It used to be that traditional spay (removing the ovaries and uterus) or neuter (removing the testes) was performed for most pets at an early age. But more recent research has indicated that the type of sterilization and the age at which it is done can have health consequences for your pet. A number of techniques are available that can be tailored to the needs of your dog or cat. Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thorton offer some basic information and recommendations on how to make these decisions in their article “Alterations, while they wait”. To learn more, see our information and resources under Pet Health covering the topics of hormone-sparing sterilization, nonsurgical sterilization with calcium choloride, and other options for pets.
