#8 - Sunday, August 30, 1992 - North Shore News

Spaying/eutering can be beneficial

NEUTERING INVCLVES removai of the testicles. This is proportion of these tumors are

called. castration. or an orchiectomy. For females, the
uterus and ovaries are removed, this is known as spaying

or an ovariohysterectomy.

. These procedures - are _ usually
performed by your veterinarian
when the animal is between six

-. and eight months of age, and re-
‘quire a general anesthetic and
hospitalization.

Your: pet should have a pre-
operative physical examination to
ensure its safety during anesthesia

"and surgery.

2 Spaying. or neutering your dog. .
3 ’ frequently in unneutered males

cat wil! not alter its disposition.
e' people believe their. pets. will

Ask a
Veterinarian

DR. ELIZABETH
RICHARDS

DR. TERR! .
CLEMETT

because of higher hormone levels.

- G@ By. being a “responsible pet owner and
having’ your pet spayed or neutered you are
icing the. number of. unwanted puppies and
kittens and are not contributing to the.
overpopulation problem. ae

gain weight, “but. if proper diet |

:, control and exercise are maintain-
: this” won't bea: problem.
There are many reasons to have
your = pei-. spayed -. or. neutered.
Some of these are outlined below:
Male dogs: - :

: Unneutered © ‘dogs “tend to
wander more and become. more
aggressive. with ‘other,dogs. This
brings an’ increaséd -risk ‘of being

it: by “a car: and sustaining ‘fight: ..
3° incidence will. also —

urin pans in’ the home and
certain medical problems. - ;

‘éstictlar ‘tumors are. more...

commor in. the dog than they are
in“ any: othe: species. Cryptorchid
dogs (havitig one or both testicles
- undesce jded) are’ at ‘greater. risk
‘and tae”
 isyounger. - -
-. @ The prostate gland i is a bilobed
accessory sex gland that surrounds

othe | ‘urethra: atthe base: of: the .

** urinary bladder. . Bacterial pro-

. . Statitis © and. benign prostatic
> @alargement™ ‘are ‘common prob-.
Jems -in middle-aged ‘and’ older in- .

f

Tning to defecate or urirate, .

. bleed in the urine, pain-in the
» hindquarters and a stiff gait.

“@! Perineal. hernias (caused. by a

weakness ‘of pelvic musculature)
and perianal adenomas (tumors in

average” age of occurence:

Castration is an integra) pari in
the treatment of all these prob-
lems when they occur.

Female dogs:

The femate dog usually comes

into heat between six and 12

-months of age and will cycle on

an average of oae to two. times
year, When in heat she will

per
- Weieed a substantial aniount arid

attract male dogs.
elt your dog is spayed before
her first heat: period: the risk of
breast cancer is reduced
‘dramatically. Mammary glard
tumors are the most .common
tumor in the female dog. A large

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~ the rectal area) are also seen more - ;

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. and” feline

maiignant and may spread to
other areas of the body
(metastasize) causing death.

@ The danger of pyometra, a
potentially fatal uterine infection,
is eliminated with ovariohysterec-
tomy. The symptoms of. this
disease may include a - vaginal
discharge, -enlarged . abdomen,
lethargy, increased thirst and ~
urination, vomiting, diarrhea and
fever.. The preferred treatment is
spaying and antibiotic ‘ therapy y-
The risk of surgery at this time is
much greater than when the dog is
young and healthy.

Male cats: .

‘A mature, unaltered tomcat has
an almost uncontrollable urge to
roam and fight. Fights with his
tivals lead to serious wounds, in-
fections and absesses which may
require frequent veterinary visits.

Roaming cats run an increased
tisk .of . contracting

victims of road accidents.

Tomcats - are more: iikely to.

spray urine to mark territory in-

doors as well as out, anid the odor:
is more pungent than that of the,

neutered male cat.

’ Femalecatss : "
Female cats usually come into fig
heat around six months of age’.

and will cycle as often as every 21
to 30 days depending on the time
of year. these times they

are very vocal and obnoxious. -’
Local tomecats are attracted to the

neighborhood,
disruptions. . fe

Spaying your cat willl eliminate
these heat periods and” prevent

causing . more

potentially fatal Feproductive |

diseases.

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986-4812 |

Last chance to control your fleas

In addition to the above
behavioral and’ medical reasons
for altering your pet, there are
some financial benefits as well.
Veterinary visits will be reduced
and licensing fees are substantially
lower. .

By being a- responsible pet.
owner and having your pet spayed
or neutered you are reducing the .
number of unwanted puppies and

kittens and are not contributing to

the overpopulation problem.

In 1990, there were 6,500 cats.‘

and dogs euthanized at the Society
for Prevention of. Cruelty to
Animals ini Greater Vancouver. ©

In 1991 the numbers .were.
decreased to’ 4,660, largely die to
an increase in the number of. -
animals spayed and neutered: :
Let’s work together to, >, keep. ‘this
downward trend.

infectious -{
diseases such as feline leukemia. -
immunodeficiency —
virus: They are also more often, .

Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8am-6pm-

EUKANUBA
ADULT DOG FOOD -

#240- 1425 Marine Or; W.Vancouve

ownership,
er al breeds, both dogs & cats

with kindness you and your