Spaying & Neutering in Los Angeles

Spay & Neuter Procedures & Their Benefits

Spaying or neutering your dog or cat is crucial for their health and well-being, and it can also help make them easier to handle. Learn more about what happens during each procedure and the benefits you and your pet can experience:

Neutering (Males)

Neutering procedures surgically remove the testicles from male cats and dogs, preventing them from fathering litters.

Cats: Neutering your cat can effectively reduce unwanted behaviors like spraying, roaming, and aggression towards other cats.

Dogs: Spaying or neutering your dog can help reduce aggression, 'humping,' and attempts to escape your home or yard.

Spaying (Females)

During spaying, a veterinarian surgically removes the reproductive organs of female cats or dogs. This surgery prevents your cat or dog from getting pregnant.

Cats: Spaying your cat can help prevent her from exhibiting behaviors such as trying to escape, roaming, yowling, and urinating outside the litter box.

Dogs: Spaying your dog is important for preventing pyometra (womb infection) and mammary tumors by preventing their heat cycle.

When to Spay or Neuter Your Cat or Dog

Nobody knows your cat or dog's health better than their veterinarian. Although we provide general spay and neuter guidelines below, it is always best to consult your veterinarian.

• Cats

  A kitten can be spayed or neutered as young as six to eight weeks old, but the standard age is between five and six months. While we recommend that you spay or neuter your cat as soon as possible, a healthy adult cat can be spayed or neutered at any age.

• Dogs

  We recommend having puppies spayed or neutered around the age of six months. Some veterinarians believe that it is best to wait until the dog reaches sexual maturity before performing these reproductive surgeries. Consult with your veterinarian to determine the best time to have your dog spayed or neutered.

Spaying & Neutering FAQs

Please read the answers to our clients' most frequently asked questions about spay and neuter procedures.

• What should I know about the recovery process for my pet?

  Spaying

  Some clinics will keep your cat or dog overnight following spay surgery, while others will allow her to leave the same day. The general rule is 7-10 days of restricted activity.

  Neutering 

  If there are no complications or other health issues, your dog or cat can usually return home the same day as the procedure, with limited activity for a few days while the incision heals.

  For both procedures, we may send your pet home with a protective collar to prevent it from licking the incision.

  We usually schedule a follow-up visit to see how well your pet has healed and to remove the stitches.

• When should I have my pet spayed?

  Pet owners should consult with their veterinarian about the best age to spay or neuter their cat or dog. According to some research, spaying or neutering dogs after they reach puberty may provide long-term health benefits. 

  Many veterinarians recommend spaying female animals before their first heat, which can occur as early as 5 months of age. However, there is mounting evidence that this is too young, as the animals have not had the opportunity to fully develop and grow.

• Why should I get my cat spayed or neutered?

  Population Control

  According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), approximately 3.2 million cats enter US animal shelters each year.

  The most effective way for you to help reduce the number of unwanted cats in Los Angeles area shelters is to spay or neuter your feline friend.

  Protect Wildlife

  Every year, cats in the United States kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds. By reducing the number of homeless cats, you can help save the lives of many birds and other wildlife.

  Cat Neutering Benefits

  Male cat neutering can help to reduce many undesirable cat behaviors, including spraying indoors and around the house to mark territory, roaming, howling, and fighting with other untreated male cats. Reducing your cat's desire to fight may lower their risk of injury as well as the transmission of Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and Feline leukemia virus (FeLV).

  Cat Spaying Benefits

  Spaying female cats before their first heat cycle can lower their risk of developing mammary tumors and pyometra (womb infection). It's also worth noting that female cats carrying infectious diseases can pass serious illnesses on to their kittens, who may then spread the disease even further. The pregnancy and birth process can be dangerous for young cats and costly for their owners.

• Why should I get my dog spayed or neutered?

  Population Control

  According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), approximately 3.3 million dogs enter shelters each year in the United States.

  Spaying or neutering your dog is the most effective way to help reduce the overall number of unplanned puppies born each year, while also improving your pet's behavior and lowering their risk of serious health conditions.

  Dog Spaying Benefits

  Female dog spaying can help prevent serious health issues like pyometra (a potentially fatal uterine infection) and mammary cancer.

  Dog Neutering Benefits

  Neutering male dogs can reduce unwanted behaviors like aggression, straying, and humping while also preventing testicular cancer.

• Will my pet feel anything during the procedure?

  No, your pet will be completely unconscious throughout the procedure.

• Will my pet gain weight after the procedure?

  Following the spay or neuter procedure, your puppy or kitten will continue to grow to adulthood, which will include some weight gain.

  However, your pet will not gain weight as a result of being spayed or neutered.