- May 15, 2026
If you’ve ever met me, you know that I can out debate anyone who thinks they have a reason to breed or not sterilize their dog or cat. In my 40 plus years in animal welfare millions upon millions of dogs and cats have been euthanized in this country simply because of overpopulation.
Thankfully the statistics have improved exponentially over the decades thanks to better laws, assistance programs and just a shift in the way most people see their animals as part of the family. Most people realize now that spaying and neutering pets is the responsible thing to do.
You don’t want your dog to have a litter of puppies because the homes that those pups go to could have gone to puppies from a shelter. We don’t want cats breeding in the community — thank goodness for TNR programs.
But let’s think about the other reasons to spay and neuter — the reproductive cancers that won’t happen simply because the organs aren’t there anymore to become cancerous. Imagine if a 15-minute, routine surgery done at a young age would completely wipe out the risk of several types of deadly cancers. Hmmmm, human medicine should have come this far, but don’t scold me for my editorial. Anyway, here are a few health risks that can be reduced or completely eliminated:
Testicular cancer in dogs and cats affects older, intact males, particularly those with one or both testicles that never dropped and instead remained in the abdominal cavity, referred to as “undescended.” Signs may include an enlarged testicle or swelling. Even hair loss can be a sign. Early diagnosis is essential. Treatment is often as simple as neutering the animal. Testicular cancer is more common in dogs than in cats.
Unneutered male dogs often suffer with an enlarged prostate as they age. The prostate sits near the bladder and can grow under the influence of testosterone, often causing the animal to strain during urination, blood in urine and dripping/incontinence. Neutering can shrink the prostate, cut off the flow of hormones and lessen or eliminate the symptoms. Enlarged prostates in male cats are less common, but offer the same symptoms and the same relief by neutering provided that the prostate enlargement is not coupled with cancer.
Uterine and ovarian cancers in dogs and cats may affect older, unspayed females. Signs can be abdominal swelling, appetite changes, lethargy and/or persistent heat cycles. Your veterinarian may test with bloodwork and/or an ultrasound. Treatment involves spaying and removing masses if the cancer has spread. The cervix is also removed during a spay, eliminating the risk of cervical cancer too.
Pyometra is an infection of the uterus which we see often in unsterilized females. If not addressed quickly by removing the uterus, pyometra causes severe pain, distress and even death.
Mammary tumors are common in unsterilized female dogs as they get older. In dogs they may or may not be malignant. Risk is strongly influenced by hormones, so prompt removal improves outcomes. Mammary tumors are less common in cats, but much more aggressive. Most are malignant. Treatment for both species involves surgical removal sometimes followed by chemotherapy. Spaying before the first heat nearly eliminates the risk of mammary tumors in both dogs and cats.
The Flagler Human Society offers low cost and sometimes even free spay/neuter. Contact us for details.
Amy Carotenuto is the executive director of Flagler Humane Society.
