Spaying and Neutering

[krystallovespitbulls]

Okay I have to comment on this. Lately I have been reading on here that there is no need to neuter or spay my dog

I have worked at an SPCA for 5 years. I have had my shares of euthanizing everyweek, purebred or mixed1

well here I go,
Here are the benefits of Spaying and Neutering your dog.

Myths and Facts About Spaying and Neutering


MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.

FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise.

MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.

FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.

MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.

FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth—which is unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion—the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others.

MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.

FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and purebred.

MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.

FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to protect home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.

MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.

FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.

MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.
FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean her offspring will be a carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can't guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances are even slimmer. In fact, an entire litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet's (and her mate's) worst characteristics.

MYTH: It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.

FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet, your veterinarian's fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost—a relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It's a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can add up to significant veterinary bills and food costs if complications develop. Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets.

MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.

FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet's litter. But each home you find means one less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good homes. Also, in less than one year's time, each of your pet's offspring may have his or her own litter, adding even more animals to the population. The problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.

got it here
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/myths_and_facts_about_spaying_and_neutering.html

your comments and suggestions are welcomed
Thank you
Krystal

 

[joce]

I think many people who are true dog people do jump to quickly to spay and neuter.

Many vets now push altering at six months for everyone-I don't think thats a good thing at all-unless the people can't handle their dogs.Let them grow -then fix them.

I agree many dogs do need altered but I also think if a person can keep the dog from reproducing I don't care what they do. But if the dog gets knocked up then its their responcibility to alter that dog asap.

I have had unaltered dogs together for years and never had an accident. we used to automatically spay everything till we found out the bone cancers were probally the result of that. I was going to alter my dobe but he had trouble coming out of the anesthesia after he got a lump removed and I'm not going to risk it.

But all that said 90% of people should probally alter before the first heat
A frineds year old dog jsut had pups-but hes just plain retarted-he wanted her to have pups anywayso it wasn't even an accident and he doenst even get it.

 

[krystallovespitbulls]

So you would rather Risk your dog having cancer down there?

 

[joce]

The risk of cancers they may get from the result of a spay is higher than the risk of getting any sexuall organ cancer(Around here I have actually never seen a dog with a testicular or uterine cancer-have seen pyrometra but I think most females get fixed cuz heats are annoying anyway.). I've had dogs with bone cancer, funny thing is I had a resuce with mammary cancer who was fixed too. never had an unaltered dog with any. And the dog with the bone cancer " or what the vet highly beleived to be bone cancer" was only about two-had been fixed at six monyhs.she actually had so many issues we jsut put her down but the vet saying it looked like cancer put it over the edge.

I am typing on a lap top and my typing sucks si ignore it.

And when the mammary lump was biopsied on the lab the vet said even when they are unaltered the lab doesn't usually send back a report reccomenduing spay. I could get uterine cancer-I'm not getting a hysterectomy.

My corgi had a lump that ended up jsut being some fluid filled mess but I got her fixed during the surgery just cuz I didn't want to ever put her under again and run into the situation with my dobe again. I hate heats anyway!


I'm not saying I am against it in any way-rescues going out of my house will be altered no matter what their age but thats because I can't expect people to be as responcible as me.I do think many dogs need altered but I think people throw it around as a fix all and a required thing. Its not. Its a serioues surgery.

But my personal dogs will be fully grown before they are altered and if ther eis anyhting that makes me question getting it done then it won't get done.

 

[krystallovespitbulls]

I think you are wrong here. If you google cancer spaying and Neutering. it comes up as reduces mamory cancer/Prostate cancer and so on... I think you just had bad luck with your dogs.

The more you wait the greater the chance of Cancer.

If your vet recommends a later spay and Neuter (If medical problem then okay) Then your vet is not a good vet. Good vets will encourage spaying and Neutering

 

[krystallovespitbulls]

Also spaying as a serious surgery but Neutering is not because it is already out there

 

[BostonBanker]

I'll admit it, I tend to "look down" a bit on people with un-altered dogs. I have a close friend who does rescue, and I just don't like the risk of more litters. But, until recently, I knew of one person who just seemed to make it work. Yes, she has an intact male, but he is never off-leash or left outside. If he's out of the house, he's attached to a person. Their other dog is a spayed female. So, I figure it could work.

Until a few weeks ago, when the dogs broke through the screen door in the evening, and the intact male spent the entire night running loose. God forbid anything "happened". He certainly wasn't going to run into any females of his relatively rare breed, and even if he did, he's so far off standard, it wouldn't be a nice litter. Instead, more mix breeds.

It doesn't matter how careful you are, you can never guarantee that your intact dogs won't have the opportunity to breed.

 

[J's crew]

Studies have shown in my breed (Rottweilers) that there is an increased risk of Osteosarcoma if s/n to early. I wait until at least 2 years with my personal animals. I have never had an accidental litter and will never because I take meaures to prevent it.

