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Desexing Your Dog or Cat

Desexing your new cat, dog, puppy or kitten, is more important than you think. Beyond ensuring overpopulation and unwanted litters, there are many more reasons why desexing your dog or cat is the right move as a responsible pet owner.

Dog Desexing Facts

Not desexing your dog or puppy can lead to a variety of health issues, including:

Mammary Cancer (female dogs)
Testicular Cancer (male dogs)
Prostate problems (male dogs)

What age should I desex my dog or puppy?

Your dog is never too old to be de-sexed, however the minimum age is six months.

Cat Desexing Facts:

Why should I desex my cat or kitten?
Not desexing your cat or kitten can lead to undesirable behaviours and issues including:

Wandering
Fighting
Unwanted Litters
Spraying

What age should I desex my cat or kitten?

Like a dog, your cat is never too old to be desexed, however the recommended minimum age is five months, as this is when your female cat may have her first season.

The Desexing Procedure and Aftercare

The procedure

The level of medical care during a desexing is gold standard at Petstock Vet, and we aim to make the procedure as convenient as possible - including flexible drop off/pick up policy (where applicable).

Contact your local Petstock Vet for flexible drop off and pick up times.

During a Petstock Vet desexing procedure, your pet:

Receives a full physical examination to make sure they are healthy and fit for the surgery
Goes under general anaesthesia using the same drugs and medications you would receive if you had surgery
Anaesthetic is monitored by a qualified vet nurse
Has fluids injected into the vein to support their circulatory system, warming devices to keep their body temperature high and different types of pain relief so they are comfortable during and after the procedure

To book a desexing appointment for your pet, call 13PETS for your nearest Petstock Vet clinic here.

Immediately After

It’s important to remember that desexing involves internal surgery and requires care and attention for some time after the procedure.
When you collect your dog or cat from the vet clinic, they may be a little drowsy for the next 12-24 hours and a bit out of sorts for a few days – quite normal following an anaesthetic and surgery. Keep them in a quiet, warm place and provide only small, frequent amounts to eat and drink. A cat igloo is a great bedding option for cats as it allows them to hide away from the rest of the household.

Caring for your dog or cat after desexing

Most dogs and cats start to feel much better within a few days. Unfortunately, this has some disadvantages in that your pet may start jumping, running around and generally trying to do everything they can to upset their stitches! Try to keep your pet as quiet as possible for the next 10 days. Avoid bathing or letting them swim during this time, too.

Problems resulting from desexing

Generally, there are very few complications after a desexing procedure. However, there are some signs to watch for:

Is your dog or cat dull and listless (especially after the first 24 hours)?
Any display of redness or irritation?
Is there swelling or lumpiness?

Call your vet if you notice any of these signs.
You can also talk to a vet online 7 days a week, 24 hours a day online using Vet Chat.

Desexing FAQs

What’s the difference between spaying and neutering?

How can I keep my pet calm during the procedure and aftercare?

Does desexing a cat change their personality?

Desexing a cat will not change their personality. A friendly cat will still be friendly; a shy cat will still be shy, and a playful cat will still be playful.
However, what desexing does is reduce or eliminate sexual behaviours, which is generally considered a good thing by most people who own cats as pets.

Behaviours changes seen following neutering include less aggression towards other cats, less motivation to roam, less urine spraying (and less smell associated with a male cat’s urine), and it will prevent the behaviours seen when female cats come into heat.

Do desexed cats still spray?

Do desexed cats still go on heat?

The most common method of desexing female cats is to remove both the ovaries and uterus, called an ovariohysterectomy. Cats that have undergone this procedure will not cycle or come on heat.

If your desexed cat starts to show behaviours that indicate that she is on heat (crying, rolling, rubbing or adopting a lordosis position), it is worth a trip to the vet to have things checked out. Some of the signs of heat can be linked to other health issues.

How do I prepare for a vet visit?

If it’s time for your cat to take a trip to the vet for a desexing procedure, make sure you’ve prepared in the right way – and well before the day itself, if possible.

Before taking your cat for their desexing procedure, it’s a good idea to ensure your cat is accustomed to the cat carrier to reduce their stress on the day. You can do this by feeding your cat inside the carrier or by training them to jump in for a treat – it’s incredible how life-changing this small action can be!

Now you’ve got all the tips and information your need for desexing your cat, make sure you think about booking into a vet or speaking to one before or after you’ve adopted your new best friend.