Desexing

Desexing or neutering your pet is a surgical procedure that prevents them from being able to reproduce. In male pets it is commonly referred to as “castration”, and in female pets as “speying”.This is one of the the most common surgeries performed by our vets. The procedure is generally a day procedure, where the pet is dropped off in the morning for surgery and picked up later that afternoon after recovering from their anaesthetic.

We recommend desexing your pet around 6 months of age, however they are never too old to be desexed.

 

Common questions about desexing:

“Will desexing affect my pet’s personality?”
Your pet will retain their pre-operation personality, possibly with the added bonus of being calmer and less aggressive.

“Should my female have one litter first?”
No – it is actually better for her not to have any litters before being spayed.Her risk of developing breast cancer increases if she is allowed to go through her first heat.

“Will it cause my pet to become fat?”
Your pet’s metabolism may slow down due to hormonal changes after desexing,however this is easily managed with adjusting feeding and ensuring adequate exercise. There is no reason a desexed pet cannot be maintained at a normal weight.

“Is desexing painful?”
As with all surgery, there is some tenderness immediately after the procedure, but most pets will recover very quickly. We administer pain relief prior to surgery and after surgery too.

“Will my dog lose its “guard dog”instinct?”
No, your dog will be just as protective of their territory as before the surgery.