A pet is, for most people, a member of the family. A pet owner’s interest is to provide their pet with a happy home and a healthy life. One of the things an owner can do to improve a pet’s quality of life is to have them spayed or neutered. The cost for these procedures is typically high; therefore, towns and cities have opened up numerous places where this can safely be done at little or no cost to the owner. A pet spay clinic can be recommended through a local ASPCA or through organizations like PetSmart Charities.
There are valuable benefits to visiting a pet spay clinic or a pet neuter clinic. When a female pet is spayed, it means they will no longer go through their heat cycles; therefore, males will no longer be attracted. The pet’s desire to roam will also be eliminated, and the risks of mammary gland tumors or certain cancers will be at least greatly reduced. Because the female dog or cat will no longer be able to have puppies or kittens, the overpopulation problem of dogs and cats is also being addressed.
When male dogs and cats are neutered at a pet spay clinic or by their own veterinarian, the risk of spraying and marking is greatly reduced. Their desire to roam is all but eliminated; therefore, the chances of them being injured in a fight with another animal or in a car accident is reduced. Their risk of prostate disease is erased as are their chances of testicular cancer. A male dog or cat who has been neutered will no longer be as aggressive as they were before which will reduce the chances of their biting.
The importance of spaying or neutering your pet goes on and on. A pet spay clinic makes it affordable, and it is a highly recommended step for pet owners to take for the health and the life of their pet.
Spaying a cat and spaying a dog, or neutering, can be done at any pet spay clinic. The ASPCA now offers this procedure from their own Mobile Spay and Neuter Clinics that travel to many neighborhoods in New York City. Access to veterinary care in the inner city is sometimes quite difficult. For that reason the ASPCA has created a way for residents to be able to have their pets spayed and neutered at a cost they can afford right in their own neighborhood. Sadly, the inner city streets are home to many homeless animals. The ability of the ASPCA mobile unit to go right to the streets where these dogs and cats roam in order to provide procedures that contribute to their health and life also helps to eliminate further overpopulation of animals forced to live on the street.
There are certain key elements that pet owners should know about caring for their pets and giving them a long, healthy life. For instance, treats should be given at healthy intervals. It is suggested that treats add up to no more than 10% of a pet’s daily caloric intake. In addition to a pet’s physical care, their dental care should be attended to as well. Veterinarians recommend brushing a pet’s teeth; however, it is estimated that 65% of owners do not brush their pet’s teeth. This could be a contributor to the fact that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats develop periodontal disease by the time they are three years old.
A fact that many people may not be aware of is that dogs can have food allergies. Most of food allergies in dogs, about 66%, are to wheat, dairy, and beef. Some symptoms of canine food allergies are chronic ear inflammation, itching, excessive licking, and biting of the paws. It is also entirely possible for a dog’s food allergy symptoms to mirror those in humans. Some of these could be skin rash, hives, nausea, and vomiting. Some meats and grains that could possibly cause an allergic reaction in dogs are pork, beef, chicken, fish, lamb, eggs, wheat, dairy, and soy. It is suggested that if a dog is allergic to one of these foods, he or she is likely to be allergic to the others as well.