Neutering
What are the benefits of Neutering?
Population control: Neutering cats can help to reduce the number of stray cats in a population, which can prevent overpopulation and related issues such as disease, starvation, and aggression.
Health benefits: Neutered cats are less likely to develop certain health problems such as testicular cancer and prostate issues in males, and uterine and mammary cancer in females.
Behavioral benefits: Neutered cats are less likely to exhibit certain behaviors such as roaming, fighting, and spraying urine to mark territory.
Cost-effective: Neutering is a more cost-effective solution to controlling stray cat populations compared to trapping, euthanasia, and other methods.
Community benefits: Neutering stray cats can also help to reduce complaints about stray cats and improve the overall well-being of the community.
Facts v Myths
MYTH – It’s good for a female cat’s health if she has a litter before she’s neutered.
This has been proven to be completely false. There are no health or veterinary benefits to allowing a female cat to have a litter before having her spayed. In fact, if you spay your female cat before she enters her first heat cycle you will dramatically reduce her chances of developing mammary tumours. Mammary tumours are the 3rd most common form of cancer affecting cats and are of serious concern. Spaying an adult female cat that has had a litter of kittens is a riskier and lengthier operation than surgery on a younger cat.
MYTH – Cats gain weight once they have been neutered.
There is no evidence to support this belief. If you feed your cat a healthy balanced diet and they are able to exercise, like any other individual, they will not gain weight. As well as all the health benefits, neutering your cat will prevent them from changing their body shape in other ways. Non-neutered male cats develop large cheeks due to their glands, and large shoulders because of testosterone. A sticky black secretion containing pheromones will also appear around the base of their tail making the fur in this area greasy and matted.
MYTH – Neutering cats changes their personality.
In fact choosing not to neuter your cat can change their personality, for the worse. When non-neutered cats reach sexual maturity, their bodies are flooded with hormones which drastically alter their personality. *Male cats can become aggressive, extremely territorial and develop behaviours such as smelly spraying, biting and excessive vocalisation. They will begin to wander the neighbourhood in search of mates and competition, which places them at a high risk of injury or contracting diseases, such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). Female cats that are not spayed will enter heat cycles where they are pursued by any males in the district, and yowl almost continuously and distressingly. Neutering or spaying your cat before they reach sexual maturity (at around 4 months of age) will prevent these antisocial behaviours from occurring. Fortunately, neutering an adult cat will also halt the production of sex hormones, and after a couple of weeks your cat will get back the personality you fell in love with.
MYTH – You only need to sterilise female cats.
Please see the health and behavioural benefits for* male cats – this includes prevention of injuries, diseases such as FIV, and antisocial behaviour. It is also very important to realise that if your cat mates with a female cat the kittens will most likely be unwanted. Although you will not have direct financial or ‘hands on’ responsibility, you will be morally responsible (along with the owner of the non-spayed female) for the suffering which follows.
MYTH – It’s cruel to neuter cats because it’s natural for them to reproduce.
It is essential to prevent companion animals from breeding under the current circumstances. Every year in Greece tens of thousands of cats and dogs are destroyed or die on the streets, and until this tragedy has been addressed it is cruel and irresponsible to bring more animals into this world. If you are in doubt visit any shelter or street colony, and you will be confronted by dozens of unwanted, homeless animals. These animals will range from gorgeous kittens and puppies to healthy and affectionate adult cats and dogs, and just as quickly as these animals live and die their short, tragic lives, many more are produced to take their place.
MYTH – Neutering male cats will make me less of a man!
As strange as it sounds, some men refuse to neuter male cats because they project feelings (and insecurities) about their own masculinity onto their pets. This ignores the fact that their cat will be at risk of sustaining injuries, developing health problems and contracting diseases. If you know a man who refuses to neuter their male cat and is beyond reasoning recommend that they consider purchasing Neuticles and remind them that real men don’t need the testicles of another animal to prove their masculinity or virility.
MYTH – Cats must be 6 months of age before they can be spayed.
