Desexing
Benefits of desexing
Desexing is recommended not only to prevent unwanted litters of puppies, but also for many health benefits. Benefits of desexing include:
- In male dogs, castration reduces the likelihood of prostate disease, removes the risk of testicular cancer, and can reduce aggressive behaviour if performed before puberty.
- In female dogs, spaying prevents uterine infection (pyometra) and reduces the risk of mammary cancer.
The cost of desexing will vary on the on sex and weight of your puppy at the time of the procedure, as well as potential complications (such as undescended testes in males, and females that are currently in heat).
Your puppy should have a consultation with a veterinarian prior to their desexing procedure to ensure they are in good health.
When to desex your pet
We recommend desexing your puppy before puberty, generally at 6-months of age, following the completion of their vaccination course. We may consider desexing large breed dogs following puberty when their bones are fully grown. However, for females, we do not recommend waiting longer than their first heat cycle. If you wish to delay desexing your dog, please discuss your options with your veterinarian.
Law changes for cat desexing
From 1 July 2020, the NSW Government is changing the law regarding cat desexing. Owners of cats not desexed by four months of age will be required to pay an $80 annual permit in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee.
Although this is earlier than many people may be used to, we can assure you there will not be any long term adverse health effects from desexing before 4 months of age.
More information can be found here.