHOULD I DESEX MY PET AT THE
CENTRAL COAST VETERINARY CENTRE?
What are the Health Benefits to the pet?
There are several health benefits to desexing. In male dogs, desexing decreases the risk of prostatic disease such as prostatitis or benign prostatic hypertrophy. Other health benefits of desexing include the prevention of certain types of hernias and tumours of the testicles and anus. Excessive preputial discharge is also reduced.
In male cats, urine spraying is decreased with castration, not to mention unwanted fathering of several kittens every year, as well as territorial cat fights.
In female dogs- again there are several advantages to desexing including prevention of pregnancy, uterine + ovarian cancers,other uterine disease such as pyometra (pus filled uterine infection) or endometritis,prevention of false pregnancies and decreased risk of mammary gland (breast) disease. If your pet is spayed before their first heat cycle, desexing decreases mammary cancer. This preventative effect decreases with each heat, and after the bitch has had 3 heat cycles (does not even need to be mated), there is minimal preventative effect against mammary tumours.
Desexed pets in general will live longer, due to the decreased risk of preventable disease and less chance of roaming and surcoming to an accident.
Desexed pets are less likely to be aggressive or fight.
Desexed pets cost less than undesexed pets to register with the council (council rego is mandatory)
What Behavioral Changes can be Expected after desexing?
Behaviour changes that are observed after desexing relate to behaviours influenced by the sex hormones. Playfulness, friendliness, and socialization with humans are NOT changed. The behaviours that change are far less desirable. The interest in roaming is eliminated in 90% of desexed male dogs. Aggressive behaviour against other male dogs is eliminated in 60% of neutered male dogs. Urine marking is eliminated in 50% of neutered male dogs. Inappropriate mounting is eliminated in 70% of neutered male dogs.
What exactly is performed on surgery day?
Desexings are day-surgery procedures, where pets are back in the comfort of their own homes by the late afternoon. Pets should have been fasted (no food) overnight, and brought in to our hospital between 8.30 and 9am. For those who have opted for pre-surgical blood testing, we check the pet's liver and kidney values as well as other parametres to evaluate which anaesthetic is safest for your pet. Your pet then receives a pre-medication injection, which incorporates a sedative and potent pain relief, in anticipation of the surgery. This medication relaxes your pet, and makes them a little sleepy. Good premedication protocols allow smooth and safe inductions and smooth anaesthetic recoveries for the pets. Pets undergo a general anaesthetic in our surgical preparation suite and are maintained under anaesthetic with a mixture of oxygen and an anesthetic gas called isoflourane.This is safely delivered to the patient via an endotracheal tube. Our facility has state of the art surgical theatres, with extra pet anaesthetic monitors increasing patient safety (monitoring blood pressure, oxygen saturation, pulse and respiratory rate, body temperature, as well as ECG and blood gas analysis for high risk patients). They are prepared for the Veterinary surgeon by clipping fur from the surgical site and disinfecting their skin. A small incision is made, and in females, the surgeon will remove both ovaries and the uterus (ovariohysterectomy). In males both testicles are removed. Dog desexings at our facility usually have no stitches on the outside, so they are less likely to be irritated by skin sutures (less likely to lick or chew at the surgical site) and do not require any suture removal. The small surgical site, closed in this manner, leaves a very cosmetic, neat line.
Our vets believe all pet desexings should receive pain relief and our facility provides both pain relief injections free of charge to the clients. We use a long acting pain relief injection lasting 24 hours post operation as well as another potent pain relief injection prior to surgery to minimise the inital pain stimulus. Pets recover from their surgery in our intensive care units, where they are monitored and warmed with special bair hugger machines or infant warmers until fully recovered. Desexed patients are offered two free post operative check ups with the vet. Pets routinely recover very well and quickly from desexing operations, when adequate pain control is achieved. Our facility spares no expense on special equipment designed to make both anaesthesia and recovery as safe, comfortable, and as monitored as possible.
At what Age can desexing be Performed?
We recommend desexing at 5-6 months of age. We advise desexing in females before their first heat, and in males at 5-6 months as long as their testicles have descended.
Will they Become Over-Weight or Lethargic?
You are in control of your pet's weight. A desexed pet should not gain weight unless you over-feed them compared to their activity levels. We recommend all desexed pets change over to the Royal Canin Neutered dog & cat range specifically designed for desexed animal requirements. Please ask the vet nurses to help you understand your pets nutritional requirements.
