Desexing Your Pet

It's little surprise that Aussies love their pets - after all, we have one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world. When it comes to desexing your pet, there are mixed views on whether it is worth it or not. Read on for all the facts to help you make a decision.

Why should I get my pet desexed?

Australia is a nation of dog and cat lovers, but in a country with one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world, it’s alarming to see that animal shelters are overwhelmed with thousands of unwanted cats and dogs. Each year, huge numbers of unwanted puppies and kittens are dumped, surrendered to animal shelters and destroyed.

About 250,000 dogs and cats are euthanised every year in Australia because there aren’t enough homes for them. Unwanted pets that are dumped suffer terrible lives of starvation, disease and abuse, without shelter or love.

What happens if I don’t desex my pet?

In the greater scheme of your pet’s life, the cost of desexing is small. Owners of undesexed pets can be hit with high vet bills if their animal gets injured while out roaming or has complications during pregnancy and birth. Taking an undesexed dog out for a walk or to a dog park can be stressful and embarrassing if your dog is aggressive or tries to mount other dogs.

If you’re planning on going on holiday, many kennels and catteries refuse to take undesexed dogs and cats, while others charge more to do so. And local councils charge more – over four times as much – to register an undesexed animal.

What are the benefits of getting my pet neutered or spayed?

A desexed dog or cat:

Veterinarians usually recommend desexing dogs and cats when they are between five-and-a-half and six months old, but the RSPCA desexes animals at eight weeks, which it says is safe and effective.

What does it cost to neuter a dog in Australia?

Having your dog desexed will cost between $200 and $500, depending on the size, age and sex of the dog, according to the RSPCA. As with cats, many councils will charge much more to register an undesexed dog. The difference can be more than four times the cost of registering a desexed dog.

How much will it cost to desex my cat?

It costs around $115 to have a male cat desexed and around $300 to have a female cat desexed, according to the RSPCA.

Note that many councils will charge more to register an undesexed cat. The registration costs could be as much as four times the cost of registering a desexed cat.

Which pet insurance policies cover desexing?

Some pet insurance policies have additional options to help cover the cost of desexing your dog or cat.

• Australia Post Pet Insurance
• Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance
• Woolworths Pet Insurance

Can I get a discount on desexing?

In July every year, vet clinics in Australia reduce their desexing fees in an effort to encourage more pet owners to bring their pets in for the procedure. The National Desexing Network (NDN) is a charity that aims to end pet overpopulation by making it more affordable for pet owners in financial need to have their animals desexed.

The NDN keeps a list of veterinarians on its website, so that in July each year you can find the nearest vet clinic that offers a discount on desexing. The registered veterinarians who participate in the NDN program don’t get any extra funding. They choose to reduce their fees out of their own concern for animal welfare.

If you are genuinely struggling financially and can’t afford the cost of desexing, you can apply to the NDN at any time of the year to get help finding a vet who will desex your pet for less. Please note that year-round fee reduction is only available to pet owners who genuinely need it.

Myths about desexing

There are a lot of myths about desexing that have been in circulation for many years now and that you might still hear from time to time. Here are some of the myths and why they’re not true:

• A female dog or cat needs to have at least one litter before she is desexed. This is definitely untrue. In fact, it’s better to desex a female before she’s had a litter. Desexed females won’t get ovarian tumours and will be at less risk of getting mammary cancer or a uterine infection. They will also be spared any trauma or complications from pregnancy and birth, which can require expensive surgery.
• Desexing a dog or cat will change its personality and make it fat and lazy. Your pet is more likely to become calmer and more affectionate, less aggressive and easier to train. Feeding your pet too much food and not letting it exercise is a surefire way to make it overweight, not desexing it.
• You don’t need to desex your male dog or cat because you’ll never have to worry about unwanted puppies or kittens. It’s just as important to desex males as it is to desex females. Most dogs that end up in animal shelters are undesexed males that have wandered away from home or have been dumped by their owners because of behavioural problems resulting from sexual frustration. Undesexed males are also more likely to get testicular cancer and prostate disease.
• It’s not natural to desex a pet. Modern dogs and cats have been bred a long way from their original wild wolf and cat states. There is also nothing “natural” about a pet that has the desire to breed but can’t because it lives in a modern urban environment where it can’t reach another animal (or, a pet that’s so frustrated that it risks being hit by a car to in order to find a mate). This is not “natural”, nor is it responsible.
• You want your female dog or cat to have a litter so that your children can see the miraculous event of an animal giving birth. It’s far better to teach them how to be responsible pet owners and the importance of not adding to the number of unwanted animals.
• Desexing an animal is too expensive. While desexing a pet may seem expensive, the cost is small when you consider that it is just one procedure that will last your pet’s lifetime. The cost is also outweighed by the potential vet bills that you may have to pay due to illness or injury, the cost of caring for unwanted puppies and kittens (including food, vaccinations and worm and flea treatments) and higher council registration fees.

Is pet insurance right for me?