February 26, 2013 is World Spay Day, presented by The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International to raise awareness about saving animals’ lives.
According to the World Spay Day website, across the United States alone, “an estimated 6-8 million homeless kittens, puppies, cats, and dogs enter animal shelters every year. About half of these animals are adopted. Tragically, the other half are put down (destroyed). The majority of animals euthanized are healthy, sweet pets who would have made great companions.”
What exactly does “Spay” mean?
“Spay” is the common term used to describe the veterinary surgical procedure known as an ovariohysterectomy. During a spay operation, the veterinarian removes both the ovaries and uterus, sterilizing a female pet so she can’t breed and contribute to the overpopulation of pets.
Spaying benefits the pet’s health in many ways, including:
- Preventing “heat” so your pet won’t have the urge to escape and find a mate (which can be dangerous).
- Eliminating the pet’s hormone fluctuations that cause false pregnancy
- Preventing pyometra, a serious uterine infection
- Preventing breast cancer, especially if your pet is spayed before the first “heat” (This reduces the chance of developing breast cancer to less than 0.5%)
- Eliminating uterine and ovarian cancer risks
On World Spay Day, animal welfare organizations, shelters, veterinary professionals, businesses, and individuals join together to promote animal spaying (female) and neutering (male), with local events including spay/neuter clinics, fundraisers to benefit spay/neuter programs, and other awareness efforts. To learn more, visit https://spaydayportal.humanesociety.org/.
Caution: These news items, written by LifeLearn Inc., are licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying, printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written permission of LifeLearn Inc. Please note that the news information presented here is NOT a substitute for a proper consultation and/or clinical examination of your pet by our clinic veterinarian.
