July 19, 2024, 4:24 am | Read time: 5 minutes
If you don’t spay or neuter your pet, you risk having offspring that were not planned. Especially free-roaming animals, such as dogs and cats, or animals kept in groups, are usually spayed or neutered. PETBOOK explains the difference and what the advantages and disadvantages are.
Few veterinary terms are as often confused as castration and sterilization. Some believe that one is for males and the other for females. In fact, both procedures can be used for both sexes. The aim is to make the animal infertile or unable to produce offspring. But what is the difference between castration and sterilization? And what makes the most sense for which animal and when? PETBOOK provides an overview.
Overview
Why should I castrate or sterilize my pet?
In many situations, those who acquire a pet will eventually need to consider whether to allow the animal to remain capable of reproducing. Many small animals, for example, can otherwise reproduce uncontrollably when kept in groups.
Free-roaming cats are also difficult to control, quickly leading to numerous kittens. Dog owners, however, often make decisions based on specific needs regarding their pet’s fertility. Naturally, animals used for breeding must remain fertile.
However, every pet owner should also consider the countless stray animals in shelters and rescue centers that cannot find a home and question whether it’s necessary to prevent offspring coming from their own pets.
The difference between castration and sterilization
Many people think that castration is only carried out on male animals and sterilization only on females. However, the methods have nothing to do with gender, but are simply different procedures to make an animal unable to procreate.
Roughly speaking, castration means the complete surgical removal of the ovaries or testicles. Sterilization, on the other hand, only involves tying off the fallopian tubes and vas deferens so that no germ cells can escape from the testicles or ovaries.
Both procedures require general anesthesia and are therefore associated with risks. At the same time, both castration and sterilization are standard procedures in veterinary practices and are usually performed without complications.
The price of castration and sterilization varies greatly. Depending on the animal species and size, the costs can vary greatly. Cats can cost up to 270 euros and bitches up to 600 euros. Neutering a cat, on the other hand, starts at 30 euros. Health insurance policies for animals usually cover some or all of the costs.
When does which method make the most sense, and for which animal?
Which method is more suitable for the pet depends on the type of animal and its living conditions.
Have cats neutered if possible
Cats that are allowed to roam outdoors should always be neutered. This is the only way to prevent uncontrolled reproduction. Many local authorities have even made neutering mandatory for outdoor cats. Therefore, neutering is not mandatory for indoor-only cats. However, male cats that are not neutered are more often involved in territorial fights with other cats and tend to mark the home with urine.
Female cats that are not neutered continue to show signs of fertility, also known as “being in heat”. This can cause owners a lot of stress in the long run. Cats in heat have no regard for the time of day or night and can become very loud and insistent with their meowing. Sterilization does not help either, as the ability to conceive would be removed, but the hormone-producing organs such as the ovaries and testicles would remain in the body.
Case-by-case decision for dogs
Dogs are no longer spayed or neutered across the board. Studies have shown that castration can severely affect a dog’s metabolism and behavior. For example, many dogs tend to become obese after castration, and some tumor diseases can also occur more frequently.
Always neuter small animals kept in groups
Small animals kept in groups, on the other hand, should always be neutered. This is because rodents, in particular, can multiply rapidly and produce new offspring every few weeks. The so-called harem is often recommended as a group concept for guinea pigs. Here, a male lives together with at least two females. The male should always be castrated to prevent a flood of guinea pigs.
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What you should consider when neutering or sterilizing
Surgery is always associated with costs and risks. Nevertheless, preventing uncontrolled reproduction is essential in many cases. While the case is always clear for outdoor cats and small animals, the situation is often different for indoor cats and dogs.
Here, it helps to weigh up the pros and cons, consult a vet, or talk to other pet owners. If you want to test whether your dog’s behavior changes fundamentally after neutering, you can have a neutering chip inserted into your pet for a few weeks or months. This chip releases hormones to simulate the effects of castration on behavior.
Whatever a pet owner decides: The issue of castration or sterilization should always be decided in the best interests of the animal and in accordance with morals and ethics. In case of doubt, uncontrolled reproduction can cause a lot of animal suffering, as there are no homes for every animal in the overcrowded animal shelters.