Every pet owner knows that spaying or neutering your pet means you don't have to worry about offspring. However, spaying and neutering your pet can offer you and your pet many benefits beyond keeping them from having puppies or kittens. Read on to learn three more bonuses to this simple surgical procedure.

Fewer Territorial Problems

Cats and dogs who aren't spayed and neutered tend to be more territorial than those who are. Male dogs and cats will have a higher likelihood of getting into fights with other males, especially when nearby females are in heat. Even if you keep your pet indoors, a female that's in heat nearby can still make them become aggressive or anxious.

In addition, both genders are more likely to mark their territory by urinating on it or spraying it if they're not fixed. Although pets who are fixed can still potentially do this, it's less likely if your pet is spayed or neutered. Since they won't feel threatened by nearby animals who are in heat or are territorial, they won't feel the need to protect their territory as strongly.

Reduced Risk of Roaming

Pets who aren't neutered are far more likely to wander away from home than those who are. Intact males can detect females in heat even from far away, and if they pick up the scent, they may leave home to try and seek her out. Unfortunately, this often leads to pets getting outside and never coming home. Females may also wander away if they become impregnated, especially when it's time to give birth to their offspring.

Reduced Cancer Rates

The final advantage of spaying or neutering your pet is perhaps the most important one of them all. If you choose to fix your pet, your pet will have a significantly decreased risk of certain cancers. For females, uterine and breast cancer is more likely, and for males, testicular cancer is far more likely. In addition, dogs who are found to have testicular cancer are typically castrated anyway to treat the cancer, so choosing to neuter before your cat or dog develops this deadly disease is a better idea.

Fixing your pet, whether it's male or female, can potentially improve their quality of life, keep them close to home, and reduce the risk of them getting into fights. Not having to worry about puppies or kittens is a nice advantage, but the other perks of spaying or neutering your pet are too hard to overlook. Talk to a vet, like one at Haverford Animal Hospital, about having your pet fixed today to improve your pet's life.