Have you heard about pet desexing? Do you know what it means and entails? While some pet owners in Australia understand what desexing means, most are clueless. Notably, pet desexing is a surgical procedure performed on cats, dogs and pocket pets such as guinea pigs. The primary purpose of pet desexing is to remove the uterus and ovaries of female pets (spaying) and testicles in male pets (castration). Pet desexing is associated with various benefits, including improved health, reduced behavioural issues and fewer unwanted pets. If you have only recently heard about pet desexing and want to take your car or dog for the procedure, you should ask a vet pertinent questions, as highlighted in this post.

How Long Is the Recovery Period? — The first thing a vet will tell you is that neutering is an invasive surgical procedure performed on pets under general anesthesia. When most pet owners hear about an invasive procedure, the first question that comes to mind is the recovery period. Typically, your pet's wound will remain raw for the first five days; hence, you must minimise their movement as much as possible. Notably, healing starts over the next few days as sutures dissolve and a wound closes. Therefore, pet owners must keep a close eye on their furry friends during the first few days and limit movement to small walks.

Are There Age Restrictions? — For a long time, there was a misconception that neutering weeks-old pets was dangerous. In fact, most people argued that the best time to desex male cats and dogs was later in life. However, most pet owners forgot that cats could get pregnant as young as four months and dogs as early as six months. Therefore, by the time you are thinking about desexing your pets, they might already be expecting. The good news is that early-age desexing is possible and can be performed on healthy pets as early as 8-12 weeks.

Are There Risks Involved? — As with any invasive surgical procedure, a veterinary surgeon will do everything to avoid complications during and post-surgery. Notably, young, healthy pets are less likely to develop any complications after the procedure. It is the reason vets recommend pet owners to take the early-age desexing option. While older pets might not experience any complications post-surgery, their wounds take longer to heal. Besides, let a vet know whether an older pet has any pre-existing health conditions or is taking any medications before the procedure. It goes a long way in preventing possible complications.