Reduces your pet's desire to roam in search of a mate -- this also helps reduce the problems of free roaming animals; for example, car accidents and pet theft

We recommend that all mixed breed pets be spayed. Purebred animals that are not being used for breeding or for show should also be spayed. Spaying a female dog or cat involves the surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries. The primary benefit to spaying your pet is to eliminate their ability to have puppies or kittens.

It is actaully better for her to NOT have a litter or heat cycle before being spayed. Spaying before the first heat cycle significantly reduces the risk of mammary cancers later in life. Although there is risk with any surgery, spaying and neutering are relatively safe and painless operations. We routinely provide all our surgical patients with medication to help them cope with pain.

Feline overpopulation is a real social problem in today’s world. Every year, millions of healthy cats are put to sleep in shelters across the USA because there are not enough homes to be found. Statistics show that one breeding pair, in 5 years will result in the production of up to 16,000 kittens if all their kittens had 2 litters per year once they reached the breeding age of 5 - 7 months old.

The Lewiston Veterinary Clinic recommends that you spay/neuter your dog or cat around 6 months of age. It is important to spay or neuter due to pet overpopulation. Overpopulation can lead to disease and starvation, homeless pets, and many other hazards. There are many adoption facilities that are filled with dogs and cats in need of a home. If you are thinking of breeding your dog or cat, have them examined by a veterinarian to assure that they are in acceptable breeding condition.

We generally recommend spaying and neutering dogs and cats at six months of age. Spaying your dog or cat at 6 months of age and before her first heat cycle decreases the incidence of life-threatening mammary tumors and uterine infections. Neutering your dog or cat at this age protects him from developing aggressive behaviors and potentially life-threatening prostate disease.

Animal Rescue Center does not accept stray animals unless they are injured. All stray animals should be taken to your local Animal Care & Control so that their owners have an opportunity to find them.

Spaying or neutering your puppy will often encourage stronger bonding with the family as they are less concerned about finding a mate in life. Altering your dog prevents problems such as mammary and uterine cancer in females, and prostate and testicular cancer in males. It is safe to alter your dog any time from 6 months of age. It is assumed that anyone wishing to purchase a Ridgeback would have already given some thought to secure fencing. Ridgebacks in general are not prone to jump.

We recommend spaying and neutering all pets. Read more about cats in "Spay your cat!" under "Newsletter" to the left.

If pups are not wanted it is best to spay before the 1st heat. Also, the risk of breast cancer in female dogs can be significantly minimized by spaying before the first heat period.

Absolutely not! Again, the cancer preventing benefits are the highest if the pet is spayed before her first heat. The bigger issue is the number of unwanted pets; the shelters are full of pets needing homes that may end being euthanized for lack of a home.

If ingested, make sure the pieces pass in the pet's bowel movement. If nothing passes within 24-48 hours or the animal seems uncomfortable, contact your vet and let them know of the incident.

Please check FDA's Web site at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html to see if your pet food has been recalled: If your pet food is not listed, the pet food is not affected by the recall and you can continue to feed it to your pets. If your pet shows a sudden onset of symptoms, including loss of appetite, vomiting, or lack of energy, stop feeding the pet food and contact your veterinarian. If the pet food is one of those being recalled, do NOT feed it to your animals.

Yes - Although rare cats have been infected by the H5N1 avian influenza virus. Dogs at this time have not been found infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus, however other mammals have become infected and it is thought dogs could also become infected.

For any dead animal in the road, call Public Works at 561.804.7000 and they will remove it. If the animal is on private property, it is the property owner's responsibility to remove it.

Please refer to the list provided on Metro Animal Services website). An application can also be downloaded from the Metro website.

Call the Oakland Pet Adoption Center at 248-391-4102 to find out if the pet has been reported missing. If so, you will be given the name and phone number of the possible owner. If you wish to keep the pet for a few days to see if the owner turns up, you should leave a found report at the Pet Adoption Center. Otherwise, you can bring the pet to the center or request that the pet be picked up.

All Rock Island County residents should obtain their pet registration tags from Rock Island County Animal Care and Control. Pet tags may be purchased at the county animal shelter located at 4001 - 78th Avenue in Moline, or by calling (309) 558-3483 and requesting a tag by mail. Pet owners must have a copy of a current rabies vaccination certificate to buy a tag.

Female cats will spray urine just like a male if they are not spayed before about 6 months of age. After about 6 months of age, a female cat will start going into monthly heat cycles, lasting about a week at a time. During this time, they get very vocal, often howling loudly all night long. Your cat will make you feel as unpleasant and uncomfortable as she does during this time. But there are also valid health reasons that female cats should be spayed.

If you have your female spayed before her first heat cycle you are protecting her against mammary tumors, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer. Spayed pets will not have heat cycles that soil your rugs. Sterilized pets behave better.

The Town of Brookhaven requires that every dog/cat leaving the animal shelter be spayed or neutered to help control the stray dog/cat population.

Yes. This is not negotiable. The kitten is being sold as a pet because it has traits that are undesirable (however slight) in the breed. And the average person does not understand the rigors of dealing with whole animals. Ask yourself - do you really want a cat that urinates anywhere and calls loudly to find a mate in your household? That and a whole cat will never really be all yours. We do not sell cats as gifts.

We really need to know more about your dog. But yes, we sure can help. There is no universal solution to this problem. Every case is unique. We will analyze the behavior of your dog, try to understand why (his past, what triggers the behavior, the "drive" he is in, his body posture). All those elements interact and each situation has its own answer. CRATE TRAINING is a good way of making the job of house training your puppy a much more enjoyable and successful experience.

Serious breeders find breeding partners at the shows, through their contacts in the club, and through ads in the breed magazine. Most serious breeders are quite choosy about how they breed to and it is suggested to do the same as above, go to shows to contact serious breeders to see if there is any interest. Though most serious breeders are very choosy about stud dogs and usually pick one that has achieved its championship title and has proven itself with quality get.

Both sexes are equally suited to be service dogs. All dogs are neutered before placement so their working behavior will not be affected by hormonal changes.

This can vary from one dog to the next. Typically, the heat cycle lasts around two to three weeks. The female's vulva will swell and then bleed for several days. Mating is typically done after being in heat for a good 10 days. Some females have what is called a silent heat. This occurs when a dog does not show the typical signs of being in heat but can still get pregnant. Be careful if your dog is in heat and you do not wish her to be bred.

The earliest we recommend spaying or neutering your dog or cat is when they are 5 - 6 months of age. Attempting to perform surgery any earlier than that poses a greater risk for complications with the anesthesia and/or with the surgery itself. For males, both testicles must be descended for the neuter to be performed. The earliest we recommend declawing cats is 3 months of age.

Ask your vet and go by what they say if this is the route you choose to go - but I recommend waiting until the pup has had the series of puppy shots and they get their last shot at 18 weeks- then wait a month or so for the pups immunities to "kick in" - then have the spayed or neutered.