To spay, or not to spay?
EL CENTRO — As most people already know, the Humane Society of Imperial County and many of our friends are huge advocates for the spaying and neutering of pets. Day in and day out, we encounter many people in our community who do not spay or neuter their pets and do not do so for several reasons.
One reason that we commonly hear is that pet owners do not know what it means or they do not know the benefits that it has to offer to their pet’s health. The number one reason as to why most pet owners do not spay and neuter is that some people do not “believe in it.”
They view spaying and neutering as a negative thing and that it takes away from who the animal is or that it will change their personality. Some people believe that it will take away their pet’s masculinity or femininity.
Although our pets do feel emotions such as joy, sadness, anger, fear and they do feel physical pain like we do, fortunately they are not able to associate with feelings of gender. In other words, they are not able to understand that they are missing their “parts” like a human would.
Most veterinary experts would agree, spaying and neutering has many health benefits for our four legged furkids. There are certain types of conditions and cancers that can completely and easily be avoided simply by having them spayed and neutered. For example, with female pets there is a condition called pyometra. This condition is an infection of the uterus.
This infection is caused by hormonal changes which occur each time a female pet goes into “heat”. As she ages, and with more and more heat cycles, the chances of the pet developing pyometra increase. Pyometra is associated with several different
symptoms and can only be diagnosed by a veterinarian. If not caught in time and treated properly, this condition may cause the pet to become very ill and experience a lot of unnecessary pain and discomfort.
It may even lead to death. In both male and female pets, there are certain cancers that can potentially develop later in life if not spayed or neutered early on. In females, ovarian cancer, mammary cancer and uterine cancer are commonly seen. In males, testicular and prostate cancers are commonly seen. It is important to keep in mind that there are certain breeds that are more prone to certain health issues later in life.
Although the Humane Society of Imperial County prefers to have adopted pets spayed and neutered between four and six months of age, your family veterinarian has their own preference on when it is most appropriate for your pet to be spayed or neutered.
Aside from eliminating certain health problems, spaying and neutering can also help eliminate some unwanted behavioral issues. Spaying in female dogs eliminates unwanted “bloody spots” around the house. In female cats it eliminates those late nights of howling. Neutering both male cats and dogs (alongside with proper potty training at an early age) will help to eliminate them from “marking their territory” or unwanted “spraying.” Neutering male dogs at an early age (with proper training and upbringing) can help to eliminate aggression issues later in life.
Another added bonus from spaying and neutering pets is that it will help keep pets from wandering from home. Because they will no longer have the urge to seek out a mate, they have no desire to roam the streets. With Animal Control Officers becoming stricter on enforcing city ordinances, this could help a lot of people avoid unwanted fines and citations.
It also helps keep pets healthy by not accidentally becoming ill or injured while running at large, and could save a pet owner from obtaining a large vet bill.
It is not uncommon to hear that the Humane Society here in the Imperial Valley is quite often over capacity, short on foster homes and can have as many as 300 to 500 orphaned pets in our care at any given time.
We average 300 plus animals coming in on a monthly basis from every corner of the county. Many of these poor animals are unwanted or abandoned and some are even abused or neglected. The number one cause for unwanted pets is the lack of spaying and neutering.
We receive calls on a daily basis from local pet owners wanting to surrender their pets because their pets have become pregnant or have had a litter and the owner cannot financially provide for an unwanted litter. We do the very best that we can in accommodating the citizens and animals of our community, but with literally hundreds of calls coming in on a daily basis, it is very difficult to keep up with.
What many of Imperial Valley’s residence do not realize is that there exists a huge pet overpopulation problem in our own backyard which is the result of irresponsible pet ownership. In the United States alone, 7.6 million cats and dogs enter shelters each year.
Of those, 2.7 million of them are euthanized simply because there isn’t enough room in shelters and there aren’t enough homes for them all. That is 2.7 million innocent lives that could have been saved had someone done something as simple as setting up an appointment.
We do realize that it is not always the pet owner’s fault. Some pet owners understand the importance of spaying and neutering their pets, but cannot afford to do so with regular vet prices. Another thing we often hear from our community is that people did not know that they have low cost resources to assist them in spaying and neutering their pets.
The Humane Society of Imperial County offers a low-cost spay and neuter program to the community for only $55 per pet. On Nov. 2 and 3, our low-cost spay and neuter buddies from Animal Action League will be bringing down their mobile spay and neuter clinic for two days of low-cost spay and neuter and vaccinations. The mobile unit will be at the Carlos Aguilar Park which is located on Pico Avenue in front of the shelter.
Give us a call tomorrow to set up your pet’s appointment for their low-cost spay or neuter appointment. The schedule is filling up quick.
No appointment needed for the low-cost vaccination clinic.
Please spay and neuter. It saves lives. We promise.