http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-to-spay-or-neuter-your-dog.html
Why Spay or Neuter Your Dog
posted by Annie B. Bond Mar 11, 1999 10:39 am
Excerpted from 50 Simple Ways to Pamper Your Dog, by Arden Moore.
The birth of a litter of puppies is certainly a miracle to behold. But it’s time for a reality check: There are simply not enough homes for all. Show true compassion for the dogs of the world by having your dog spayed (for females) or neutered (for males) before 6 months of age.
Be a Pal
- If you have your veterinarian spay your female dog before her first heat (estrus) cycle, you’re doing her a terrific favor. Spaying dramatically reduces her risk of developing uterine infections, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer.
- As for the boys, neutered males have far fewer prostate problems (including cysts, abscesses, and prostate cancer) than do unaltered males, and they can’t develop testicular cancer. They are less likely to roam, fight, demonstrate aggressiveness, or display hyperactive behavior.
- Schedule the surgical appointment early in the day so that you can pick your dog up in the early evening (Unless your vet recommends an overnight stay). Also, select a time when you will be home for a couple of days after the surgery—weekends are good—so that you can provide comfort and reassurance to your healing friend.
Top 10 Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Dog
- Altered dogs, on average, live longer, healthier lives.
- Female dogs spayed before their first birthday are 99.9 percent less likely to develop reproductive cancer.
- Altered dogs behave better and are more focused on training.
- You’ll stop overpopulation. One female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in just six years.
- You’ll stop homelessness. Only one in four dogs find a permanent, loving home.
- You’ll stop the killings. More than eight million surplus dogs and cats are destroyed each year because there are not enough homes for them. Taxpayers pick up the tab to the tune of $300 million.
- Eighty percent of dogs struck by vehicles are unaltered males.
- The majority of dog bites to postal carriers are from unaltered male dogs.
- Pet licensing fees are lower in cost for altered dogs in many cities and countries.
- Thanks to improved surgical and anesthesia equipment and techniques, you can spay a female or neuter a male as early as 8 weeks of age. Don’t hesitate.
Go to the Source
50 Simple Ways to Pamper Your Dog, by Arden Moore
From recipes for gourmet treats to grooming tips, herbal flea repellants to pet comfort corners, pet massage techniques to understanding how a dog thinks, 50 Simple Ways to Pamper Your Dog present easy-to-implement tips that support a happy, healthy dog and a strong human-animal bond.buy nowrelated stories
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34 comments
add your comment »I'm not sure if anyone else thinks so, and I can see that spaying/neutering prevents the killing of unwanted puppies, but it seems a bit unfair to the dog. If someone of another species altered my ability to produce offspring, I'd be rather put out about it. If the male dog is put on a leash when outside the home, and there isn't an available potential mate for him at home, then what's the risk of not neutering him? Any thoughts? (Esp. if the dog is already an adult when you have him, and he's used to being an unaltered male dog? I'm not sure about female dogs.) Thanks for any info... (BTW I don't have a dog, although I like them).
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I've kept bitches all my life and a beautiful cat has joined us as no one else wanted her. I have always thought it would be lovely to have one of my bitches have just the one pup, but nature doesn't work that way. I can only keep the 2 bitches and the queen so all are neutered for their sake, my sake and the sake of the other dogs and cats all desperately looking for homes!
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Thanks for letting more people be aware of their responsibility of having God's wonderful creations, it seems like the neuter and spaying calms them and they are more loveable and protective, from my point of view.
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Thank you Lilly! And as for your comment cecily w, I could give you the same 24,768 reasons why humans could "benefit" from being altered or fixed, but at least here in the states and most free countries, we would never even consider it! Hey less kids to grow up and be thrown in jail! Woman wouldn't get cancer as easily, we would have less people starving....Ridicules isn’t it, the thought of altering a human child to prevent us from reproducing? Yet we don't think twice about doing it to our pets... and even more it's considered the "right thing to do" yet we wouldn’t think the same for ourselves...
