February is ‘Desexing Month’, so Crookwell Vet Hospital encourages all owners with non-desexed pets to book them in.
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Whether cat or dog, male or female, young or old, responsible animal owners have all pets and working dogs desexed.
Pets are rarely too old to desex. Significant health benefits result, including prevention of two serious disease conditions.
PYOMETRA
Pyometra is a life-threatening infection of the uterus seen in middle-aged to older non-desexed female dogs, eight to 12 weeks after coming into season (less commonly in cats).
It is dangerous for the pet and requires major surgery and intensive care to treat successfully, but desexing stops pyometra developing.
PROSTATE DISEASE
More than 80 per cent of non-neutered eight-year-old male dogs can develop painful prostate disease, making it difficult to pass faeces and urine. Castration causes the prostate gland to shrink.
Castrating dogs before they are one year old stops the development of prostatic disorders altogether.
It is also safe and common practice to desex puppies and kittens from eight weeks of age. Health benefits include:
- Females desexed before their first heat have little to no incidence of mammary tumours, their most common cancer
- Desexed female pets will not develop life-threatening pyometra
- Castrating dogs before one year of age prevents prostatic disorders and testicular cancer
- Desexed male cats are less likely to urinate inappropriately and fight for territory.
Fights between cats cause abscesses and increase the risk of contracting potentially fatal viruses such as feline immunodeficiency virus (feline AIDS) and feline leukaemia virus.
The environment benefits hugely too. Feral cats right across Australia kill huge numbers of native birds and small mammals.
During February, the Crookwell Vet Hospital is offering 10 per cent off all desexing surgery and half-price geriatric blood screen before surgery for older pets.
Jennie Churchill is co-owner of Crookwell Vet Hospital. Phone 4832 1977
