Spaying and neutering is the key to alleviating dog and cat overpopulation
The Mobile Unit is closed to the public but Dr. H and our techs, Sam and Ursula are taking care of the animals residing at Associated Humane Societies Newark location. They are an energetic team hard at work, despite the fun photo opp. Stop by Monday, January 15th to receive check-ups, dental cleanings, ear cleanings, heartworm tests, Lyme, FIV/FeLV, deworming, … Continue reading
Listed below are just some of the many towns that the mobile unit has been or will be in the next few weeks.
Carteret
Livingston
Belleville
Jersey City
Plainfield
Orange
Elizabeth
Maplewood
Harvey Cedars
Newark
The Society’s Mobile Spay/Neuter van has been busy traveling around the state to help with low cost spay/neuter, wellness visits and routine veterinary services. The Wellness Clinics offer pet owners check-ups, dental cleanings, ear cleanings, heartworm tests, Lyme, FIV/FeLV, deworming, microchipping and more. These efforts are brought to local communities where residents may be less likely to bring their animals for vet care. For more information on having the mobile unit in y our area, contact associatedhumane@aol.com
The items listed below are things AHS’- Mobile Unit needs for surgeries and clean up.
~You can click here to view the list on Amazon~
While it’s in your pet’s best interest to have spay or neuter surgery done before she has a heat cycle, we all know how busy life can be. So, if you find yourself fighting for your dog or cat’s honor and wondering what to do now, read on!
Cats are seasonal breeders and come into heat in the spring and summer months. According to the text books, they are supposed to show signs of heat for a few days every 2-4 weeks during the season. Yes, this means she will either continue to cycle until fall/winter or end up pregnant.
So what are my options? If increasing the cat population is not your idea of community service, then you will probably want to get her spayed-sooner rather than later. If she is already pregnant, she can still be spayed, and again, sooner is better than later. If she has already had kittens, you will need to help her wean the kittens, by providing soft kitten food and preventing nursing, at 4-5 weeks old to allow 1-2 weeks for her milk to dry up before her surgery. By 8-10 weeks after giving birth, she will begin to cycle again during the breeding season.
DO NOT wait! Call to make an appointment (973) 824-2720
Dogs are different creatures when it comes to heat cycles. They typically cycle for 2-3 weeks twice a year or roughly every 6 months. Spaying a dog in heat is NOT desirable for the dog, the owner during aftercare, or the surgeon. The best choice, unfortunately, is to wait until the heat cycle is finished-about 4 weeks from the day you first noticed her attractiveness. During their heat cycle, dogs’ uterus and ovaries swell and become very sensitive to tugging or pulling-ouch! The hormone surge increases the tendency to bleed as evidenced by the vaginal discharge. Spaying her during this time leads to more complications during the surgery and during recovery when an accidental breeding can be fatal.
So what do I need to do to survive the next 4 weeks? Contain your pet! Most of our pets leave home looking for a mate. Only an estimated 30% are re-united with their owners. Neuter intact male dogs in your house. Realize intact male dogs in your area will be attracted and not necessarily detered by the fence around your backyard. Use pet diapers available at your pet supply store if needed.
What if she ends up pregnant? She can still be spayed 4 weeks after she began her heat cycle. At this point, the surgery is not much different than a normal spay, it is difficult to tell if she really is pregnant, and the hormone surge that causes the sensitivity and tendency to bleed has subsided.
Spaying or neutering your pet is an important decision for pet owners. As animal lovers who value our pets, it is important to understand the impact of this decision.
In every community, in every state, there are homeless animals. In the U.S. as a whole, there are an estimated 6-8 million homeless animals entering animal shelters every year. About half of these animals are adopted, and tragically, the other half are euthanized. These are healthy, sweet pets who would have made great companions.
The number of homeless animals varies by state—in some states there are as many as 300,000 homeless animals euthanized in animal shelters every year. These are not the offspring of homeless “street” animals—these are the puppies and kittens of cherished family pets and even purebreds.
Many people believe that their pet’s puppies or kittens would never become homeless shelter animals. But the reality is that every time the dog finds his way under the fence to visit the neighbor’s female dog, or the indoor/outdoor cat comes back home pregnant again, the result is a litter of dogs or cats. Even if they are placed into homes, it is still possible for them to end up in shelters once they become “hard to handle,” or for them to reproduce further and for the next generation of puppies or kittens to wind up homeless.
Many people are surprised to learn that nationwide more than 3 million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters. Spay/neuter is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs and cats.
When being conscientious about the pet overpopulation, don’t forget to spay or neuter your pet rabbit. Rabbits reproduce faster than dogs or cats and often end up in shelters where they must be euthanized. Spaying or neutering rabbits can reduce hormone-driven behavior such as lunging, mounting, spraying and boxing. Spaying females can prevent ovarian, mammary and uterine cancers, which can be prevalent in mature females.
Millions of pet deaths each year are a needless tragedy. By spaying and neutering your pet, you can be an important part of the solution. Contact your veterinarian today and be sure to let your family and friends know that they should do the same.
This morning, Mt. Pleasant welcomed the mobile medical unit from Associated Humane Societies of Newark which came to provide low cost, high quality dental and surgical care for our homeless pets. As many folks know, Mt. Pleasant assists Associated by intaking animals when they are near capacity. We are proud to partner with them to help save lives and give our animals the best care possible.