Don’t criticize me for choosing to keep my dogs intact and not causing them undue pain. My pets are part of my family and loved very much. I wouldn't have allowed my son or daughter to be "fixed" and I love my pets just as well. Hey they don't talk back or argue even! I pray my pets stay healthy... along with all my family.
Bottom line people who don't care or are irresponsible shouldn't have pets. We don’t adopt children out to people who can barely take care of themselves, why are animals suffering at our hands!
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i would love to hear from other people who have had the same problem
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A stray dog had 5 puppies behind our neighbors garage, one was found ripped apart by a roaming dog. I was trying to help by feeding the mother as no one wanted her or the pups our SPCA was flat out. One night she was attacked by another local female dog (it's something about females trying to be the alpha female in the area) Her neck torn open the SPCA had to come and get all of them. There was a small pup that would try to find me behind the fence, dig under the gate and lead the charge of pups to my door, I went to the SPCA and toke her home with me. I was scared to get her into serious surgery for neutering but did the research and also every other female 'old' dog I'd ever known had been neutered. If you can keep your animal safe during heat seasons then you should be fine but if you can't and can't afford to keep tons of puppies it should be an option, it's not just about cancer people it's about keeping your dog safe.
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Continuation, that if you dont get them spayed before the first heat period once the female hormones have gone through them, it dosent matter they can still get the same thing that Emily had cancer ,well that was two months ago and i just got Maggie a friend , she did not like her at first but now they are great buddiesnow i dont know what to do ,i dont want to see this new puppy go through what Emily did,i named the new chihuahua Chloe,and we just love her but Emily will always remain in my heart for ever.
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Hi 7 years ago i bought two puppies, one of them was a chihuahua, and the other one was a yorkie phoo, both females , all my dogs have always been females. when they were puppies and went to get their shots my vet asked me then if i was going to get them spayed , i told him i would think about it but deep down in my heart i knew that i was not going to do it,they were both tiny dogs 4lb and 10 lb ,my main reason at that time was friends of mine who had gone ahead with the spaying, there dogs were gaining weight, and i wanted to keep my babies nice and slim,i had no intentions of breeding them,on their last check up last Spring, my vet said now that they are getting older watch for lumps by the nipples, well this March Emily the yorkie phoo did, i was playing with her one day and i was giving her belly rubs when i started to feel little lumps by her nipples , i was so upset and scared i made an appointment to take her in , after the examination my vet who i trust and have been going to him for about 15 years said he would advise surgery to remove them and at the sme time take a look inside to see what was going on,she survived the surjery, but the stress and everything elsewas two much for her and she died 5 hours after she came home , my chihuahua was so upset and lonely she would not eat or come out from under her blanket , that was two months ago , and now i got her another chihuahua puppy also a female ,and now i dont know what to do , i have been told that if you
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I can give you 24,768 reasons to spay or neuter your dog or cat. In our four county area--plus one home rule city--113 animal shelters, impoundment facilities, contract kennels and rescue groups had to put down 24,768 dogs and cats during 2008.
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Robin Hughes, I couldn't have said it better myself, my husband said something similar to me this morning, after getting a reply from a private breeder, in which she stated that her dogs had to be spayed/neutered after the purchase was finalized, and that she was curious as to know why I didn't believe in neutering my dogs. I'm in the market for a puppy, and decided to go against getting it from a pet store because of all the puppy mill horror stories I've read. My husband and I decided that we would use a breeder, but all of them have stupid contracts that need to be signed. The puppy has to be neutered/spayed by a certain age, or the papers corresponding to such dog will never be released or the health contract will be void.
It's sad, that we as buyers have to pay a hefty amount of money, for a dog that comes from a reputable person, yet we are still forced to follow what THEY think is best for the dog WE are PAYING THOUSANDS of dollars for. It feels like we are just leasing a dog from someone.
I understand that they don't want to sell their dogs to heartless people that will only breed the dog to make a quick buck, but I still can't bring myself to sign something so ridiculous.
I'm sure I'll be attacked for my comments, but I think that after someone pays for a dog, it's up to them to decide whether the new member of their family, will have to be put through an unnecessary surgical procedure. We shouldn't be forced to make our family members go through pain, just becaus
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