That little blue tattoo conveys a lot of information about your dog’s health

Dogs are available in a variety of forms and sizes, ranging from little, cute breeds to enormous, beloved ones.

Additionally, each has a unique set of natural characteristics, like as black dots on their tongues, two different-colored eyes, or fluffy coats with brindles. In addition, as pet owners, we have several methods of “marking” our dogs, such as a winter coat, a red collar, or a dog spay tattoo.

A body art piece?

You did really read correctly! A regular component of medical procedures for pets is getting a dog spay tattoo on their abdomen. However, are they required and do all canines receive them?

Learn the meaning of that small blue line and how it can prevent future expensive and painful surgeries for both you and your cat.

Why do some dogs have a line tattooed on them?

The operating veterinarian will indicate that a dog has been spayed or neutered by tattooing a blue line on its belly. According to Cherice Roth, DVM, chief veterinary officer of Fuzzy, an online pet health firm, the tattoo is applied at the time of the animal’s sterilization procedure, typically using a tattoo gun owned by the veterinary practice. As an alternative, we could just put sterile ink or dye inside the wound, the woman continues. After the procedure is finished, but before the pet awakens from anesthesia, the tattoo is applied. The dog won’t have any pain from the tattoo because it will be taking painkillers both during and after the procedure.

Are you unsure if your dog bears this mark? Very likely, if your dog is a rescue, the answer is yes. Spay/neuter tattoos are far more common among rescue dogs and those sterilized at free or inexpensive spay/neuter clinics. Almost all animals acquired from shelters are required to be sterilized. A 2022 study that was published in the veterinarian Journal states that while just a tiny portion of private veterinarian practitioners tattoo the animals they sterilize, at least 80% of shelters do so.

What does a dog spay tattoo look like?

“Most veterinarians are not known for their artistic flair,” jokes Dr. Roth, who explains that a dog spay tattoo is typically just a simple line near the incision. It may appear on the incision itself, be a single line on one side or appear as a line on both sides of the incision—that just boils down to the veterinarian’s preference. And while spay tattoos are usually blue, they may occasionally be done with green or black ink. While the ink may get lighter over time, it will remain as a visual indicator of the dog’s sterilization status.

Why do vets tattoo dogs when spaying them?

As a pet owner, you might wonder why your pet, or any other, needs a dog spay tattoo. After all, can’t you just tell the vet about your pet’s spay/neuter status if there’s an issue? Well, it isn’t always that simple, and there are several good reasons this is a smart move. Most involve some “what if” scenarios, which, while sad, need to be considered:

• Your pet has an emergency that you’re not there for, and you aren’t able to talk to the vet.
• Your dog becomes permanently lost or separated from you and winds up in a shelter waiting for adoption.
• Life events necessitate that you surrender your pet to a shelter, where your pet’s medical records may or may not follow.
• If you die and there’s no one to care for your pet, it may end up in a shelter.

Here are some other reasons, related and unrelated to the ones above, that spay/neuter tattoos are a good idea for pets.

Scars may fade

When a dog is sterilized, a scar will be left on its belly. But scars may fade, especially if the dog is very young when the surgery is performed, explains Dr. Roth. A tattoo at the incision site lasts forever. Plus, because tattoos are only applied here to indicate that sterilization has occurred, there’s no doubt about their meaning.

For male dogs, it may seem like there’s an obvious way to tell if they’re neutered—whether or not they have testicles. But even this isn’t a sure thing. Some dogs suffer from retained testicles that don’t “drop” into the scrotum and therefore are never visible on the outside of their bodies.

Scars don’t tell the whole story

A scar on a dog’s belly probably means it’s been sterilized, but it could also mean that it has had another type of surgery. So just the scar alone doesn’t confirm spay or neuter status, but a dog spay tattoo does.

Dog spay tattoos save money and painful intervention

Here’s where the dog spay tattoo really makes a difference. “We tattoo so that it’s clear the pet has been spayed or neutered without having to open the pet surgically,” says Dr. Roth. “There are other methods to check for spay/neuter status, such as hormone blood tests or an abdominal ultrasound, but they are cost prohibitive for most families.” An ultrasound can cost between $300 and $500 with a private vet, and they, along with blood tests, may not be conclusive. Dr. Roth explains that in many cases, it may be more cost-effective to pay for the surgical procedure, during which a vet discovers whether the dog is sterilized only after it goes under the knife.

“The rationale behind the tattoo,” Dr. Roth explains, “is that we want to prevent the pet from being put under anesthesia and having their body opened needlessly.” This is especially relevant for shelter dogs, who often come in as adults or strays and without any medical history.

Pet spay tattoos also help veterinarians rule out certain diseases and conditions related to the reproductive organs, says Dr. Roth, including pregnancy, a uterine infection or testicular cancer. And if your pet comes in with some urgent distress, a quick check will at least let the vet know whether the problem might or might not be related to this. “Knowing the spay/neuter status of a pet helps us to better help the pet,” Dr. Roth adds.

Do vets always tattoo spayed dogs?

No, but blue neuter/spay tattoos are becoming more popular. “Nearly all shelters tattoo sterilized pets,” says Dr. Roth, adding that they also usually require that animals be neutered before they can be adopted. In private settings, though, the procedure is still relatively uncommon—perhaps because both pet owners and private-practice vets are less likely to consider scenarios where a beloved pet becomes homeless. Even if that seems like an impossible scenario, ask your vet if tattooing is an option. “I wish that every veterinary practice did it so that we could help to prevent needless procedures,” says Dr. Roth.

Next, find out the answers to other canine mysteries, including why dogs get the zoomies, eat grass and engage in other weird dog behavior.