Spaying and neutering in Oakleaf Plantation, FL, protects against many behavioral, health threats to your pet

Spaying and neutering play an essential role in the health of Oakleaf Plantation, Orange Park, FL, and the surrounding communities. Controlling pet overpopulation is a basic public service; however, these standard services also play a critical role in sustaining the health of your cat or dog. Furthermore, at Orange Park Animal Hospital at Oakleaf, these preventive services support the healthiest, strongest bond between you and your pet and other furry members of your household. 

Neutering 

This surgical procedure involves removing your male dog’s or cat’s testicles. Also known as an orchiectomy, neutering prevents the ability of the dog or cat to produce offspring.

Neutering also resolves many behavioral, systemic, and public health challenges, including: 

• The compulsion to mate, which increases the risk of escaping and roaming 
• Sexual instincts to mount and to display other mating behaviors, primarily if these compulsions are rooted by female dogs in heat. 
• The tendency for male pets to mark inappropriately inside of your house or around the neighborhood
• Aggression is triggered among intact males by reproductive hormones, which may target other male pets. 
• Risk of developing life-altering and life-threatening medical conditions, ranging from an enlarged prostate to testicular tumors (the testes’ failure to descend into the scrotum is a significant contributing factor)

Spaying

This surgical procedure involves removing a female dog’s or cat’s ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus. Also known as an ovariohysterectomy, the typical “spay” prevents the treated dog or cat from producing puppies or kittens.

As with neutering, spaying addresses the range of behavioral and medical threats to your pet’s quality of life and health. These benefits include: 

• It eliminates the “cycle” of going into “heat,” which in turn helps reduce associated behaviors such as persistent, loud vocalizations and inappropriate urination.
• Reduces the risk of your female dog or cat escaping to meet and mate with males when they’re in heat.
• Protects against the development of some cancers (such as mammary gland or breast tumors)
• Prevents the development of severe uterine infection (pyometra)

All surgeries carry some risk associated with the anesthesia and the procedure itself; however, this routine procedure has a very low risk of serious complications. They are well-managed in our state-of-the-art hospital and by our skilled and experienced veterinarians and professional support staff in the unlikely event that complications arise. If your pet needs to be spayed or neutered, contact us today. These procedures are covered as a preventive service by our in-house wellness plans.