One of the first things pet owners think about when welcoming a new cat, dog, kitten, or puppy into their home is spaying and neutering. In the article below, Dr. Teri Sue and Gabbie share some important factors to consider when planning your pet’s procedure.
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In our country, pet overpopulation leaves millions of animals in shelters without homes, with many tragically euthanized simply due to a lack of space. As pet owners, we have a responsibility to prevent unwanted litters. Unfortunately, in the medical community, surgical spays and neuters have never been questioned as the best approach to desexing pets.  What is best for the individual animal in the long run has never been questioned, which is why it is crucial to have the proper knowledge when it comes making this decision for your pet. 

A standard spay procedure is the removal of the uterus and ovaries from a female, also called an ovariohysterectomy.  A neuter removes both testicles from a male, also called castration. These organs produce essential hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone – found in both sexes– that are not only crucial for reproduction but also play a vital role in regulating numerous biological functions, especially the maturation to adulthood. The sex organs that secrete these hormones are part of the endocrine system, which also consists of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal glands, thyroid and parathyroid glands, thymus, pancreas, and adrenal glands. The hormones secreted by the endocrine system work with each other and with the body to support growth and development, regulate metabolism for energy production, stimulate joint fusion during growth, maintain healthy skin and fur, and influence body shape, size, and behavior (Kerns, 2021). 

When the sex organs are removed completely, the other endocrine tissues and organs must compensate to maintain healthy hormone balance. This especially impacts young animals that are still growing and developing. Early spay and neuter practices disrupt the normal growth and development of young animals, which can lead to adrenal issues, bone growth and development issues, ligament and hip issues, urinary issues, immune system imbalances, and even a shortened lifespan (Dr. Becker, 2020). Pets who have undergone spay and neuter at an early age are also more prone to obesity, hypothyroidism, incontinence, certain cancers, skin issues, and behavioral problems (Kerns, 2021). 

On the other hand, leaving our pets intact can increase the risk of certain health issues. Both female cats and dogs are more likely to develop a pyometra (uterine infection) and/or mammary tumors. Male cats and dogs left intact are more prone to prostate enlargement and testicular cancer. Dr. Teri Sue believes this risk is highly dependent on the level of inflammation in the body over time, which is significantly increased on processed food diets. A species appropriate anti-inflammatory whole food diet can significantly reduce the risk of such infections and cancers. 

Having intact pets can also be more difficult to responsibly take care of and manage. The female dog’s heat cycle is not always obvious, which can make it hard to keep them away from male dogs while they are in heat. A male dog can smell a female in heat from several miles away, and will often stop at nothing to find them - including digging out of the backyard, and running across traffic. An astounding 80% of dogs hit by cars are intact males. Intact male dogs are often more aggressive as well, increasing the risk of injuries from dog fights. 

The same goes for cats - intact male cats have a much higher desire to roam and seek a mate, which can not only increase their risk of being hit by a car, but also increases the risk of fight injuries, FIV, and Feline Leukemia Virus as they defend their territory from other outdoor cats. Because of this desire to roam, keeping intact male cats indoors causes issues as well - they will often spray in the house to mark their territory, and have increased levels of aggression. 

There are alternative procedures available that achieve the desired result of sterilization, while leaving the sex hormone producing tissues intact. A vasectomy for male dogs prevents reproduction without removing the testicles, and an ovary sparing spay (OSS) removes the uterus and therefore the ability for a female dog to reproduce, while leaving the hormone producing ovaries intact. 

What is right for your pet may not be what is right for someone else’s pet - what age is considered old enough or which procedure is best is highly dependent on each individual. Recommendations for age vary for different species, sexes, sizes, and breeds. Which procedure is best can depend on your lifestyle and the individual pet’s behavior and overall health. In general, Dr. Teri Sue recommends waiting to sterilize female dogs until they have had at least 1-2 heat cycles, or reach 2 years of age. This allows them to reach full maturity, with all the hormones their body produces during that critical time. Large breed dogs don’t typically reach maturity until 3 yrs old; waiting longer for them is best.  For male dogs, Dr. Teri Sue recommends waiting until they are at least 1 year old, and no earlier than 6 months, as long as they behave like a gentleman. Waiting longer, if possible (until 3 to 4 yo), is best as long as they can be controlled easily, behave well, and don’t mark or hump inappropriately. If they begin showing behaviors such as inappropriate humping/marking or aggression, this must be taken into consideration. For cats, Dr. Teri Sue recommends spaying and neutering at 6 months of age. Feeding a species appropriate, balanced diet is always ideal.
Want more information? Check out - 
https://foreverdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Dexsexing-pdf.pdf
https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/health/when-is-a-good-time-to-spay-or-neuter/ 


We wish you a happy and healthy February! Thank you for being a part of our beloved community.