This is a myth spread by the ‘older generation’ of vets, and is something that veterinary students are now taught is false. It is safe, quick and beneficial for their health to spay cats once they have reached 3-4 months of age (or 2kg in weight). In fact, in the US and UK, cats are even spayed as young as 8 weeks of age, in a procedure referred to as ‘juvenile neutering’, performed using keyhole surgery with a small incision. The RSPCA, Animal Welfare League, Cat Protection and reputable rescue organisations all practice juvenile neutering.
Our vets here in Kefalonia recommend spaying at 4 months old, an age at which kittens are reaching sexual maturity and facing their first oestrus. We are frequently contacted by people needing assistance because a cat they were feeding has become pregnant while they were waiting to have them spayed at 6 months, or has come into season at 4 months and is being pursued by all the neighbourhood tomcats.
Dogs
We never get tired of learning new facts about dogs so check out these 11 incredible dog facts that you might not know. Plus we’ve pulled together facts about the people (like you!) who care for them.
1. Sniff Rate. A dog breathes in and out around 15 times per minute when sitting calmly. That frequency goes up to 31 times per minute while walking. But when a dog is actively sniffing, the inhalation/exhalation rate goes up to 140 to 200 times per minute.
2. Communication. Dogs do communicate to each other when they vocalise, bark or growl. A more common means of communication between dogs is body language—an upright or tucked tail, forward ears or tense body can speak volumes.
3. Petting. Researchers have confirmed that a quiet 15 minute petting session can relax a shelter dog and result in positive behavioural and physiological changes.
4. Humping. Studies from dog parks recorded that humping, or more politely, mounting was 16 times more frequent in male-male pairs as compared to female pairs.
5. Greetings. Female dogs are more likely to greet other dogs by smelling the snout/muzzle first, while males go for the anogenital region. (You might be able to sex the dogs who greet your dog based on this behaviour alone.)
6. Better smellers. Is it true female dogs are better at smelling than males? The experts who wrote K9 Scent Training observed that to be the case, and Alexander Horowitz added that women are often keener “smellers” than men.
7. Paw preference. Dogs who show paw preference and those who are reported to be right-pawed are associated with lower arousal and calmer responses to novel stimuli and strangers.
8. Dogs are individuals. Not all Retrievers like to play fetch or Pointers point at things, in fact in the seminal research, Genetics and the Social Behaviour of the Dog, it states that there is often greater variability in terms of temperament and talent between dogs within a breed than between breeds.
9. By the nose. Dogs have 125 to 300 million olfactory cells (compared to our 5 million), and 33% of their brain is dedicated to interpreting odours.
10. Good for both of us. A dog gazing into our eyes, and us looking into theirs, showed a marked increase in oxytocin (the “love” hormone) levels in both humans and dogs. This is similar to mother-infant relationships.
11. Make you more attractive. Studies find that including a dog in your dating profile might help you get a date.Dogs make men attractive to women to a greater degree than they make women attractive to men. Women were more likely to find someone attractive because they had a dog, and were also more likely to find a photo of a dog in an online dating profile a turn-on.
Do Male and Female Dogs Have Different Personalities?
The short answer is: Yes. These differences can most clearly be seen between female dogs and intact (non-neutered) male dogs.
Male vs. female dog traits
Personality
Male pups can be more playful, active and independent. On the other hand, they can also be more dominant, territorial and easily distracted than female dogs. Non-neutered male dogs often display acts of domination toward smaller dogs — and even humans! Starting dog obedience training early to help curb this behaviour.
Female dogs tend to be easier to housebreak and train and more connected with their owners — but in certain circumstances, they can also be more demanding of attention. Dominance and territorial behaviour can also be seen in female dogs that are not neutered when they are in heat.
Call the dogs off
Aggression can be a problem in any dog of any breed. However, it’s usually more noticeable in non-neutered males.
Size of the dog
Female dogs are generally smaller in size and height than male dogs of the same breed — though not always.
