Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Dog
Spaying or
neutering is a simple, relatively inexpensive, low-risk surgery whereby the
uterus and ovaries of female animals or the testes of male animals are
removed. It can be performed on kittens or
puppies as young as eight weeks of age, depending on the weight and health of
the animal and the training or preferences of your veterinarian. Many animal shelters like to see these
surgeries performed before six months of age, since workers often see kittens arrive
at the shelter pregnant as young as five months. In the shelter’s eyes, early is better.
According to the
September, 2004 issue of Whole Dog
Journal, while many experts say the benefits of spay/neuter outweigh the
risks, there is some preliminary evidence of health problems linked to early
spay/neuter. There may be a higher risk
of urinary incontinence in female dogs spayed before three months of age, for
example. Also, M. Christine Zink, DVM,
PhD, a specialist in canine sports medicine, has raised concerns whether early
spay/neuter is adversely affecting the growth and development of dogs’
bones. She fears early spay/neuter might
lead to an increase in hip dysplasia in dogs spayed or neutered at the
age of 5.5 months or less, for example.
If in doubt, please ask your veterinarian to review the latest research
and advise you before making any decisions regarding at what age it is best to
sterilize your pet. If you decide to
delay sterilization, also ask what precautions you need to take to ensure that
your dog will not add to your community’s pet overpopulation, and make sure you
follow such advice to the letter. You
should plan to take full (lifetime) responsibility for any puppies accidentally
produced, should your precautions fail.
There are many good reasons to spay or neuter
your pet. The main one is that there are more dogs and cats than there are good
homes! Each year millions of healthy dogs, cats, kittens, and puppies are put to
death nationwide for lack of a loving family.
Others are abandoned to fend for themselves or neglected by being
chained outside or left without appropriate food, water, shelter, medical care,
or time and attention. Spaying and
neutering mean fewer litters and fewer animals in these deplorable situations. It also means greater public safety, since
wandering, unvaccinated, untrained, and potentially aggressive animals can
cause scratches, bites, and rabies. These
animals pose a particular threat to children.
They also burden the general public with having to pay additional taxes
for public health services and for animal control.
Spayed and
neutered animals are healthier, better behaved, and more affectionate
pets. Neutered males are less likely to
roam or get lost in an attempt to find a mate or to control and expand their
territories. They are less likely to get
injured or killed in a fight. They have
a lower rate of health problems such as prostate trouble or testicular cancer. Spayed females will never have annoying heat cycles or unwanted litters. Females that have been spayed will not mark
up your carpets and furniture with unsightly discharges during their heat
cycles. Nor will you have to worry about
your female attracting roaming neighborhood males that will hang around your
doors and mark all over your property with their urine in their hopes of attracting
a mate.
Some families feel
they cannot afford to spay or neuter their pets. Please consider all your options. Your local veterinarian may work with you on
a payment plan. Your local animal
shelter or welfare group may offer special programs such as vouchers to assist
with these costs. Spaying or neutering now can save a lot of money in
veterinary bills over the course of your pet’s lifetime! And your pet will probably live longer.
Some myths are circulating
that sometimes prevent otherwise-responsible animal-lovers from spaying or
neutering their pets. Here are some
common ones, adapted from the ASPCA and HSUS websites:
Myth — A female cat or dog
should have a litter before she is spayed.
Fact—Spaying before the first heat cycle reduces the
risk of mammary gland tumors by 99%. And
it will have completely eliminated the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer.
Myth -
Spaying or neutering (sterilization) will alter my pet's personality.
Fact—Behavior changes, if any, will be for the better.
Myth - Companion
animals will become fat and lazy if they are neutered.
Fact—an animal’s weight can easily
be controlled with exercise and diet.
Your veterinarian can best advise you how to keep your pet healthy.
Fact—About 25% of animals in our
country’s animal shelters are purebred, so there is no reason to breed just
because the animal has papers. Here are
some general guidelines for those who are thinking about responsibly breeding purebred dogs. Breeding should only be done to
improve the breed, not primarily for profit. First, consider the source of your dog. If you have obtained a dog from a pet store,
an animal shelter, or as a stray, get your pet sterilized. The dog you are considering breeding should
have a pedigree that goes back three to five generations. Within the past three generations there
should be at least four titled dogs in events such as conformation, tracking,
obedience, etc. The dog should have a
stable temperament, fit the breed standards, and be certified free of diseases
including genetic ones (particularly of the eyes, hips, and anything else
common to your particular breed). As a
breeder you should accept lifetime responsibility for any puppies produced and
be willing and able to take back any unwanted offspring for the lifetime of the
dogs. You must be willing to keep any
puppies you cannot place, nor will you will release puppies before they have
had a first set of vaccinations and permanent identification such as a
microchip. In addition, you must have
the means and the vigilance to prevent accidental breeding and a willingness to
take full care and responsibility toward any mixed-breed (or other) litter your
dog may inadvertently produce, since Nature, unfortunately, sometimes has its
way despite an owner’s vigilance and best intentions.
Responsible
breeders make sure all puppies are as well-socialized to new places and people
as medically advisable for their age. They
refuse to sell their puppies too young (so the pups are usually at least 8
weeks old). They do not breed the
mothers more often than is healthy. Responsible
breeders also make sure that any “pet-quality” pups from their litters are
spayed or neutered as young as medically appropriate, and they often require
the purchasers to sign a contract that ensures this happens. They ask questions of the prospective owners
before placing their pups. They often
take an active role in breed rescue for their breed as well. A breeder following these guidelines is
obviously looking out for the welfare of the dogs, not to make a profit!
Myth - I don't want my male dog to feel like less
of a male.
Fact—He’ll never miss’em! He will have no sexual identity crisis or
emotional reaction when neutered.
Myth - But my dog is so special, I want a
puppy just like her.
Fact—There is no guarantee that your dog will pass
along her good qualities to her offspring.
Professional breeders with decades of experience cannot even guarantee
what a particular litter will bring. The
average pet-owner’s chances are even slimmer.
You could wind up with a litter with traits very different from your dog’s, possibly even a litter with all her
worst characteristics.
Myth - I'll find good homes for all the puppies and
kittens.
Fact—Even if this is true, each home you find deprives
the dogs and cats in shelters the possibility of a good home. Also, your dog’s babies may have their own
litters in less than one year's time. Each litter adds even more dogs to the current
overpopulation. The problem is created one litter at a time.
Myth - It's too expensive to have my pet spayed or
neutered.
Fact—This is one-time cost is
miniscule when weighed with the potential benefits over your dog’s
lifetime. In the words of the HSUS:
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.
(http://www.hsus.org)
A Dangerous Myth – Children should witness the miracle
of birth.
Fact—a litter for this purpose is
actually teaching your children that it is acceptable to behave irresponsibly and to
use or even discard animals as it suits your purpose. Your dog is most likely to give birth secretly
and in the middle of the night, so there is no guarantee your children will
even see it. Use books or videos to teach your children, instead. Some shelters have a program where your
family can foster a pregnant dog or new litter and raise the pups until they
are old enough for adoption. Even
purebred dogs with papers wind up in shelters, so there is no need to breed
even purebred dogs for this purpose.
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