Homeless and unwanted pets are a large issue for San Antonio.  We highly recommend spaying and neutering all pets between four to six months of age that will not be in professional breeding or showing situations. Aside from the impact of minimizing the homeless pet population, this simple procedure has significant, positive impacts upon the health of your pet as well as upon his behavior as a member of your family.

Females who are not spayed are subject to hormonal cycling which causes regular "heats" marked by bloody vaginal discharge and heightened attractiveness to males.   Females "in heat" must be strictly confined to prevent accidental breeding as the sexual drive is extremely strong and animals have been known to go to heroic lengths to reach the object of their affection.

Spaying your pet will both eliminate these heat periods as well as the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy.  Moreover, studies have shown that females who are spayed before their first heat period have a significantly reduced incidence of breast (mammary) cancer compared to females who are unaltered or spayed later in life.  Additionally, females who are spayed will not be subject to contracting an extremely serious, life-threatening uterine infection called a pyometra which is common in unaltered older females.

Males who are not neutered do not, like females have periods of increased sexual drive, but are in a more or less constant state of sexual attention.  This is usually expressed in behaviors relating to territoriality and rivalry with other males in the neighborhood.  Unaltered males will often have a desire to "mark" their territory (your home and yard) with a foul-smelling urine as a signal to potential rivals.  Females that are "in heat" emit a particular scent that can attract males from miles away, encouraging them to jump or dig out of their yards.  Rival males after the attention of a female often fight fiercely among themselves.

Neutering your pet will in no way impair his physical or emotional development.  Neutered males are every bit as affectionate and protective of their familes as unaltered males, but they are much less likely to develop serious behavioral problems that can threaten other persons and pets.  They will be more inclined to stay at home and thus be less likely to suffer injuries from other males.  They are also and are far less susceptible to the severe prostate problems that can plague older unaltered males, and are completely prevented from developing testicular cancer.

If you are planning a pregnancy for your pet sometime in the future, please consider the consequences of this action.  It is also important to recognize that unaltered males contribute equally with unaltered females to the pet overpopulation problem.   Pet overpopulation has reached serious proportions in this country with millions of unwanted puppies and kittens in circulation.

The spaying or neutering procedure would require your pet to be in the hospital for day surgery.  Please feel free to contact our office at 697-8581 with any questions or concerns you may have regarding either procedure or your pet’s reproductive health.