Spaying & Neutering
Aubrey Ivy
3rd Year Vet Student
Texas A&M University
Introduction
• Class of 2009 veterinary student
• How I got here:
– High School Diploma
– Bachelors Degree in Biomedical Science
(4 years)
– Veterinary School (4 years), 1 ½ to go!
Introduction
• Why did I want to
become a veterinarian?
– Started raising 4-H
dairy goats in 6th grade
– Enjoyed science and
problem solving
– Volunteered at local vet
clinic over the summers
– Wanted to learn how to
help other animals
What do veterinarians do?
• Take care of dogs, cats, horses, livestock,
zoo animals, pocket pets, and people!
– Give vaccinations
– Educate owners about animal care
– Diagnose and treat animal diseases
– Inspect food for consumption by people
– Research human and animal diseases
– AND perform surgeries!
• Such as spaying and neutering
Why should I spay or
neuter my pet?
Shelter overpopulation is a big problem!
• Approximately 61% of all dogs entering
shelters are euthanized
• Approximately 75% of all cats entering
shelters are euthanized
• As many as 25% of dogs entering shelters
each year are purebreds
Why should I spay or
neuter my pet?
Shelter overpopulation is expensive!
• It costs approximately $100 to catch, house,
feed and provide medical care for each stray
animal in a shelter
• This money must be paid by taxpayers!
Why should I spay or
neuter my pet?
• An estimated 52 million dogs and 57 million cats
live with U.S. families
• For every human born, 7 puppies and kittens are
born
• More than 12 million dogs and cats are euthanized
in shelters each year. Millions more are abandoned
in rural and urban areas
How does pet overpopulation
happen?
What is the consequence of
letting just two cats breed?
•Year 1
-1 female has 3 litters of 6 kittens each
-Total new kittens year 1 = 18
-Total feline population year 1 = 20
•Year 2
-10 females having 3 litters of 6 kittens each
-Total new kittens year 2 = 180
-Total feline population year 2 = 200
•Year 3
-100 females have 3 litters of 6 kittens each
-Total new kittens year 3 = 1,800
-Total feline population year 3 = 2,000
•Year 4
-1,000 females have 3 litters of 6 kittens each
-Total new kittens year 4 = 18,000
-Total feline population year 4 = 20,000
Cat Population Growth
Popular Excuses for not
Spaying and Neutering
1. It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or
neutered.
The price is relatively small considering the benefits for
the health of your pet and costs associated with having a
litter
Benefits to your pet’s health:
-decreased risk of infections and cancers of the
reproductive tracts
-prevent the diseases associated with breeding
-give your pet a longer healthier life!!
Popular Excuses for not
Spaying and Neutering
2. I'll find good homes for all the puppies and
kittens.
Each home you find means one less for the dogs and
cats in shelters who need good homes. And remember,
the problem of pet overpopulation is created and
perpetuated one litter at a time.
Popular Excuses for not
Spaying and Neutering
3. Isn’t it better to have one litter first?
Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the
evidence suggests that females spayed before their first
heat are typically healthier and have a lower cancer risk
than intact females
Popular Excuses for not
Spaying and Neutering
4. My dog is purebred, isn’t that enough reason to
breed him or her?
Breeding purebred dogs and cats perpetuates the
genetic diseases brought about by centuries of
inbreeding. In fact, mixed breed animals have a lower
incidence of genetic diseases and a longer and
healthier life expectancy.
Besides, at least one out of every four pets brought to
animal shelters are purebred. You can find any breed
you want at a shelter!!
Once you have decided to
spay or neuter your pet,
what happens next?
Spaying and Neutering
• When should my pet be spayed or neutered?
• Generally by 6 months of age
• What is involved in the surgery?
• Pets are evaluated to make sure they are healthy
enough for anesthesia
• Blood tests are run to evaluate internal organ
function (liver, kidney, etc.)
• Pets are given a sedative, pain medication,
and an anesthetic so that they are comfortable
and asleep during the surgery
Tools of the Trade
• Towel clamps
Tools of the Trade
• Scalpels
Tools of the Trade
• Hemostats
Tools of the Trade
• Spay hook
Tools of the Trade
• Forceps
Tools of the Trade
• Scissors
Tools of the Trade
• Needle driver
Tools of the Trade
• Suture
Spaying and Neutering
• VIDEO
So what if you want to be a vet?
• Things you can do starting now:
•Volunteer in your community and at a veterinary clinic
•Study hard and make good grades in school
(especially in science classes)
•Take opportunities for club involvement and
leadership positions
•Work at a vet clinic or other animal related job once
you’re old enough
•Start researching college options
Oh, the places you will go!
Where veterinary medicine can take you
• Travel opportunities in veterinary medicine
The End