Time flies when you’re having fun – especially with a beloved dog or cat. Pets make our long days not only bearable, but worthwhile, and sharing affection with a pet helps us return to the moment when we’re anxious or overwhelmed. The only problem with pets is that they too get old, slow down, require additional special care, and a different approach to their health and wellbeing. 

Having your pets sterilised is the most responsible thing you can do for them and for the pet population in South Africa as a whole. In this article, we answer your questions about pet sterilisation and aim to put your mind at ease that spaying and neutering your pets is the right thing to do for their health and for your benefit.

What does pet sterilisation mean?

Sterilisation refers to the surgical removal of your female pet’s ovaries and uterus (spaying) or your male pet’s testicles (neutering). This is done to prevent your female pet from going on heat and to prevent male pets from reacting to females’ heat cycles. 

As a pet owner, the veterinary clinic or animal hospital is your first port of call when your pet is showing concerning symptoms and you are seeking a diagnosis and an effective treatment plan. The veterinarian’s main objective is to ensure your pet receives quality care that restores and even improves their health and wellbeing. We love animals and we want to see them well again – as much as you do.

There is something irresistible about a new puppy – from its cute appearance to that unmistakable puppy smell; the way it exudes excitement and is a bundle of wagging, licking joy in your presence. The idea of a new puppy may present itself as comprising idyllic, fun-filled days of playtime and puppy breath, but the reality of raising a puppy is very, very different.

The primary function of the canine and feline urinary system is to excrete waste products from the body. Therefore, the health of the urinary system is critical for the health of all of the body’s other systems. Understanding and maintaining your pet’s urinary system is essential to their overall health. In this article, we’ll cover the organs and functions of the urinary system, as well as the common diseases of the urinary system (and their symptoms) and how the vet can diagnose them.

The endocrine system of dogs and cats is almost identical to that of humans, in structure and function. The endocrine system is made up of a number of glands in the body that secrete hormones to control a range of important functions – from growth and metabolism, to reproduction, blood pressure, mineral balance and homeostasis in the body. Its overall purpose is the regulation and control of various functions to keep the body in balance. The canine or feline body is in a constant state of detecting stimuli (threats, thirst, reproductive opportunity, hunger, temperature, etc.). It is the endocrine system that responds to those external stimuli in ways that keep the body in balance. 

The immune system of dogs and cats

The canine and feline immune system affects each and every system and cell in their body. It is a barrier of detection and elimination that stands narrowly between the healthy cells of the body and invading organisms like viruses, bacteria, parasites, cancer cells, pollen or food molecules. The immune system is the body’s defence against illness, disease, infection and allergies, and it has a few mechanisms of protection against pathogens that may attack a healthy animal.

In our previous article on the female reproductive system of dogs and cats, we showed how a complex system of reproductive organs and hormones work together to facilitate fertilisation, gestation and birth. The male reproductive system in dogs and tomcats also consists of a variety of organs and hormones that work together to facilitate fertilisation and to ensure the perpetuation of the species. It influences many of the males’ behaviours, making a good case for neutering when owners of male dogs and cats do not intend to breed with their pets.

Dogs and cats are placental mammals that carry their foetuses in the uterus to full term, giving birth to a litter of live offspring that are almost fully developed. Offspring are initially fed on milk secreted by the bitch or queen’s mammary glands, with puppies and kittens suckling on the five or four pairs of teats, respectively.

The reproduction process requires a number of different organs, hormones and events that all work together in a system, to produce puppies and kittens. In this article, we’ll explore the components and functions of the female reproductive system, the disorders that can affect reproduction, and what to look out for when problems affect the reproductive organs.

The musculoskeletal system of dogs and cats is a complex, multi-part, multi-functioning system that gives animals their shape, size, health, flexibility and speed. It can be fed and protected to turn a dog or cat into a biological machine… or it can become painfully dysfunctional, affecting their health and quality of life.