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My family recently
adopted a new puppy. She is a purebred Golden Retriever named Sabina. My
husband does not want to spay her because he thinks that it would be great to
have a litter of puppies for the children to see the “miracle of birth”. He
thinks that since Sabina is AKC registered that we will easily find homes for
the puppies when they are born. I do not want to put Sabina through a pregnancy
and I have heard that the benefits are significant but he does not believe me.
Can you help me convince him?
Yes,
I can certainly help. Here are some interesting facts to ponder. Did you know
that each day about 10,000 humans are born in the United States while over
70,000 puppies and kittens are born in the same 24 hours?
Did you know that
one female cat can begin breeding as young as 5 months old and if she is left
unaltered, her and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in only 7 years! One
unaltered female dog and her off-spring can produce 67,000 dogs in only 6
years! Did you know that approximately 25% of dogs in shelters are pure bred
dogs or cats! Obviously, this
can lead to overpopulation of dogs and cats without enough homes for all of
these animals. As a result,
millions and millions of cats, kittens, dogs and puppies are
euthanized due to overpopulation. Statistics vary but the numbers range from
6-10 million pets per year. Using a figure of 10 million, that would mean that
over 190,000 per week or 27,000 pets per day are euthanized in the United
States.
Spaying and neutering your pet
provides many practical benefits as well as preventing animal overpopulation.
The idea that pets become fat or lazy when they are
spayed or neutered is a myth. . Their metabolism may slow down, but all
you have to do to keep your pet in good weight is cut back a little on the food.
Spaying a female eliminates the possibility of
pyometra (infection of the uterus), uterine and ovarian cancer and greatly
reduces the risk of mammary tumors/cancer. Spaying a female dog or cat
eliminates its heat cycle, which can last twenty-one days, twice a year, in
dogs, and anywhere from three to fifteen days, three or more times a year, in
cats. Neutering a male reduces the risk of prostate enlargement and prostate
cancer, perianal tumors, as well as testicular cancer. By spaying/neutering your
pet, they will be more content and less likely to roam, bite, scratch, fight and
mark their territory. The latest medical findings indicate that your pet will
live a healthier and longer life if they are spayed or neutered;
an average of 1 to 3 years in dogs and 3 to 5 years in cats.
Spaying/neutering your pets not only helps you and your pet, but also the
community. By altering your pet, the community can save hundreds of thousands
of dollars on control and housing of unwanted pets. Stray animals also
contribute to the problem of dog attacks/bites. They can also become a public
nuisance by soiling on and destroying public and private areas, and creating
noise and other disturbances.
Most veterinarians will schedule your pets’ surgery once they have reached at
least 4-6 months. However, early age neutering, in which animals between the
ages of 6 and 16 weeks are spayed/neutered, is becoming more popular with
veterinarians and animal control groups throughout the U.S. and has been
practiced in North America for over 20 years. In the past, many veterinarians
have held off on early spay/neuter because of the risks associated with surgery
on very young animals. However, with improvements in anesthesia and monitoring,
there is no longer a reason to wait due to medical reasons.
Female dogs and cats are spayed by removing their reproductive organs (ovariohysterectomy),
and male dogs and cats are neutered by removing their testicles (castration).
In both cases the operation is performed while the pet is under anesthesia. I
feel that it is important to note that in an attempt to help increase the
numbers of dogs that are sterilized, some groups have created the perception
that an ovariohysterectomy is a quick and easy surgery. Actually, most
veterinarians consider the surgery to be major: although it can be quick and
easy on young puppies and kittens, it can be difficult and time-consuming on
older pets that have had several heats or have been bred. Depending on your
pet's age, size, and health, he or she will stay at your veterinarian's office
for a few hours or a few days. Depending upon the procedure, your pet may need
stitches removed after a few days. Your veterinarian can fully explain spay and
neuter procedures to you and discuss with you the best age at which to sterilize
your pet.
With the past few years, there has been a product that has been approved by the
FDA as a form of chemical sterilization which provides an alternative to
surgical castration in male puppies. It
is administered by direct injection into the testicles. Unlike the surgical
procedure, it does not require the use of general anesthesia, although most
people who use it recommend that the dog is at least sedated to prevent the dog
from moving during the injection. It is important to note that while surgical
castration significantly reduces testosterone production, the use of chemical
sterilization may not. Also, it may not eliminate unwanted male behaviors such
as roaming, marking, or aggression nor decrease the possibility of your dog
developing prostate problems or testicular and perianal tumors.
I hope that I have given you some good information in order to make the right
decision for both your and your pet. Remember that there are millions of
unwanted pets in the United States and each unwanted pregnancy will take homes
away from those pets.
Top ten reasons to spay/neuter your pet.
10.
Help prevent pet overpopulation.
9.
City/County registration price
is reduced.
8.
Your pet is less likely to
roam, get in fights or become lost.
7.
No unwanted or problem
pregnancies.
6.
Spaying virtually elimates
ovarian and uterine cancers.
5.
Spaying greatly decreases your
pets’ chance of developing mammary tumors.
4.
Neutering your male can decrease prostate problems and testicular tumors.
3.
Your pet will be more affectionate.
2. You can help decrease the number of pets that are
euthanized daily.
1. Your pet will live a longer, healthier and happier
life. (And who doesn’t want that!) |
