The Veterinary Oral Health Council recommends brushing your dog's teeth every day to every other day.

Yes, as we mentioned, it can definitely prevent a lot of scary illnesses that are really all preventable by spaying or neutering your dog.

With male dogs, it may help if it's a marking or territorial issue. A lot of that you're probably going to see improvement as your pet gets older. A lot of it's a puppy potty training issue, which typically gets better with age and not necessarily with the spay or neuter.

My personal recommendation is no, unless you are using your dog for breeding or your dog is a show dog. I would recommend spaying or neutering before the possibility of them breeding. There are a lot of risks that come with carrying and delivering a litter. That also increases your female dog's chances of getting mammary cancer later in life.

There are a lot of health risks for female dogs, such as ovarian and mammary cancer, and a uterine infection called pyometra. Spaying your dog will remove all of those issues. For male dogs, neutering removes the risk of testicular cancer, decreases the chance of benign prostatic hyperplasia - a painful condition that can cause urinary issues - and reduces the likelihood of prostatic abscesses and hernias in the perineum. Overall, it's very helpful to increase the life expectancy of your dog.

We would recommend it. If you're not showing your dog or breeding your dog, there are a lot of health risks that come with your pet being intact or un-spayed or un-neutered.

There are common misconceptions about spaying and neutering. One is that it changes your pet's personality, which is generally not the case. Behavioral changes may occur earlier in puppyhood, and if necessary, we recommend early neutering to address specific behaviors. However, as pets mature, their behavior and personality remain largely unchanged. Another misconception is that spaying and neutering lead to weight gain. While some pets may experience weight issues as they reach middle age, many castrated or spayed dogs maintain a healthy body condition score and remain active.

Typically, a dog's spay surgery takes about 30 minutes, potentially up to an hour for dogs in heat or larger breeds. Dog neuters are quicker, usually around 15 minutes.

As with any surgical procedure, there are potential complications. These include a small risk of infection at the incision site, occasional bruising around the incision, or suture reactions that may occur within a week or up to two to three months post-surgery. Additionally, there can be fluid pockets called seromas, which resolve over time. We take measures to minimize anesthesia complications by closely monitoring your pet during the procedure, but there is always a small inherent risk.

Like any surgery, we prioritize pain control for your dog. We administer pre-anesthetic medications and promptly initiate post-operative pain medication. As a result, the pain is typically minimal. Your dog will also receive pain medications to take home for a week.