That being said not all pet owners are responsible enough so any rescue aI have is fixed before being adopted out.

 

[Red_ACD_for_me]

Unfortunately you can talk to some people till you are blue in the face and you won't get anywhere. I have always tried to educate people but some just don't buy into the whole S/N thing. Especially the MEN who own male dogs who need there dogs danglers to compensate for themselves. Eventually, I got to the point after so many years of "trying" to educate people that I don't say much anymore. I believe it is more a female dog who suffers far greater from not being spayed then a male dog. I have a 15 month old male who isn't getting fixed for awhile longer because I have chose to hold off and I am very responsible with him. I think that people who own males and females who don't intend to breed and don't S/N are very irresponsible because the likely outcome of that is an unwanted litter. Any bitch that comes into my house would get spayed if I chose to keep a male intact for whatever reason.

 

[cindr]

Spay or not too

Well everyone out here has their own veiws as far as to alter their dogs. Now we have to remember the issues at hand;

1) Each individual has the right to their own veiws. No ones are better than the others. Although if in which the dog or dogs in question are used to over populate then we have avenues that we can direct the situation. SPCA Animal Control.

2) Is an altered dog a better dog? That depends on the situation and the owner. Many dogs that suffer with hip displacia should not be altered as the testostirone is a natural anti-imflamitory. Mind you at no time should these dogs be used as a stud or a brood bitch

3) Age requirements as to altering again that is up to the owner and their vet.

4) Intact males running at large. Again the responsibility of the owner and that is why there are fines stipulated and placed against the owner.

5) Unwanted litters. Have the dog taken to the vet with in 24 hrs of being breed. Get her the hot shot and all is said and done. Things happen and when they do it is up to us to take the time to change and or correct them. It is for the betterment of the animals. So I state to everyone here, if it looks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck treat it like a duck. That was what my Vet has said to me and you know what it is only common sense to be responsible.

 

[bubbatd]

There's no reason NOT to spay and neuter if you aren't a breeder . I do feel females are more important than males ( if they are never loose ). Why put up with a female's heat twice a year for 8 weeks ! .. I don't know where I stand on the health issues .......if that was the case , we females should have breasts and uterus removed after we have our families. As for men ???? HMMMMMMMMMMMM .

 

[Boemy]

Yeah, but unlike dogs, human females live in a society where appearances are important and we have an emotional attachment to how we look. Note that wisdom teeth and tonsils, which no one can see from the outside (or cares about) often ARE removed before they start trouble.

Also, I know plenty of people who have had hysterectomies either after they've passed childbearing age or because they don't intend to have children.

 

[RD]

I get miffed at people looking down on me for owning an intact dog. My dog, my choice. My intact dog does not bother anybody. He is not a humper. He is not pushy or hormonal. He does some typical intact male things (marks new territory, but only outdoors. sniffs at everything, etc.) but that doesn't bother me much. He usually stops when I tell him to.

If he plays with a female dog over 6 months old, I ALWAYS ask if she has been spayed. If not, no play. I don't let him play with other intact males that I do not know well. I DO let him offlead in parks. He doesn't bother anyone else's dogs, because he is so focused on his game of frisbee or doing some obedience work. Besides that, I have never seen anyone foolish enough to bring their bitch in season to the dog park and let her go.

I'm involved in training rescue dogs. I KNOW what irresponsible ownership causes. All the more reason for me to be responsible with my intact dog. I've had him for 2 years and he's never run away. He has gotten out of the yard, yes, but he knows how to come when called. If he was the type to bolt and run away the instant a door or gate swung open, he would be gated off into only certain rooms of the house like my Papillon (who WILL bolt and run) is.

He may be neutered in the future. He may not. If he needs to go under anesthesia for any reason, I would consider it. If not, why bother? It's not a huge deal to me and it won't make a big difference in my dog or the way I contain him.

 

[Cheetah]

Shippo is having his "jewels" removed next month... I should start a countdown clock. I can't wait! I don't want to have to worry about whether or not he'll impregnate some random dog. I can't take him to doggy daycare because he is intact. Neutering will help calm him down, although I'm aware that age as well as training also plays a role. I am pro-spay and neuter, simply because there is such a bad overpopulation problem here in the US. I think we need to cut down instead of adding to the surplus.

 

[bubbatd]

RD ... that's your choice. The only male I had neutered ( until my 2 rescues that came neutered ) was my 13 year old Rufus who developed testicular cancer .Luckily he lived to almost 17 . Had I know better then , I would have had him neutered when his stud days were over at 10 yrs. old.

