Neutering

Why should I neuter my dog?
Spaying of female dogs prevents conditions that they can develop in later life such as pyometra (a potentially fatal infection of the uters) and uterine cancer. Once your bitch is spayed she will not have phantom pregnancies or seasons and therefore there is no risk of unwanted pregnancy. There is no benefit to your dog’s health in letting her have a litter prior to neutering.

Neutering at an early ago can predispose to some conditions such as urinary incontinence or joint disease in larger dogs.

Castrated dogs are much less likely to develop prostatic diseases, including cancer, in later life. They will not develop testicular tumours and have a smaller risk of certain hernias that can cause serious problems. Once your dog is castrated he is less likely to roam. He will not be able to father unwanted puppies.

We recommend neutering male and female dogs with an expected adult weight of less than 40kg at one year of age. If your dog is expected to have an adult weight of over 40kg we recommend waiting until they are two years old to neuter.

What does neutering my dog involve?
Neutering your dog is a surgical procedure that can be carried out at any of our branches. Your pet will have a full health check by a veterinary surgeon before having an anaesthetic. They will be closely monitored throughout and after the procedure and will be given plenty of pain relief. They will usually be able to come home on the same day as the procedure and will require rest for about 7 days. We recommend post-operative checks on days 3 and 10 following surgery. We can now offer spaying by keyhole surgery at the Park Street Surgery. This is minimally invasive and your bitch will only need to rest for about 24 hours following the procedure. Please speak to a member of the Kingston team if you are interested in this procedure for your dog. All of our contact details can be found here.

To book an appointment, please click here.

Why should I neuter my cat?
Spaying your female cat will prevent unwanted pregnancies. One unneutered female cat can have as many as 20,000 descendants and cats will breed with their siblings and parents. There is no benefit for your cat to have a season or litter prior to neutering. We recommend spaying your cat when she reaches 2kg, which is usually between 4 and 6 months of age.

Entire (not castrated) male cats are more likely to roam and fight. Roaming increases the chances of your cat having a Road Traffic Accident and fighting puts your cat at risk of contracting several fatal diseases, including the feline AIDs virus. Castrating your cat will also help to prevent him from scent marking by spraying foulsmelling urine in your house. We recommend castrating your cat when he reaches 2kg, which is usually between 4 and 6 months of age.

What does neutering my cat involve?
Neutering your cat is a surgical procedure that can be carried out at any of our branches. Your pet will have a full health check by a veterinary surgeon before having an anaesthetic. They will be closely monitored throughout and after the procedure and will be given plenty of pain relief. They will usually be able to come home on the same day as the procedure and female cats will require rest for about 7 days. Male cats should stay inside for 48 hours. We recommend post-operative checks on days 3 and 10 following surgery for female cats.

Please do not allow your cats outside until they have been neutered. This will prevent them from contributing to the feral cat population which is at crisis point in our area.

To book an appointment, please click here.

Why should I neuter my rabbit?
Spaying your rabbit will prevent unwanted pregnancies, as well as preventing cancer of the womb which is very common in entire female rabbits. Castrating your rabbit will prevent aggression and urine spraying. We recommend neutering your rabbit from 5 months of age.

What does neutering my rabbit involve?
Neutering your rabbit is a surgical procedure that can be carried out at any of our branches. Your pet will have a full health check by a veterinary surgeon before having an anaesthetic. They will be closely monitored throughout and after the procedure and will be given plenty of pain relief. They will usually be able to come home on the same day as the procedure if they are eating. We recommend postoperative checks on days 3 and 10 following surgery.

Please remember that you should never starve your rabbit, even before an anaesthetic. To book an appointment, please click here.

We do not recommend neutering male or female ferrets. Please talk to a member of the Kingston team about vasectomies and hormonal implants as an alternative. All our contact details can be found here.