Okuzeka
Veterinary Medicine vocabulary · Surgery and Anaesthesia

Neuter

Meaning in veterinary medicine, with examples

/ˈnjuːtə/verbCore term

In veterinary medicine, neuter means: To remove an animal's reproductive organs by surgery so that it cannot breed: the testicles in males and usually the ovaries and uterus in females.

In Turkish: kısırlaştırmak

How it is used

A general word for both sexes, though some vets use it mainly for males. Owners ask When should I get him neutered? and the operation is often just called a neuter. Australians also say desex.

Example sentences

  1. Many owners neuter their cats before six months of age.

  2. We have two cat neuters and a dental on the list this morning.

  3. Neutered males are less likely to roam and fight.

Common collocations

  • get a dog neutered
  • neutered male
  • cat neuter
  • neutering clinic
  • neuter and spay
  • spayTo remove a female animal's ovaries, and usually her uterus too, by surgery so that she cannot become pregnant or come into heat.
  • castrationRemoving a male animal's testicles, or destroying their function, so that it cannot breed and produces less male hormone.
  • anaesthesiaA controlled state, produced with drugs, in which an animal feels no pain and is usually unconscious, so that surgery or other procedures can be done safely.
  • sutureA stitch or line of stitches used to close a wound or surgical incision, or the thread used to make it. As a verb, it means to close with stitches.

More terms: Surgery and Anaesthesia

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.