“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”
Planning the neutering or spaying of a dog is an extremely important decision for any pet owner around the world. The life of your beloved pet depends on it in the long run. An average dog reaches sexual maturity at the age of six to seven years. It is advisable to plan the neutering or spaying of your dog at an earlier stage to avoid unruly behavior in the future.
This operation will determine your dog’s health and future behavior. You may be wondering how much it costs to neuter a dog or have a dog neutered? Is it $100 or $1000? Not really!
Let us present our views step by step!
What is Neutering or Spaying?
The term neutering means the removal of the reproductive parts in the male dog. The veterinarian removes both testicles through an incision in the animal’s scrotum. The cost of castration depends on the breed, weight, and age of the dog.
Spaying is used to describe the ovarian hysterectomy in a bitch. The cost of spaying depends on the breed, age, and weight of the dog.
However, neutering is used to describe the surgery for both sexes. The reason for this operation is to stop the reproduction of the animal.
Below are some medical reasons why every dog needs this operation once in a lifetime.
Top Ten Reasons That Your Dog Needs Neutering or Spaying
Most of us do not know that neutering or spaying the dog has many health benefits for the owner and the dog. When it comes to the decision for the health of the animal, the owner must act as a parent. As an owner of a dog, I had to research on the internet and discuss my Boston Terrier with a few professional veterinarians.
I found out the fact that every year over 3.5 million dogs are euthanized in local shelters because they are not adopted. This may look inhumane at first glance, but is it simply practical. There are too many dogs.
I also found some significant benefits from neutering your dog:
- 50% of dogs have uterine infections and breast cancer at an early age, but neutering or spaying helps prevent it.
- It prevents testicular cancer in male dogs by neutering them at the earliest stages.
- It prevents the warming of the bitch, which occurs every three weeks for five days during the breeding season. So you do not need to worry about howling at night and frequent urination.
- It stops your dog from fleeing the house and wandering out to look for a partner.
- Neutered dogs behave much better. Unneutered dogs, spray urine to mark territory inside, and sometimes show aggression towards people.
- Most of us adore chubby and fat dogs or cats. But in nature, too much fat leads to your dog becoming lazy and uninterested. By neutering or spaying, your dog will stay healthy and slim for a long time.
- It is another way to help your community by reducing the number of unneutered dogs that cause traffic accidents, threaten children and spread contagious diseases.
- It minimizes overpopulation by eliminating unwanted pregnancies.
- It has been scientifically proven that neutered dogs live longer and healthier than normal.
When is The Best Age For Neutering or Spaying Your Dog?
According to the ASPCA report, it is advisable to neuter your dog or have him neutered at the earliest stage of his life. This will prevent him from developing negative or unruly behavior in the future. Like aggression, territory marking and escaping from the house can also be prevented. It is not guaranteed that neutering or spaying is a solution for all behavioral problems in dogs, as some unnatural behavioral problems can be avoided by proper training.
To be sure that your dog is ready for neutering, you need to know your dog’s age. If you bought him from a breeder, it is not hard to decide when to neuter or spay him. However, it might be a problem if the dog was adopted from the local shelter, as these are stray or rescued dogs. It is therefore difficult to judge the age of a dog adopted from the shelter. Fortunately, under local government law, most shelters neuter their dogs themselves at an earlier stage before they are adopted.
- A study by the ASPCA has shown that the right time to have a neutering operation is when a puppy reaches its sixth month of life.
- The ASPCA also advises that neutering or spaying depends on the breed, physical health, and maturity of the puppy.
A veterinarian can provide good support in such a situation so that you can make an informed decision. He’s the best resource you can use for all kinds of health information.
How Much Does It Cost To Neuter Dog?
The above reasons may give you all hope for the operation, but the real questions are how much should you spend on your dog?
Below are the various cost factors involved in neutering and spaying dogs:
| Category | Neutering | Spaying |
| Low-cost clinics or Humane Society | $45-140$ | $50-$175 |
| High-cost clinics | $200-$300 | |
| Additional Costs | ||
| Heat in or Obese dog spaying | $25 | |
| Pregnant dog | $50-$125 | |
| Pre-anesthesia blood work | $40 | |
| Extra pain medication | $10-$30 |
The above costs may not be accurate, as they vary depending on the state or country you live in. To find the list of your state’s veterinary association, you can visit the American Veterinary Medical Association website for more information.
The cost of neutering or spaying the dog in CA / NY / NV / TX / OK:
| State | Neuter | Spay |
| California | $119 | $139 |
| New York | $201 | $240 |
| Nevada | $75 | $110 |
| Texas | $250 | $300 |
| Oklahoma | $170 | $220 |
Let’s take an example: You live in New York City and own a male Wheaten Terrier. At the time you know that your dog needs to be neutered or spayed, you need to search the Internet or refer your friends to a good animal clinic. In NY you will find both cheap and expensive clinics. However, choosing the right clinic depends on how much you are willing to spend on your beloved pet.
Here is the list of the estimated average cost you can expect from an expensive veterinary clinic.
| List | Cost |
| Office visit | $21 |
| Hospitalization | $18 |
| Pre-operational sedation | $17 |
| Pro-poflo | $20 |
| Anesthesia | $42 |
| Canine castration | $35 |
| Suture material vicryl | $13 |
| kennel cough vaccination | $15 |
| Ear plucking | $10 |
| Plastic cone collar. | $10 |
| Total | $201 |
A Few Tips For The Budget Savvy
Here are some tips that you can follow if you cannot afford the cost of the veterinary clinic:
- In most shelters, neutering or spaying is included in the adoption fee. So there are no additional costs.
- In some cases, the local government will neuter or spay the pets for free. For certain breeds, such as Pit Bulls (PitBull Rescue Cente), some states neuter or spay the animals free of charge.
- Some humane societies are willing to offer inexpensive surgical procedures to neuter dogs. AHA, ASPCA, and ALF are a few large websites that offer information about inexpensive neutering and spaying.
By neutering and spaying your dog, you can ensure your dog’s health and save millions of pets in shelters each year.
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