A spay surgery is the removal of ovaries and uterus in the female; a neuter surgery is removal of the testes in the male.  A declaw procedure is the removal of the last portion of the feline digit the includes the claw on the toe.  Deciding if and when to spay, neuter, or declaw your pet is complex. There are advantages and disadvantages to spaying, neutering, or declawing; there are also consequences of the age at which you have any of these surgeries done.

While there is no pre-determined ideal time for spay or neuter, our hospital frequently recommends that if this is going to be done that it is done at about 6 months of age.  This allows the pet to mature enough to handle the surgery and provide the owner enough time to determine if spay or neuter is right for their pet.  If a declaw procedure is elected for a kitten, we feel that it is ideal to have this done at the same time as the spay or neuter because it eliminates the need for another anesthetic event.  Declawing is discouraged in any cat over the age of 1 year due to the challenges these cats face with the recovery from the procedure.

We encourage our clients to familiarize themselves with the consequences of the decision to perform a spay or neuter (or declaw for cats) or not prior to acquiring their pet.  Our staff as able to provide you with the information you need to make a decision that is right your you and your pet.  Please contact us at 608-834-8118 or email us at info@sunprarirepetclinic.com with any additional questions that you may have.