Spay/Neuter

Spaying and neutering pets is a responsible choice that offers numerous benefits! This decision can help the animal as well as the community in positive ways!

Reasons to Neuter/Spay Dogs and Cats

1. Population Control: When you spay/neuter you’re helping unwanted litters from occurring which in turn helps the homeless animal population! More spays/neuters means less pets ending up in shelters around the country. Unspayed females can produce multiple litters in a lifetime which can amount to hundreds of unwanted animals just with one animal.

2. Health Benefits: When you spay your female dog/cat (before her first heat cycle) you can help reduce her risk of pyometra(uterine infection) and decrease her chances of getting mammary tumors later on in life. Both of these health risks generally come with emergency protocols which can lead to an unwanted euthanasia if your pet is too high risk to perform the surgeries required to live.

When you neuter your male dog/cat at a younger age you are helping reduce his risk of getting testicular cancer or having prostate issues in the future. Again, both are generally emergency situations where decisions to do a surgery or euthanasia can occur.

Spayed and neutered pets typically have a longer lifespan and are healthier than unaltered pets.

Let us note: Spaying/Neutering pets can cause some added weight gain, but you shouldn’t have an issue as long as you provide proper nutrition and exercise to your pet!

3. Behavioral Issues: When you spay and neuter (at a younger age) it can help with marking issues/excessive urination, roaming, and aggressive behavior towards other animals and people. Very rarely do we see negative behavioral effects from spaying/neutering.

Unneutered Males who roam are generally on the prowl for an unspayed female to have babies with. Generally this causes an unwanted litter and unfortunately those puppies can end up on the streets or in a shelter somewhere waiting for a home for weeks, months, sometimes years. Don’t be fooled people, fences do not block this occurrence from happening as much as we wished it would.

Also a very important fact to know..dogs do NOT pick based on size. They do not care. This could mean that a 50 lbs dog can/could link up with your 8 lbs dog. This ends up being an emergency c-section delivery because the puppies are way too large to pass through the birth canal. AGAIN another emergency situation we can all avoid by spaying/neutering.

Caring for a litter of kittens/puppies comes with its own risks and possible complications as well as taking care of a postpartum mama. We do not believe this task is for everyone.**

Recommended Ages for Spaying/Neutering

Cats: we typically recommend spaying/neutering around 6 months of age.

Cats will start yowling to go outside when they are in heat– to avoid this we recommend spaying early.* Unneutered Male cats can also become escape artists and bolt out any open doors during mating season as well.

Dogs: we typically recommend spaying/neutering around 6-12 months of age based on breed. We will suggest earlier if you’re having any behavioral issues.

**If you have any questions or concerns about spaying/neutering too early please do not hesitate to give us a call!**

Safety of Anesthesia

At Skyline Animal Hospital we are well aware that there can be risks when it comes to anesthesia. Spaying/neutering are generally considered safe procedures, however Dr. Bone will do a full exam and bloodwork panel on your pet before we sedate for any surgical procedure. This helps her identify any underlying health issues. We have great equipment that will monitor vital signs to make sure your pet is stable throughout the procedure as well and an experienced staff member to help monitor your pet with the doctor. All of these things help minimize any risk for your pet and also will help put your mind at ease while your pet(s) are under our care!

After your pet is spayed/neutered we do recommend keeping your pet calm for 10-14 days post op. A cone or shirt is recommended so that your pet does not lick the incision site as well!

With all this being said, we believe that spaying and neutering is a key part of responsible pet ownership. We also believe that there are more benefits to these procedures than there are risks.

If you have more questions about the procedures or need assistance with anything else, feel free to give us a call and ask!

City of Tulsa Ordinance

This ordinance requires all dogs and cats over six months of age to be spayed or neutered, with some exception:

  • Hobbyist Exemption Permit: Owners can apply for a permit to keep an unspayed or unneutered dog or cat.
  • Police dogs: Police dogs owned and used by the Tulsa Police Department are exempt from the ordinance.
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