Which surgical procedure is commonly performed by veterinarians?

Spay/neuter surgery is a widely performed surgical procedure in veterinary medicine. This surgery serves multiple purposes, including population control by preventing unwanted litters, decreasing the risks of certain health issues, such as reproductive cancers, and often altering behavioral problems related to mating instincts.

Spaying involves removing the ovaries and usually the uterus of female animals, while neutering refers to the removal of the testicles in male animals. These procedures are typically routine and can often be done in a clinical setting with general anesthesia. The benefits of spaying and neutering extend beyond individual health, contributing to community welfare by reducing the number of stray or abandoned animals.

While dental cleaning, bone setting, and wound stitching are also important veterinary procedures, they do not have the same level of prevalence in routine practice as spay/neuter surgeries. Dental cleanings are often part of preventive health care but are not categorized as surgical operations involving anesthesia in the same way. Bone setting is usually more specialized and involves complex treatment that might not be performed by all veterinarians. Wound stitching, while also performed, is more situational based on injuries and does not occur with the same frequency as spaying and neutering.