As many of you know I was in pet rescue for 20+ years so this topic is important to me. Many terms are used interchangeably such as Spaying, Neutering, Altering, or Sterilization. I had my dog Echo out on a hike recently & when finishing up I ran into a guy with a female Beagle. She was a little over weight with nipples that stood out a little bit. I don’t know how the fact that she wasn’t spayed came up, but it did. I asked if she had puppies & he said never. He told me she wasn’t spayed because his mom didn’t want to take away her natural parts. I mentioned a few of the health risks & shared a story of a 10 yr old mini Poodle I saw at the Vet who was full of mammary cancer & wasn’t going to live. I told him to consider spaying her.
I have heard a number of reasons why people don’t spay or neuter, they want to dog to experience giving birth & having puppies. Pets don’t have the feeling we do as humans & dream of when they will have kids. It is not a thing they will ever miss.
I’ve heard my dog will get fat. This is not true as long as you monitor your pets food intake. It is true altered pets do often use less calories when testosterone or estrogen are decreased. I have only had spayed & neutered dogs & cats my whole life & none have been fat. I have sent overweight unaltered pets.
I have heard it changes a pets personality, I’d say, maybe for the better, but no evidence it has a negative effect. It usually is the opposite, the pet is usually able to focus better, less chance of wandering off, maybe even less hyper. There hasn’t been a study yet about the behavior & if an intact dog will have behavior concerns. I personally have seen some issues reside after a pet is altered. Male altered cats get into less fights (outdoor cats).
Being in rescue for 20+ years most of the pets that came into the rescues I was with were spayed & neutered upon arrival (within a week & before put up for adoption). Puppies that were 2 lbs & 2 months old were spayed or neutered before adoption, because the rules of our 501C status required they were done. It could be done within 30 days, but we didn’t risk that adopters would do it when required & it was our license at risk.
Early altering may delay the closure of growth plates in big bones, meaning the animals get a little bigger or longer. In German Shepherd Dogs & Golden Retrievers may lead to hip or joint issues, In other breeds, it seems to have no impact.
Some people worry about the risk of their pet being put under anesthesia, Going under anesthesia is never risk free for anyone, but the risk is small. Approximately 1 in 1000 healthy animals experience any life threatening complications from being put under anesthesia
There is some evidence that early altering in German Shepherd Dogs & Golden Retrievers that round cell tumors (hemangiosarcoma & lymphoma) may be slightly more prevalent in cases of early sterilization.
Intact male dogs are more prone to developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate), cysts or infections in prostate & testicular cancer.
These conditions could mean a shorter life for your pet, & treating these conditions can be more expensive than the one time cost of altering your pet.
Every heat cycle an intact female dog goes through increases the risk of mammary cancer. Intact females are also at risk of pyometra which is an infection of the uterus. Pyometer is left threatening & requires emergency spay surgery.
Other risks are unwanted litters, the shelters are often overflowing because of the over population of pets. Shelters often have to put animals to sleep due to full shelters & no more room. This doesn’t mean that the puppies & kittens get to live & the ugly mean animals are put down.
If an animal gets pregnant then there are risks that come with giving birth to the female pet and or her offspring. An emergency C-section can be risky & expensive.
Please leave breeding of pets to those who show & breed, they breed with the standards required to be in the show ring.
Note that most dogs in Pet stores are from puppy Mills & these are bred for profit & little or no regards to the parents or the puppies care, health or breed standards. Please don’t support these stores. Someone I knew went undercover at a store that sells pups & she got info & looked up some of the places. I fostered Molly (pictured below) who was a puppy mill dog & multiple dogs lived in a 8×3 foot concrete runs, No air conditioning or heat. She is a designer mutt, Golden/Poodle, which are breeds that a lot of backyard breeders are breeding.
If cost to alter your dog is a concern, check with your local shelters or rescues in your area & ask them for suggestions of places you can go to for lower cost spay & neuter clinics.
I believe if a pet can safely altered then please do it, whether it is a dog, cat, guinea pig, rabbit, ferret or other animal. If it can’t be altered please don’t house different sexes together or provide a place to nest which will encourage breeding.
I hope you found this educational, please share it on your social media platforms, or share it with a friend or family member. Please like, visit often, subscribe & comment because all these help to get my blog seen by more people. Pets are my passion & I love sharing my experience & knowledge. If you have a idea for a post or have a question feel free to email me at echoinggreatpetcare@gmail.com. Thanks, Debbie
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