The Long-Term Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
One of the most important choices you'll make as a pet owner is the decision to spay or neuter your pet. The surgeries prevent pets from reproducing and offer a variety of health and behavioral benefits.
What Is Spaying and Neutering?
Spaying is a surgical procedure for female pets that removes the ovaries and uterus. Without these reproductive organs, pets can't get pregnant and won't go into heat. Neutering involves removing a male pet's sperm-producing testicles during surgery. After surgery, a male pet can't get females pregnant.
Spaying and neutering is commonly performed on dogs and cats, but may also be recommended for other animals, such as rabbits and ferrets. The surgery is performed under anesthesia for your pet's comfort. Most pets go home the same day as the surgery and recover quickly.
Spaying and Neutering Benefits
Spaying or neutering offers these advantages:
- Longer Lifespan. According to the Banfield Pet Hospital's State of Pet Health 2013 Report, the lifespan of a neutered male is 62% longer than those of un-neutered males, while spayed females live 39% longer than un-spayed cats. The report also noted that neutered male dogs live 18% longer than un-neutered males. Spayed female dogs live 23% longer than un-spayed females.
- Reduced Risk of Cancer. Removing the reproductive organs in female pets eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancers. Spaying also prevents female pets from developing pyometra, a potentially deadly uterine infection. Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer for male pets and could reduce the risk of prostate issues. Spaying and neutering lowers the risk of mammary (breast cancer), according to a review published in Nutrition Research Reviews in 2020. Researchers mentioned one systematic review that noted spaying and neutering dogs before ages 2 - 5 significantly reduced the risk of mammary tumors. Although mammary tumors are less common in cats, the review referenced research that showed that spaying cats under the age of 2 reduces the risk of mammary cancer by 86%.
- Better Behavior. Spaying and neutering eliminate the mating instinct and may reduce behaviors associated with mating, such as roaming, yowling, and marking territory with urine. Pets that roam may be more likely to be hit by cars, fight with other animals, or be injured by unkind people. Spaying and neutering may also decrease aggression toward other animals, which can be an important benefit if you have a multi-pet household.
- Reduced Costs. Spaying and neutering can save you money in the long run. With the risk of some types of cancers eliminated or reduced, you'll be less likely to face an expensive bill for cancer treatment. A fight with another pet or a car accident can lead to severe, costly injuries. When your pet is spayed or neutered, its roaming tendencies will be reduced, which can potentially lower your costs.
- Fewer Unwanted Pets. Approximately 2 to 3 million pets are euthanized (humanely killed) in the U.S. every year, according to the United Spay Alliance. Unlike people, pets can reproduce more than once per year. The Merck Veterinary manual notes that the average cat pregnancy lasts 65 days, while dog pregnancies last 62 to 64 days. Rabbits have one of the shortest pregnancy timeframes. In fact, the entire pregnancy for a rabbit only lasts about 31 days. Shorter pregnancies mean that your pet could have multiple litters per year if it's not spayed or neutered.
Has your pet been spayed or neutered? If you're interested in this important surgery, contact our office to schedule a pre-surgical exam for your furry friend.
Sources:
Banfield Pet Hospital: State of Pet Health 2013 Report
file:///C:/Users/hmcgu/Downloads/Banfield-State-of-Pet-Health-Report_2013.pdf
Cambridge University Press: Nutrition Research Reviews: Neutering Dogs and Cats: Current Scientific Evidence and Importance of Adequate Nutritional Management, 1/14/2020
American Veterinary Medical Association: Spaying and Neutering
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/spaying-and-neutering
WebMD: Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Pet, 7/20/2025
https://www.webmd.com/pets/reasons-spay-neuter-pet
United Spay Alliance: Why Spay/Neuter?
https://www.unitedspayalliance.org/spay-neuter/why-spayneuter/