 

[SeniorPetLover]

Being in rescue, I have seen the need for spay/neuter first hand...there are so many animals that end up euthanized and a large number of them are puppies and kittens...I know that everyone gets tired of hearing about it so I won't beat a dead horse...however, being in dog rescue, especially senior dog rescue, I have experienced the negative health effects of not altering...I am currently going through a case of breast cancer with a senior female...we are waiting to see if it has spread to the lungs...it has been scientifically proven that alteration done before the first heat cycle reduces the occurence of breast cancer in females...I am also dealing with a male that has cancer in the anal region...my vet told me that had he been altered earlier in life, the chances of him aquiring it would have been greatly reduced...REDUCED mind you, some altered animals still get sick...however, these are horrible diseases and I would not wish them on anyone...If you would look into the eys of these little guys and see what I have to deal with on a daily basis, you might agree that alteration is worth a shot if there is even a remote chance of preventing it...I am committed to alteration 100%. Every dog or cat that comes to live with me is altered, regardless of age. One more swift kick to the dead horse...I can tell you that working in a shelter and watching good animals die simply because there are not enough homes changes one's perspective about many things... I would highly recommend that everyone spend some time volunteering...not only is the need great, it is a very educational expereince. Stepping off soap box now...

 

[joce]

Wow- I think vets that say spay or neuter or else at six months are bad vets.If people look dumb to me(I'm being honest) I say spay and neuter at six months-but thats nto for the health of the dog thats so they don't ahve pups. If someone seems responcible I always say to wait till the dog is fully mature.

Byrons six now by the way-gizzy wasn't altered till she was five-were are all these puppies I must have running around?

 

[otch1]

Hello seniorpetlover... thank you for moving over to share that soapbox! lol I agree, until you've worked in rescue, dealt with the overload in city/county animal controls, most people have no idea of how staggering the number of euthanasias are. I believe when we talk about spaying or neutering strictly to control over population, this is done with the "irresponsible" pet owner in mind. (And most of us do not consider ourselves to be in that category) Think of the posts on this site, some of you have had passionate responses to. The Chihuahua owner who let his female be bred at 8 months of age. Another who was breeding a questionable line of Labradors. Yet another who didn't know what a tie was during mating. (God help him should he have to help deliver that litter at 3 am.) I saw these posts in just my first week on this site. There are alot of owners who are breeding their dogs, simply because they're intact, their breeder didn't make them sign a "pet" spay/neuter contract at purchase and they think they have a nice dog... with really no other good reason for breeding it than that. There is no reason to breed a pet. Bottom line. Own an intact dog? Sure, if you're confident you're acting in it's best interest for health reasons and keeping it properly confined. I have dealt with cancer in both my intact and altered animals, so that's a questionable debate. For the majority of dog owners I meet through my training program, I encourage them to alter as soon as it's an appropriate age. Some students have then had issue with that, when they come to see me at a show and I'm leaning on a stack of crates and x-pen with unaltered dogs. "If their dog can, why not mine?" It's difficult to tell a pet owner "leave it to the pros, their years of experience and research into developing and improving their breed". To my pet owners/students, their dogs are just as much a "star" in their eyes as the show dogs I also handle. I simply hope they find another avenue to let them 'shine in"... one other than breeding them.

 

[Red_ACD_for_me]

Hello seniorpetlover... thank you for moving over to share that soapbox! lol I agree, until you've worked in rescue, dealt with the overload in city/county animal controls, most people have no idea of how staggering the number of euthanasias are. I believe when we talk about spaying or neutering strictly to control over population, this is done with the "irresponsible" pet owner in mind. (And most of us do not consider ourselves to be in that category) Think of the posts on this site, some of you have had passionate responses to. The Chihuahua owner who let his female be bred at 8 months of age. Another who was breeding a questionable line of Labradors. Yet another who didn't know what a tie was during mating. (God help him should he have to help deliver that litter at 3 am.) I saw these posts in just my first week on this site. There are alot of owners who are breeding their dogs, simply because they're intact, their breeder didn't make them sign a "pet" spay/neuter contract at purchase and they think they have a nice dog... with really no other good reason for breeding it than that. There is no reason to breed a pet. Bottom line. Own an intact dog? Sure, if you're confident you're acting in it's best interest for health reasons and keeping it properly confined. I have dealt with cancer in both my intact and altered animals, so that's a questionable debate. For the majority of dog owners I meet through my training program, I encourage them to alter as soon as it's an appropriate age. Some students have then had issue with that, when they come to see me at a show and I'm leaning on a stack of crates and x-pen with unaltered dogs. "If their dog can, why not mine?" It's difficult to tell a pet owner "leave it to the pros, their years of experience and research into developing and improving their breed". To my pet owners/students, their dogs are just as much a "star" in their eyes as the show dogs I also handle. I simply hope they find another avenue to let them 'shine in"... one other than breeding them.

Excellent post!:hail:

 

[Ashlea]

Personally, if I had a male, who was of show quality, tested and finnished, I would not alter him until about 7-10 years of age. I will always alter any female in my home and I will alter her at 6 months of age.

If I got a pet quality male, he would be altered at 2 years and not let out of my sight at all until he was altered. I think males should be afforded the opportunity to develop and grow with the help of testosterone.

If I got a mixed breed male he would come altered from the shelter, so not my problem.