Female dogs tend to reach maturity faster than their male counterparts, which can be a training advantage. If you’re planning to adopt a puppy, a female pup will often be easier to train than a male puppy of the same age.
Physical differences
Unlike male dogs, female dogs that are not neutered that have reached puberty will go into oestrus, also known as heat, twice a year. During this cycle lasting anywhere from nine days to three weeks, female dogs produce bloody vaginal discharge, which attracts male dogs for breeding. It’s important to keep dogs in heat inside or away from male dogs — unless you want puppies.
So how does spaying or
So how does spaying or neutering affect male and female dog personalities?
If you don’t have plans to breed your dog, spaying or neutering them while young can not only prevent unexpected puppies, but also improve both male and female dog temperaments.
Hot Diggity Dog
Whether you plan to adopt a pup that is already spayed or neutered or it’s on your to-do list soon after adoption, here’s what to expect when it comes to temperament:
Spaying female dogs often leads to a mellower personality and fewer displays of aggression.
Neutered male dogs tend to be easier to train, calmer, less aggressive and less likely to wander off.
Every dog has their day.
So, does this mean that all non-neutered male dogs and unspayed female dogs will be aggressive, territorial and dominant? And that all female canines will be easier to train and housebreak?
And the verdict is…
The short answer is: No. These are just generalised personality tendencies. Most dogs that are properly socialised as puppies — and given the proper training and care — can grow up to be wonderful, obedient, attentive, life-enhancing companions.
In fact, when you’re deciding what dog to adopt, factors such as breed, size, age, energy levels and grooming needs often play a bigger role in finding the perfect match. Our dog breed selector is a great tool as you research before heading to the shelter, and our dog adoption guide has plenty of pointers for your entire adoption journey.
Facts About Dogs in Heat
Female dogs are only receptive to mating when they are in heat, and it is also the only time they can get pregnant. A dog’s first heat usually occurs when they are between 6 months to a year old. Here we will separate the facts from the myths about female dogs and their heat cycles.
How long will a heat cycle last?
Between 21 to 28 days.
How often do dogs go in heat?
Most female dogs go into heat every 6 to 12 months. However, this can vary from breed to breed and dog to dog. Small breed dogs may cycle three times per year, while giant breed dogs may only cycle once every 12 months. … It can take up to two years for a female dog to develop regular cycles.
How can you tell if your dog is in heat?
Her vulva will look swollen or larger than normal.
She will begin to bleed although the amount is very small. Some owners use dog diapers.
May urinate more often and tense her rear legs.
She may begin “flagging” a male dog, moving her tail to the side and making herself available to a male dog.
She may be more clingy to you.
She may run away to practice hiding from male dogs.
When is a female dog most fertile?
A female dog is not most fertile right in the beginning. “The fertile period is actually when the bloody discharge starts to subside and it becomes pink or clear and there’s much less of it,” Dr Kelso says “Even the swelling of the vulva goes down substantially so a lot of people think the dog is out of heat, but no, that’s actually the prime fertile time.”
How do male dogs react to a female’s heat?
When your dog is in heat, she gives off pheromones which a male dog can smell from miles away. Males may become interested in her and may even fight over her. If you don’t want your dog getting pregnant at this time, keep her away from male dogs.
When should a dog be spayed?
Although there is much controversy on this subject, the best answer is to ask your veterinarian. Many will suggest you spay your dog before her first heat. With February being National Spay/Neuter Month and the number of dogs languishing in shelters, it is important to spay your dog. In females it will decrease the chances of mammary cancer and prevent uterine infections.
What is pyometra?
Pyometra is a uterine infection among unspayed female dogs that can result in death and almost always results in emergency spay surgery. If you notice any pus, or your dog stops eating or drinking, contact your veterinarian immediately.
One interesting note? Dogs do not experience menopause, meaning they remain fertile well into seniority.
It is strongly advised not to breed young female dogs during their first and second cycle. Their eggs are not yet mature and the dog hasn’t reached full maturity.
If you have a male dog with a neighbor female dog in heat, I hope you have a high fence between the two!