Pet Desexing
How can desexing help your pet
For most pets, desexing offers real, lasting health and behavioural benefits. It’s not just about preventing unwanted mini-mes, though that’s important too. Here’s what desexing can mean for your bud.
For male dogs and cats
For female dogs and cats:
When is the right time to desex your pet?
This is where the conversation gets a little more nuanced, and where we really earn our keep. There is no single answer that fits every pet. The right timing for desexing depends on your pet’s species, breed, size, sex, lifestyle, and overall health, and getting it right matters. For cats, desexing is generally recommended from around four to six months of age, before their first season.
For dogs, timing is more breed and size dependent. Research published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science looked at desexing timing across 35 breeds and found that for some breeds, particularly larger ones, desexing too early can be associated with a higher risk of certain joint disorders and some cancers. For smaller breeds, earlier desexing is generally well tolerated with fewer associated risks. If you’d like to read the research in full, you can find it here: Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs, Frontiers in Veterinary Science At Hey Bud, we use this research as a guide alongside your pet’s individual circumstances, including their breed, size, lifestyle, and your own preferences and situation, to recommend the timing that gives your bud the best long-term outcome. We work all of this out together during a dedicated pre-surgery consultation. We’ll do a full nose-to-tail examination to make sure your bud is fit, healthy, and ready for the procedure, then take the time to talk through recommended timeframes, answer every question you have, and walk you through exactly what surgery day will look like. It’s a conversation, not a protocol, and we won’t move forward until you feel completely comfortable and confident with the plan.
What to expect on the day
Desexing is a routine surgical procedure performed under general anaesthetic, and your bud will be in safe, experienced hands throughout. Here’s what a typical desexing day at Hey Bud looks like.
Before the procedure (sub-heading the same style/ size/ colour as ‘Benefits to desexing a male pet) You’ll drop your bud off in the morning. We’ll ask you some pre-surgery questions and then we will get them nice and comfy in a bed. Before their surgery, we will do a pre-anaesthetic blood test to make sure they are fit and ready for their procedure. It’s also a great life stage to get a baseline for their bloodwork that we can reference and compare to in the future.
During the procedure (sub-heading the same style/ size/ colour as ‘Benefits to desexing a male pet) Your bud will be monitored closely throughout by our team. We take anaesthetic safety seriously and use modern monitoring equipment for every procedure. They will also get pain relief locally with nerve blocks and intravenously to make sure they remain comfortable both during and after their procedure. They will also get intravenous fluids to help maintain their blood pressure throughout their surgery.
After the procedure (sub-heading the same style/ size/ colour as ‘Benefits to desexing a male pet) Your bud will go home the same day, usually in the afternoon. We’ll give you clear, detailed aftercare instructions and let you know exactly what to watch for during recovery. They will go home with an e-collar (or more commonly known as a cone) and pain relief so they are pain-free and don’t get themselves into any trouble around their surgical site. And if you have any questions once you’re home, we’re always just a phone call away.
Why choose Hey Bud for your pet’s desexing
Surgical procedures can feel daunting, even routine ones. Here’s what you can expect from us.