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For decades, vets have been recommending that pet owners get their animals spayed or castrated. It’s a common topic brought up the first time we meet your new puppy or kitten. No doubt you are all familiar with the reasons why neutering is important; preventing pet overpopulation, unwanted pregnancies and certain diseases, among other benefits. There may of course be certain reasons why you choose not to get your pet neutered, which is fine.

However, today’s article will focus on owners who wish to get their pet neutered, but aren’t convinced by vets recommending a traditional surgery. With anywhere from 30-50% or more of UK dogs not being neutered, and probably even more cats, there are clearly a lot of you out there who might consider other options, such as a neutering implant, which is our topic for today.

Knowing whether your female dog is coming into heat (“in season”) is usually fairly obvious. A number of symptoms are associated with this specific reproductive phase, some, if not all, of which, should be visible.

Owning a dog that humps furniture, other dogs or people can lead to comic, but profoundly embarrassing moments. Most people assume that the dog is a sex pest or asserting dominance. 

However, there are many reasons for a dog humping, finding the root cause can help to curtail or reduce the behaviour.

False pregnancy is most commonly seen in the female dog (although cats may rarely be affected). Hormone changes after a ‘season’ or heat convince her and her body that she is pregnant. It is sometimes called phantom pregnancy or pseudopregnancy. The hormone changes that cause false pregnancy are normal in the dog but sometimes the symptoms get out of hand and are distressing for the dog and her owners. 

A surprising question……. 

Since the 1970’s vets have advocated neutering for prevention of cancer in dogs and cats. There is evidence for a reduction in breast cancer in neutered female dogs⁽¹⁾ and cats ⁽²⁾. Surgical neutering also eliminates the risk of testicular or ovarian cancer. 

One important reason that vets often give for neutering female dogs earlier is to reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, what’s the real risk of the disease? Our vet blogger Sian investigates…