In male dogs, both testes are removed; this is known as ‘castration’. In female dogs, either the uterus is removed or both the uterus and the ovaries; this is known as ‘spaying’.
Spaying a female dog eliminates the ability to reproduce, and your dog will no longer come into season.
Our advice is breed dependant and we would prefer to wait until they have reached full maturity for some breeds this may be when they are 6 months old and others will be when they are 12 or even 24 months old.
Please contact the surgery for the best advice for your pet.
Here at Cinque Ports we can also perform a female dog ‘spaying’ procedure via keyhole surgery; your pet would have three small incisions, and females often recover faster from this surgery.
Neutering and spaying your dog:
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Prevents unwanted pregnancies and womb infections
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Can help prevent tumours and breast cancer
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Can also help prevent testicular cancer and prostate disease
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Assists in preventing roaming and aggressive behaviour
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It’s normal to neuter! 71% of owned dogs in the UK are neutered*
*PSDA Paws report 2020
At what age are dogs neutered or spayed?
Our advice is breed dependant for both males and females, along with taking into consideration your, home situation, behaviour and age, this is so we can provide the most suitable recommendation for your dog based on the latest evidence.
Male dogs older than six months can be neutered at any stage; however, we would still consider the dog’s breed, size, overall behaviour and other risk factors upon discussion of the procedure.
If your dog is not spayed before her first season, we would wait three months after the season.
Should I let my dog have one litter before spaying her?
This happens to be a common question, and there are no known health benefits to letting your dog have a litter; this is also the same for cats and rabbits.
General anaesthesia
Your pet requires a general anaesthetic for neutering; here at Cinque Ports we have measures in place to ensure their safety during the procedure. A dedicated Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) will monitor your pet throughout their surgery and recovery. All anaesthesia comes with some form of risk; however, these are very low, especially neutering, as pets are often young, fit, and healthy when having this procedure.
Risk levels of anaesthesia increase with a pet’s age, certain breeds and if your pet has any underlying health conditions. We can perform a pre-anaesthetic blood test before your pet’s surgery, to detect any underlying illnesses; this can be discussed when booking in for the procedure and on the day of their surgery. Your pet will receive a premedication to relax them and will also receive two types of pain relief. Rest assured the Cinque Ports team will be with your pet every step of the way.
Your pet will stay the day with us
On the day of the procedure, please bring your dog on a secure harness or lead; during the admission appointment, we will discuss the procedure and go through the consent form. Please note we must gain a signature from the registered owner (over 18) or authorised agent on the consent form. Your dog, cat or rabbit will be admitted as a ‘day patient’, and they will be discharged later that day once our team are happy with how your pet has recovered.
Find your local Cinque Ports Vets
During your pet’s discharge appointment, the team will go through everything you need to know about caring for your pet after their surgery and their pain relief medication. We are always at the end of the telephone for you and your pet, so please contact us if you have any further questions once you have your pet settled back at home. If you need to contact us please visit our contact us page.
Pet Health for Life Plan
What's more members of our Pet Health for Life Plan can claim a 10% discount off any neutering treatment following an initial consultation with one of our vets.
To discuss when's the right time for your pet, please book an initial consultation where we will discuss options with you.
