Cruelty to animals begins when you allow the birth of litters of puppies and kittens which you don't want. The spay is the only foolproof method of birth control for female dogs and cats. It is a permanent method, eliminating mix-ups in administration of pills, drops, or injections, which can result in accidental pregnancies. A spayed animal no longer goes through heat cycles. Female dogs normally come into heat about twice a year.
Cats come into heat more often.
Spaying ends several problems associated with heat, including spotting and the necessity of confining females to prevent the approaches of persistent males. Spaying also prevents such irritations as a howling cat in heat or a whining, anxious dog in false pregnancy after heat. The risk of mammary cancer is reduced if a dog is spayed before its first heat. Also, spayed pets cannot develop pyometra, a serious uterine infection. Finally, difficult pregnancy and delivery in older or ill pets is prevented.