The difference between spay and neuter comes down to the gender of the animal. Spaying involves removing the uterus and ovaries of a female animal, and neutering removes the testicles of a male animal. ... This procedure ensures your animal won't reproduce, and helps reduce pet overpopulation.

Is spayed for females and neutered for males?

Well, the good news is, part of the decision is already made for you. That's because spaying is a procedure that is only done to female dogs. The term neutering can technically apply to both genders, but it's generally used to describe the desexing procedure for male dogs.

Why is it called spayed and neutered?

Spay is the generally-accepted term used to describe the surgical procedure referring to reproductive alteration of a female dog or cat. ... “Neuter” comes from the Latin neuter, literally meaning “neither one nor the other.” In the beginning of the last century its use applied to male and female cats, but not to dogs.