At San Marco Animal Hospital, we strive to offer quality veterinary services that are not cost-prohibitive to our clients in and around Jacksonville, Florida. Our veterinarians and staff provide exceptional yet affordable care, partly by offering Wellness Plans. For a predictable, no-strings-attached annual membership fee, your pet benefits from a range of preventive and diagnostic services, as well as substantial savings on other medical care. Our clinic also offers flexible financing through CareCredit®. Notably, spay and neuter services are, by their very nature, a great value and investment in your pet’s health and overall wellbeing.

When your female dog or cat is spayed and your male dog or cat is neutered, you are being a responsible pet owner and community steward. You are doing your part as an animal lover to control overpopulation and the somber challenge of more animals than healthy, happy homes to go around.

Additionally, it is not an overstatement to say that these standard and safe procedures can add years to your pet’s lifespan. They also contribute favorably to your pet’s quality of life. Consider this:

• Male dogs and cats who undergo an orchiectomy no longer have the intense drive to mate, which dramatically reduces behavioral problems such as frequent escapes and inappropriate “marking” or elimination around the house.

• Neutered dogs and cats are also less likely to get injured in fights or to cause injuries to others, as this surgical process assuages aggressive tendencies associated with reproductive hormones.

• Intact dogs and cats are more likely to develop certain cancers and medical complications, ranging from testicular masses to urinary obstructions. Hence, neutering your pet reduces or eliminates these and other potentially deadly risks.

• Similarly, female dogs and cats that undergo ovariohysterectomy are no longer going through “heat cycles,” which are associated with a range of behavioral problems not limited to persistent and loud vocalizations, intense urges to mate, anxiety, agitation, and marking patterns.

• Spayed female pets are also protected against the development of mammary gland tumors and severe uterine infections or pyometras.

It is also important to note that some of the complications linked to intact pets require invasive emergency care. These services are much more expensive than preventive procedures, such as spaying and neutering. A spay-and-neuter is also included in some of our wellness plans. Moreover, these predictable procedures support pets’ fullest, happiest lives. We encourage you to schedule a visit for your pet by calling San Marco Animal Hospital at 904-399-5557 today.