With gratitude,

Balance Vet Care Team ​

The start of a new year is often a time of reflection and a time to set intentions for the year to come. 
New Years resolutions are a fun way to set goals for ourselves, however, our lives are also filled to the brim with responsibilities, routines, and challenges that can prevent us from attaining our big dreams for the future.  Focusing on small changes, we can make to our daily activities and routines will help us stay on track. We live in a difficult world, but we have many opportunities to overcome the obstacles and our own fears that stop us from continuing to grow and expand.
While setting intentions this new year, we suggest to start from a place of gratitude, and focus your energy on making small steps toward health and well-being. Recognizing gratitude makes a difference on our thoughts and actions, which in turn make a difference in who we are day to day and who we show up as for ourselves, our loved ones, and our pets. When we set intentions from a place of gratitude, we welcome in what serves us, and we release what does not. 
What are small, daily steps you are already taking to reach your goals? What is one action or thought of gratitude in your routine that you are taking daily for a healthy life for you and your pet? 
Its easy to forget the daily steps in 1 or 3 months - we suggest to post it in a well seen area.  Recognize the importance of doing it every day, it will build over time.

​Here are some steps for inspiration:

1. Five to 10 minutes of gratitude journaling each day will improve your quality of life. 
2. Fifteen to 20 minutes of brisk exercise will improve your cardiovascular strength - even just a walk. Include your pet. Change the pace briefly. Play a game in an open space, or create a new one - even in the rain. This exercise time will improve physical and mental health, as well as strengthen your bond. For indoor cats, take 15 mins for wrestling, playing with a toy, offering catnip or even grooming (then, don’t forget to take a walk).
3. Being still and just being, is incredibly healing. Schedule time into your day, even if it is just 1 minute at first, to sit with your pet and just be. Living is such a cool thing if you can slow down enough to realize you are doing it!
4. What we feed ourselves and our pets makes a difference in our health and wellbeing, as well as our planet’s. What is a small change in the diet you feed your pet and yourself, or how you resource your ingredients, that you can make this year? 

For more information to expand your knowledge and horizons, for inspiration and a tiny thing that makes a difference, check out a new book we are reading, The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson.
Have a wonderfully best 2025!!  We appreciate you!

For this holiday season, we wish you the very best to have creativity, joy, and love, for your family, pet(s) and especially for yourself! The holidays often bring a flurry of to-dos and added stress, but let’s take a moment to refocus on what truly matters: family, connection, and celebration. As we prepare for the excitement of guests, gifts, and glowing lights, it’s also a great time to think about our pets. The hustle and bustle of the holidays—company visits, traveling, festive decorations, and even our own stress—can affect their well-being too. Let’s make this season joyful for all by finding ways to keep our pets calm, comfortable, and happy during all the changes the holidays bring.
Stress isn’t bad, it helps us be creative and strong. Let’s use it to our advantage. When we can’t stick to routines (which helps as much as possible) - especially for bed and meal times, give your pet time away from all the activity to decompress. Lots of exercise and fresh air burns off energy, relieves stress and produces happy hormones. When a little extra calming is needed, we suggest playing white noise, like water flowing, and diffuse high quality essential oils, like lavender or rose. With essential oils, a little goes a long way. One drop on a cotton ball near their bed can work, or diffuse 5 drops in a well ventilated area.
Smells of cooking great foods and fats in the kitchen are delicious - keep your pet close by even if crated or baby gated out of the kitchen. Its best not to isolate them outside or in the garage.
Our pets help us lead our best lives, and remind us of what is really important - connection. Take time to check in with yourself during the hustle and bustle of the holidays, focus on what actually serves you (and you family and pet), and choose where to focus your energy wisely. Bringing in light, gratitude, and love with a little space for cuddles and contemplation will go a long way for everyone!
Recognizing that perfection is in the space created with being our best Selves and fostering gratitude. All of us at Balance Veterinary Care are wishing you Happy Healthy Holistic Holidays! 

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This spooky season we are giving some light to the creepy crawlies that can impact the health of our pets - parasites! 
Parasites are organisms that live in or on our pets, and use our pets as a source of nutrients. This includes intestinal worms like hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms, as well as parasitic intestinal protozoa like cystoisospora and giardia. These parasites can be picked up by our pets from the poop of infected animals (or anything contaminated by that poop). Puppies and kittens often have intestinal parasites transmitted through nursing; dormant parasites in mom’s mammary tissue are passed to the puppies after birth.  In the case of Tapeworms, they can be transmitted by eating fleas.
Parasites also include those that live on our pets, like fleas and ticks. Fleas naturally live in the soil and grasses, whereas ticks tend to live in more densely forested areas, tall grasses, bushes and low trees. 
While these creepy crawlies all around us are enough to give anyone a fright, there is not much to fear! A strong immune system acts like an iron shield - and can prevent infection from occurring when the body is exposed to such parasites. Since 80% of the immune system lines the gut, a healthy microbiome will protect our pets from parasite infections, and should eliminate the need for repeated doses of deworming medications and chemical flea and tick preventatives. 
We recommend an anti-inflammatory diet as the foundation for a strong immune system to build that healthy, strong microbiome!
If you notice worms in your pet’s stool, or they are experiencing diarrhea, its best to bring a fecal sample in for testing. While a large load of intestinal parasites may require deworming medication, we can often clear smaller infections with herbal dewormers, supplements and rectal ozone treatments. These alternative treatments are ideal because instead of weakening the microbiome and therefore the immune system (like chemical medications do), they actually strengthen the immune system and microbiome to prevent infections in the future. With a strong microbiome, immune system, and “iron shield,” those creepy crawlies aren’t so scary anymore. 

The rest of your pets health (besides diet) includes a clean, healthy environment; a happy home; and lots of exercise - for their brains and bodies.
Thanks for having us as a part of your pets’ Team!