Frequently Asked Questions

Pet owners always have a lot of questions. That's because they care about their companions! Your practice team at Mercy Animal Hospital wants to help you get answers to these questions so please call us at 704-821-8100.

Questions about spay and neuter procedures are most common, so let's begin there:

All pets should be surgically spayed/neutered for many reasons:

FEMALES (Spaying - Ovariohysterectomy)

• Prevents signs of estrus (heat).
• Prevents blood stains on the carpet from the "heat" cycle.
• Decreases surplus of puppies and kittens.
• Decreases the chance of developing breast tumors later in life.
• Decreases the chance of cystic ovaries and uterine infections later in life.
• Anesthesia is a much less risk at the younger age.
• Prevents breast development if done before breeding age.

MALES (Neutering - Castration)

• Decreases the desire to roam the neighborhood.
• Decreases aggression become more loving pets (more affectionate).
• Decreases incidence of prostate cancer later in life.
• Prevents odor of male cat urine.
• Prevents male cat spraying and marking furniture and walls.

Your community will also benefit!

Unwanted animals are becoming a very real concern. Stray animals can easily become a public nuisance; soiling parks and streets, ruining shrubs, frightening children or elderly people, creating noise and other disturbances, causing automobile accidents, and sometimes even killing livestock or other pets. As a potential source of rabies and other diseases, they can become a public health hazard. The capture, impoundment, and eventual destruction of unwanted animals will cost taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

Facts about Spaying/Neutering:

• Spaying does not cause a pet to get fat or lazy. This comes from overfeeding and poor exercise.
• Personalities are not altered by spaying. Personalities do not fully develop until two years of age.
• Aggressiveness and viciousness are not the result of surgery. Personalities will ONLY get better!
• Surgical risk is very slight due to modern anesthesia and techniques, but there is always be some small risk when an anesthetic is used.
• It is much easier on the pet to be spayed before going through a "heat" cycle, due to the smaller size of the reproductive tract.
• Best age to spay or neuter pets is 6-8 months of age.
• Surgery is performed painlessly while your pet is under general anesthesia.
• Postsurgical pain is minimal.
• Most pets go home the same day surgery is performed.