The What, the Why, and the Benefits of Sterilizing Our Pets

Sterilizing a pet involves a one-time surgical procedure to remove part of its reproductive organs. This permanently prevents the pet from reproducing.

Sterilization is most commonly carried out on dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs from the age of six months and upwards. Males have their testicles removed; females have their ovaries and uterus removed.

The surgery is performed by licensed veterinarians, and the animal is under general anesthesia throughout. Most are back to normal in 24 to 48 hours after surgery.

Why Do We Sterilize Our Pets?

The most pressing reason for sterilization is to prevent unwanted young from being born. There are already more than enough abandoned animals in the world, so sterilizing pets helps control the situation.

You may be responsible owner with no intention of breeding your pet, but "accidents" do happen. Your pet may escape from home and mate outside; another animal may enter your home without your knowledge; or it may mate with someone else's pet at a pets-and-owners gathering!

The Benefits and Precautions

Besides preventing unwanted litters, sterilization affects pets' hormones so they become less likely to wander in search of a mate or behave aggressively. They are also less prone to disease such as womb infections, and mammary and testicular cancers.

Because sterilized pets often become more home-loving, they may gain weight because owners do not correspondingly reduce their feeds! So control your pet's food intake and give it more exercise. And watch for complications like loss of bladder control in older pets - this can be treated with medication.