Revista Ciência em Extensão (Apr 2014)
Evaluation of a program for the surgical sterilization of cats in Araçatuba - SP from 1996 to 2010
Abstract
Cats are gradually occupying a more important position as pets, due to the ease of cat maintenance in an urban environment, even though they are very prolific and need to be surgically sterilized. This paper evaluates the data obtained over 15 years, during the course of a university extension program that offers free cat sterilization surgery. A statistical analysis was carried out of data provided in the records of animals treated under the program. Surgical sterilization was performed on 647 animals, comprising 409 females (63%) and 238 males (37%). Unilateral cryptorchidism was observed in 9 (3.8%) male cats. Forty (10%) female cats were pregnant at the time of the surgery, and treatment with contraceptives was noted for 67 (16.4%) female cats. One death occurred during recovery from anesthesia, and two cats were euthanized because of wound infection, totaling 0.5% of severe complications. From 1996 to 2004, 212 female cats were spayed (122 adults and 90 prepubertal animals), and during this period, two different approaches for ovariohysterectomy were compared: flank laparotomy and ventral midline celiotomy. The flank laparotomy approach was used in only 46 female cats (21.7%), due to disadvantages including the need for an incision on each flank in prepubertal or nulliparous animals, and the difficulty or impossibility of total uterus removal. During the same period, 105 male cats underwent orchiectomy by means of an open technique in which the spermatic cord was ligated with nylon. From 2005 to 2010, 197 females (106 adults and 91 prepubertal animals) were spayed. The minilaparotomy technique was used to perform ovariohysterectomy on 139 female cats (70.6%). In this procedure, the ovaries and uterus were exteriorized blindly, using a hook inserted through a small midline incision. The traditional midline ovariohysterectomy, in which the length of the incision permits direct observation of the ovaries and uterus, had to be performed for 58 (29.4%) female cats, due to advanced pregnancy, full urinary bladder during surgery, or obesity. Over the past 6 years, 133 male cats (48 adults and 85 prepubertal cats) were castrated by means of an open technique in which the spermatic cord was tied on itself. The demand for surgery during the project demonstrated that cat owners are becoming aware of the importance of sterilization, given the problems of cat overpopulation and abandonment.
