During a spay or neuter surgery, dogs and cats are fully anesthetized, so they feel no pain. Afterwards, most animals will experience some discomfort. Surgeries for females tend to be more painful than for males. Pain management is recommended to control discomfort, decrease self-trauma, and promote healing. Despite the inherent risk of surgery, serious harm as a result of spay or neuter surgery is extremely rare.

To the contrary, a dog or cat has the best chance of good health if spayed before her first heat. Early spaying reduces the risk of mammary tumors and prevents other health problems, such as life-threatening uterine infections, before aging brings greater susceptibility.

Many dogs and cats are spayed while pregnant to prevent the birth of puppies or kittens. A veterinarian, however, must consider the pregnant dog or cat, as well as the stage of her pregnancy, before deciding whether she can be safely spayed, as pregnancy involves many biological and physiological changes that can increase the risk for the animal—not only during surgery, but also during the pregnancy itself.

In some dogs and cats, metabolism does decrease following spaying or neutering. Nevertheless, if fed the proper amount of food and adequately exercised, spayed or neutered dogs and cats are unlikely to become overweight.

Freed from the urge to mate, dogs and cats tend to be calmer and more content after spaying or neutering. Spayed or neutered dogs and cats are more—not less—likely to show affection toward their human companions.

Healthy puppies and kittens can be spayed as young as 6 weeks old. Though they might seem fragile at that age, healthy puppies and kittens are actually quite strong and recover quickly from the surgery. If your veterinarian is trained in early spay/neuter, the procedures are fast and easy. In addition, the cost for spaying or neutering a dog is often based on the weight of the animal and increases along with the dog’s weight. So spaying or neutering early can save you money.

Depending on your pet’s age, size, and health, they might be kept at the vet clinic for a few hours or overnight. Your veterinarian can give you more details. The surgery to fix animals is routine, and they generally bounce back fairly quickly.

Contact your local animal shelter or rescue group and ask whether you can sign up as a foster family for expectant or new mothers. While most mothers prefer not to have an audience while they are actually giving birth, your family might be able to play an invaluable role as a foster family for newborn puppies or kittens.