Oophorectomy is the surgical removal of the ovaries of a female animal. In the case of non-human animals, this is also called spaying. It is a form of sterilization. A typical modern surgery operation For other meanings of the word, see Surgery (disambiguation) Surgery (from the Greek cheirourgia - lit. ... Human female internal reproductive anatomy Ovaries are a part of a female organism that produces eggs. ... Female symbol Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces egg cells. ... Sterilization is a surgical technique leaving a male or female unable to procreate. ...

The removal of the ovaries together with the Fallopian tubes is called salpingo-oophorectomy. Oophorectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy are not common forms of birth control in humans; more usual is tubal ligation, in which the Fallopian tubes are blocked but the ovaries remain intact. Female internal reproductive anatomy The Fallopian tubes or oviducts are two very fine tubes leading from the ovaries of female mammals into the uterus. ... Birth control is a regimen of one or more extra actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant. ... For the process of removing or killing all microorganisms from an object, see Sterilization (microbiology). ...

In humans and some animals such as cats and dogs, oophorectomy is most usually performed together with a hysterectomy - the removal of the uterus. This procedure is called an ovariohysterectomy. Its use in humans when there are no other health problems is somewhat controversial. A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, usually done by a gynecologist. ... Female internal reproductive anatomy The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ...

In animals, spaying involves an invasive removal of the ovaries, but rarely has major complications; the superstition that it causes weight gain is not based on fact. Spaying is especially important for certain animals that require the ovum to be released at a certain interval (called estrus or "heat"), such as cats and dogs. If the cell is not released during these animal's heat, it can cause severe medical problems that can be averted by spaying or partnering the animal with a male. Estrus (also spelled œstrus) or heat in female mammals is the period of greatest female sexual responsiveness usually coinciding with ovulation. ... Trinomial name Felis silvestris catus (Linnaeus, 1758) This article is about the domestic cat. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758) The dog is a canine mammal of the Order Carnivora that has been domesticated for at least 14,000 years and perhaps for as long as 150,000 years based on recent evidence. ...

Oophorectomy is sometimes referred to as castration, but that term is most often used to mean the removal of a male animal's testicles. Castration, gelding, neutering, orchiectomy or orchidectomy is any action, surgical, chemical or otherwise, by which a biological male loses use of the testes. ... Male symbol Male is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces sperm. ... Look up testicle on Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Terms in animal husbandry and animal fancy

A specialized vocabulary has arisen for spayed animals of given species: In a draw in a mountainous region, a shepherd guides a flock of about 20 sheep amidst scrub and olive trees. ... Animal fancy is a hobby that includes pet and exotic pet ownership, showing and other competitions, breeding and judging. ...

• Sprite (ferret)
• Poulard (chicken)

Trinomial name Mustela putorius furo (Linnaeus, 1758) This article is about the mammal. ... Binomial name Gallus gallus (Linnaeus, 1758) [1] A chicken (Gallus gallus) is a type of domesticated bird which is often raised as a type of poultry. ...

See also

• tubal ligation & birth control
• circumcision
• genital mutilation & female genital mutaliation

For the process of removing or killing all microorganisms from an object, see Sterilization (microbiology). ... Birth control is a regimen of one or more extra actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant. ... Circumcision is the removal of some or all of the foreskin (prepuce). ... Genital modification and genital mutilation both can refer to permanent or temporary changes to the human genitals. ...

External links

• American Partnership for Pets Information on Spay/Neuter and responsible pet care.

• Dog Hause Information on Spay/Neuter

• Spay/Neuter Animal Network Spay/Neuter Myths and Facts