Desexing or neutering your pet is a surgical procedure

That prevents them from being able to reproduce. In female pets it is commonly know as “speying”, and in male pets as “castration”. This is a very common surgery performed at the Flemington Vet Hospital.

Common questions about desexing:

What age should I desex my pet?

ased on the current scientific evidence available, there is no conclusive answer to this question. There are many factors to weight up and it depends on the breed and gender of your pet. Our vets can give you their recommendations based on the specific needs of your pet.

However, our general recommendations are as follows:

  • For cats, we recommend desexing at 6-7 months of age.
  • For small and medium breed dogs, we recommend desexing at 6-7 months of age. For female dogs, this would be before their first heat.
  • For larger breed dogs (think Labradors, Golden Retrievers), we recommend 9-12 months of age. For female dogs, this would be after their first heat but before their second heat.
  • For giant breed dogs (Great Danes, St Bernards), we recommend desexing from 18 months of age.

How long is the recovery time?

Recovery time for males is shorter than females. In general, for female pets, we recommend a minimum of 10 days of rest and males, at least 7 days. This will depend on several different factors. We include regular post-operative checks with our desexing procedures so our team will be able to make specific recommendations based on your pet’s individual progress.

Will desexing affect my pet’s personality?

Your pet will retain their pre-desexing personality with the possible bonus of being calmer and less boisterous.

Will desexing cause my pet to become fat?

Your pet’s metabolism may slow down due to hormonal changes after desexing. However, this is easily managed by adjusting the diet (usually 10-20% less calories) and ensuring adequate exercise. These is no reason a desexed pet cannot be maintained at a normal weight.

Should my female have one litter first?

No – there are actually no health benefits to having a litter. In fact, her risk of developing breast cancers later in life is correlated with going through heat cycles.

What to do before surgery:

  • Make a booking for your pet’s surgery – desexings are done on weekdays at the Flemington Vet Hospital.
  • For dogs, give them a bath the day before surgery as they are unable to be washed for 10-12 days after surgery.
  • Do not give your pet food after midnight on the night before your pet’s surgery. They can have water overnight but no breakfast on the morning of the surgery.