Logo Desexing
 

 

 

Depending on the sex of your dog/cat, desexing involves a castration procedure for a male, or a spay procedure for a female.

Castrating Your Dog:

What is meant by "castration"?

In this operation, which is performed under general anesthetic, both testicles are removed, thus removing the source of sperm and the male sex hormone (testosterone).

Why should I consider castrating my dog?

There are many advantages:

  • Usually the dog becomes less aggressive and more placid
  • The dog is less likely to wander and chase bitches on heat
  • Desexing prevents tumors of the testicles
  • Desexing reduces the incidences of problems occurring in the prostate gland, perineal hernias, and hormone-related tumors

Why should I consider castrating my cat?

There are many advantages:

  • Early castration drastically reduces the chance of your cat spraying and marking his territory with smelling urine
  • Usually the cat becomes less aggressive and more placid
  • The cat is less likely to wander and chase females on heat
  • Desexing prevents tumors of the testicles

Will castration change my dog's/cat's nature?

There is no great character change, although the dog/cat may be quieter. A good watchdog will still be a good watchdog and bark at strangers. Ability to guard your territory is not altered.

Will it cure my dog of viciousness, biting, etc.?

Maybe. It depends on the dog and the nature of his aggression. If it is due to hormone-related dominance, the chances are good that he will bite less after castration. If he is aggressive while "guarding" his territory then he will usually keep doing so. (Talk to your vet if you have this sort of problem.)
NB: The dog's libido may remain the same for up to two months after the operation. The change is not immediate and he may still want to wander and mount bitches at first.

At what age should he be castrated?

We recommend that the desexing operation takes place at about 6 months of age. If your dog/cat has been used for breeding and you now want him desexed, there is no problem with performing the operation on older dogs/cats. We prefer not to perform castrations at earlier ages because male dogs/cats reach sexual maturity when they are about six months old. By this time, both testicles have usually descended, and thus the surgery becomes more straightforward.

What does the operation involve?

The dog is placed under general anesthetic so that he is deeply asleep and will feel nothing. The skin prepared and the surgeon removes the testicles with sterile instruments. In  a dog the incision is closed with either non-absorbable or absorbable sutures. In cats the wound is left open and will close spontaneous in a few days.

How long after the operation is the patient himself again?

It does not take long - usually after two days he is back to normal.

What precautions do I take after surgery?

Do not allow your dog to jump or exercise vigorously until the stitches are removed or your veterinarian says that it is OK. There should be no games or forced exercise for the first week.

Castration is unlikely to cause your dog/cat to become overweight. However, sensible feeding and adequate exercise are important to maintain your desexed dog/cat in top shape!!

 

Spaying Your dog/cat:

What is meant by "spaying"?

Spaying, or desexing, is the term applied to the operation in which the ovaries and uterus are removed from the female dog (bitch)/cat. The object of spaying is to stop the bitch/cat from coming on heat and reproducing.

Should your female be spayed?

There are four main advantages in having your bitch/cat desexed:

  • It avoids the bitch coming into heat twice a year, with the accompanying messy discharges and invasion by all the neighborhood dogs who can smell a bitch in season literally kilometers away
  • Cats on heat will scream for days and can cause you many sleepless night, Spaying solves this problem completely
  • Dogs/cats are extremely persevering in their attempts to gain access to and mate any bitch/cat on heat (in season), thus desexing prevents unwanted attention of this sort and any potential damage to your property
  • Desexing prevents unwanted pups/kittens - population control in our pets is a very real and serious problem
  • Spaying greatly reduces the likelihood of breast cancer (if the bitch is desexed before her first cycle)

Should my bitch/cat have a litter before being desexed?

No. Well-meaning people may tell you that your bitch/cat should have a litter of puppies/kittens or at least a heat period before she is desexed. There is no clinical evidence to support the view that this enhances her "female" characteristics.

At what age should she be desexed?

The female dog will come into heat anytime from 6 months of age onwards, in dog depending on it's size . Small breeds usually come on heat at about six months of age, while larger breeds may not start until nine to ten months of age. We recommend that the desexing operation take place at 6 months of age regardless of the breed. Cats can be spayed from 4 months onwards. At this young age everything is still very small and undeveloped thus very little trauma and bleeding when we remove it. The risk at this age are the same but young cats seem to recover faster!

What does the operation involve?

The spay operation, or ovariohysterectomy (meaning the ovaries and part of the uterus are removed) is performed while the dog/cat is asleep under general anesthetic. Consequently, she will not feel anything during the procedure.

The instruments are sterilized and the skin is prepared before the surgeon opens the abdomen, thereby minimizing bacterial contamination. Both ovaries and the uterus are removed. The abdomen is closed using suture material that dissolves and is absorbed by the body. The skin is usually sutured with stitches that are under the skin and don't have to be removed.

How long after the operation before the patient is herself again?

It does not take long. After 3 days she is usually back to normal.

What precautions should I take after surgery?

Do not allow your dog/cat to jump or exercise vigorously for the first week and there should be no games or forced exercise in this period.

Desexing is unlikely to cause your dog/cat to become overweight. However, sensible feeding and adequate exercise are important to maintain your desexed dog/cat in top shape!

 

Strays are a very common problem in the UAE and this goes for cats and dogs. There are a few organizations that try to control these stray populations and try to home and re-home as many as possible. We have special arrangements with them, so if you have a problem with strays it is always best to contact them first. They can tell you what to do and were to go!  www.felinefriendsuae.com                    www.k9friends.com