“Ovariohysterectomy” is the medical term for the operation commonly known as “spaying,” and consists of the surgical removal of your pet’s ovaries and uterus.  Chances are that, by having this surgery done, you will add years to your pet’s life as it is a medical fact that spayed animals live longer and have fewer health risks than those that are not spayed.

  Pets do not need to go through a heat cycle before being spayed.  In fact, the risks of surgical complications are increased even after one heat cycle.  To reflect this, Council Bluffs Veterinary Clinic charges less to spay an animal before her first heat cycle than after she has been in heat. 

  This does not mean that there is no benefit to spaying a pet even after several heat cycles.  The main medical reason for spaying a pet before her first heat cycle is that you will have nearly eliminated the possibility of her developing mammary cancer later in life.  About 1 in 200 pets spayed before their first heat will develop mammary cancer; after the first heat this chance drops to 1 in 12; after the second & subsequent cycles, this chance drops to 1 in 4.  Even if she is spayed later, you will completely eliminate the chance that she will get ovarian cancer or a severe uterine infection called a pyometra.  A pyometra is a medical emergency and is common in older dogs (and cats) that have not been spayed.  The only effective treatment for a pyometra is to spay the pet (a difficult, delicate and expensive surgery), otherwise this condition is usually eventually fatal.

  Some people believe that spaying will make their pet fat.  Spaying will make your pet more food efficient, thus saving you money on pet food bills because she will need less food to thrive.  With this in mind, it is important to realize that spaying does NOT make your pet fat; OVERFEEDING makes your pet fat.

  Having your pet spayed will also reduce the amount of money spent on city and county license fees, since the fee is reduced for spayed pets. 

  Because she will not have the hormone swings and frustrations associated with heat cycles or cystic ovaries, your pet’s temperament should be steadier.  Spaying is unlikely to make a mean pet sweet, a shy pet bold, or anything so drastic as that, but it may help to settle a nervous pet and allow her to concentrate more fully on the lessons you teach her, thus making her easier to work with.

  The other reason to have your pet spayed is because accidental pregnancies have resulted in a pet population surplus.  Thousands of puppies and pets being killed in shelters every year.

  There are certain risks associated with any surgery, but there are far more problems associated with an unspayed pet.

  If you have any questions or concerns, call the Council Bluffs Veterinary clinic at 323-2147.   We are open 8-6 Monday through Friday, 8-3 on Saturdays.