Spaying and Neutering - the case for doing so

This is part of an article I wrote regarding spaying and neutering. I do believe it is not a cosmetic or cop out option and that there are strong medical reasons IMHO why this operation is carried out, if you do not intend to show or breed your dog.

There is some movement at the moment to have spayed or neutered fully accepted into the show circuit.

Approximately 135,000 stray dogs per annum are picked up in the UK . 400 are destroyed every week. 8 million to 12 million dogs and cats are euthanised annually in the USA. Only 50% of all dogs born in the USA will survive to see their second birthday. This is not because they are not caring or loving owners. But simply because they have no organised program for neutering and spaying.
Two dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 young over a 6-year period. Two cats and their offspring can produce 420,000 over a 7-year period.

It is a medical fact that spaying and neutering can prolong the life of a pet and reduce the number of health problems that may be difficult or expensive to treat.

Female pets can benefit from spaying by reducing the incidence of uterine or ovarian cancers, It also prevents dogs from getting uterine infections later in life. An infected uterus is called a pyometra, and is a serious and potentially fatal disease.
This is particularly successful if your pet is spayed before her first oestrus cycle.

Oestrus lasts an average of six to twelve days that is when the dog is most receptive and liable to fall pregnant. The heat or season lasts in total from beginning to end about 3 weeks, and is twice a year for dogs and six times a year for cats.
Female cats cry incessantly, show nervous behaviour and attract unwanted male animals, when in heat.

Neutering a male pet reduces the incidences of prostate cancer and prostate disorders. Male pets are less likely to develop unwanted behaviour's such as marking of territory with urine or sexual aggression and mounting, either humans or other dogs of both sexes.

Males are less likely to escape, roam the neighbourhood, or fight with other pets. Vets depending on their outlook recommend that cats and dogs are spayed or neutered anywhere between 5 to 12 months of age before the first oestrus cycle in females and prior to males developing a behavioural problem. My personal belief is males should not be castrated until they have been cocking their leg for at least one month, unless their is medical or behavioural issues. If you castrate before this the males will always squat.

In females it should not really be performed until at least 9 months or older in some larger breeds, depending on whether or not she has had her first season by then, if she hasn’t then go ahead, if she has you should wait approx 3 months after finishing the season whilst everything settles down before spaying.

However I must point out I am not a Vet or medically qualified, therefore you should always discuss the pro's and con's with your own Veterinarian.

Stan

I am a strong believer in spaying..My animals are all pets, and as soon as old enough are spayed..The cats as well.

I had Kip speyed a few years back, because I had no intention to breed from her and I worried about the possible health risks if she was left unspeyed. After consulting with the vet and going over the pro's and con's I decided to go ahead and have her speyed and she was absaloutley fine after the op recovered so fast I was actually very surprised.

Cassy is 3 years old in May and so far has not been speyed, we intended to have a litter from her and this was the reason she was left intact otherwise she would have been speyed back after her first season too. I think it is a case of each to their own though I am sure there are as many negative points against these op's as there are for it's just a case of weighing them up and making your decision. I am all for people doing what they believe in nobody really has the right to say to somebody their decision is wrong we can only go by what we think is right.

Laura

If I am asked to give an opinion on whether a persons should have their dog spayed I will do so, I have mine spayed, my choice, but it is an individual decision and not my place to lecture or dictate to people what they should or should not do with their own dogs.

Hi All

This post is a spill over from the cropped ear debate where cosmetic surgery was being discussed, and it came up that spaying or neutering could also be considered mutilation as I felt it was a whole different subject I apologised and stated I would start a new thread discussing that theme.

I feel with these posts if you have nothing constructive to say either way then really whats the point in posting.

I was under the impression that this forum was for opinions and to answer posts and quesries perhaps someone can tell me differently.

Stan

All my animals are neutered always have been - I got them done when they were 6 months old - Jack has only now started to lift his leg he will be 3 years old in May - Barney has never lifted his leg and he is 18 months old now.

Barney's behaviour never changed after he got the operation and still shows signs of dominance and sometimes aggression - which we are working through a training programme with him.

If I were to do it again - I would wait till they were older

Imho all non breeding dogs should be neutered and breeding dogs neutered as soon as is possible. Having had a dog die cancer that could have been prevented if we had got her speyed I never want to see another dog go through it again

Hi Stan,

Yeah it is for opinions, I give mine readily but in some cases although I am happy to give an opinion I also understand others differ and are just as acceptable as mine that is why I made my wee comment about each to their own. As while I would always have my dogs done I accept others will choose not to and their reasons are just as plausable as mine are, that was all.

I feel with these posts if you have nothing constructive to say either way then really whats the point in posting.

I guess when people post something they do so because they feel they need to get a point accross. Who decides whether it is constructive or not I dont know but everybody has an opinion and some of us may not come accross as well or as educated as others but that is not to say our points or views are any less valid. So I think yes everybody should post whether others deem it constructive or not, if you have something to say say it and dont be put off by others

Laura

My Rosie will be 6 in May, she's had 3 litters, last at Christmas 2004, she will now be spayed, I'm not taking any chances! Still undecided what to do with my Daisy, I would have liked for her to have another litter but after the problems she's had over the past year not so sure I want to put us both through it again, so I may also have her spayed too. I think if you don't intend breeding, then the safest option is spaying or neutering!

Stan just who decides what is and is not constructive? EVERYONE is entitled to express a view here... and I for one value every opinion