Sterilizing Your Pet

ISSUE NO. 01
DECEMBER 2021

Tails of Tales is an NPO that visits several regions within the Gauteng area, offering affordable sterilisations and more importantly − equipping the public with education surrounding sterilisations in an attempt to hinder the stray animal community − ensuring less domestic pets end up homeless or in a rescue shelter.

NPO Pending

Sterilising your pet is more of a necessity than a choice owing to the multiple ways your dear pet can benefit from it. An extremely safe and common procedure, sterilisation does require you to bear a few things in mind that will help you assess its why’s, how’s and when’s! It is one of the most important decisions you as a pet parent can make for your pet’s optimal health. Here’s all you need to know about sterilising, more so if you are a first-time pet parent!

Getting the Basics Right!

Sterilisation, in essence, is the surgery to make an animal unable to produce offspring.

There are three terms you must know of, talking about sterilisation:

Spaying: sterilisation of a female pet by removal of the ovaries
Castration: sterilising of a male pet by removal of the testicles
Neuter: A synonym for sterilisation, applicable to both male and female pets

Why Should You Sterilise Your Pet?

Broadly speaking, sterilisation can lead to a much healthier life for your beloved pet. And it isn’t just your pet who benefits from it all - sterilisation plays an important role in keeping your pet calm, composed and healthy. Sounds great, right?

Here’s a complete breakdown of reasons on why you should sterilise your pet:

Controlling Stray Animal Population

More often than not, a sexually aroused dog simply wants to mate, regardless of whether it is another pet or a stray animal! For all you know, you may be walking your dog and he gets aroused by another dog that could be a stray. Dogs have even been known to run and chase out their mating interest, sometimes leaving you with little to no control. This will not only leave your pet dog at risk of infections but also contribute to the increasing stray population. Another point to be raised here is that of free-roaming unneutered pets that can account to an increase in the stray population, simply due to the irresponsibility of some pet owners.

No Heat

Heating comes with its share of problems that can stress your pet dog. Like humans, dogs too bleed while in heat which requires special care and attention. Adding to that, increased urination, nervousness, distraction, and uncomfortable alertness can drain your pet dog of her energy.

Curbing the Sense of Pseudo-Pregnancy

Pseudo-pregnancy is the condition of a dog feeling ‘like’ she is pregnant when she is not. This sense particularly prevails during the breeding season. The feeling of discomfort in your pet is one thing that is absolutely certain about pseudo-pregnancy, and one that can be easily avoided if she has been spayed.

An unsterilised pet is prone to a rush of hormones in his or her body, often resulting in sexual arousal that may lead to irksome incidents like humping things, crotch sniffing (sorry, guests!) and even chasing other dogs - particularly, dogs in heat. Chasing other dogs involves a greater risk like that of acquiring a Transmissible Venereal Tumour (also known as TVT), which is an STD for canines! An unsterilised pet is extremely capable of chasing other dogs to mate, increasing their chances of injury too.

Prevention of Tumours and Cancers

In Females: Unspayed female pets are vulnerable to a host of poor health conditions - mammary tumours being one of them. Benign and malignant tumours of the mammary gland are frequent in unspayed female dogs. If you have a female cat, the lack of spaying can leave your feline friend susceptible to uterine infections and breast cancer, which have been observed to be fatal in as many as 90% of cats!

Getting your female pet spayed before her first heat reduces the chances of a mammary tumour to 0%, before second heat to 23% and beyond third heat is as bad as not getting her spayed. Thus, the sooner the better! Having said that, if a complete hysterectomy (a surgical operation to remove the uterus) is done, the chances of cancer are completely nullified as there is no uterus.

In Males: Male dogs can get prostate cancer. Formation of semen and the lack of its outlet can stress their testicles and thus lead to your pet dog being in pain. 90% of cancer cases in male dogs are accounted for by testicular tumours.

Sterilisation reduces their risk to a complete 0% as the testicles (the subject of cancer) are removed in the process.

Calming Down Aggressive Behaviour

As per practical observation, sterilisation can also be soothing to some aggressive pets. Unsterilised pets often illustrate extreme territorial behaviour by acts like urinating around the house. Dogs are territorial by nature, but extreme behaviour is always concerning.

When To Sterilise Your Pet?

As can be gathered from above, female dogs particularly are subject to the ‘When’ of sterilisation. While it is best to get your female pet sterilised before her first heat, regardless of gender, a pet (cat or dog) aged between 5 to 6 months is fit for sterilisation, which means pet parents need not necessarily wait until the first heat.

A Sterilised Pet Is a Happy Pet!

Tarryn Smith

082 960 0600

talesoftailssa@gmail.com

The Pooch Pageant 2021

On Sunday the 05 December 2021, Woodrock Animal Rescue hosted their very first Pooch Pageant. An event like no other, celebrating certain special individuals in the collective pack of Woodrock’s canines.

Ad - Elixinol

Heroes Of Woodrock Animal Rescue

Woodrock Animal Rescue was founded in 1992 by Nicholas and Estelle Meldau, whose focus, passion and drive made their animal rescue vision a reality.

The Pooch Pageant 2021

Ad - Elixinol

Heroes Of Woodrock Animal Rescue

Ad - Berkley Risk

Ad - Natural Elixir

Sanctuary Magazine

Categories

Social Footprints