Why You Should Spay or Neuter Your Dog?

If you have already purchased, or you are considering purchasing a dog in the near future, you will have to make the decision if you want to have your dog spayed or neutered, or not. This is a very important decision that should not be taken lightly. While many dog owners have mixed feeling about whether to have this procedure done or not, most experts believe that spaying or neutering is the right thing to do. You should realize that this is a very standard medical procedure and that your dog will not be harmed.

How Does the Spay or Neuter Process Work?

Spaying and neutering is done to prevent your dog from ever having a litter of puppies. Female dogs are spayed, which is a mild surgery that involves the removal of the dog’s ovaries and uterus. Males dogs, on the other hand, are neutered, which is done by removing the dog’s testicles. Both surgeries can be done right in your local vet’s office.

Your dog will be given light anesthesia prior to surgery. This will ensure that your dog feel no pain during the entire process. Your dog may be sore for several days after the procedure, but your vet may be able to provide your dog with pain medication if the pain is too intense. After several days, you dog will be back to normal.

Dangers of No Spaying or Neutering Your Dog

Sadly, more than two million healthy, but unwanted dogs and cats, are euthanized every year. This is caused primarily because too many pet owners do not make the decision to have their pet spayed or neutered. Many families do not think their dog will get pregnant because they only have one dog. Due to this belief, these families fail to have this procedure done. However, accidents happen and dogs break lose or they can unknowingly come in contact with a stray dog. Whether planned or not, some of these dogs become pregnant.

Others think that having puppies will be a lot of fun until it comes time to get rid of them. Unfortunately, many of these puppies end up in homes that are no longer able to take care of them. These one-time pets become abandoned or dropped off at their local shelter. Today, there are a larger number of dogs coming into the various shelter then there are families ready to adopt them, which lead to the high level of deaths every year.

Many Low-Cost Options

In an effort to lower the number of dogs euthanized every year, several organizations offer very affordable spaying and neutering services. For example, if you live in the Tucson area, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona offers low-cost services throughout the year. You can also ask your local vet or your Tucson dog groomer if they know of other low-cost options available in your area. These dog care experts often know about various clinics and spay/neuter event happening in your neighborhood.

Benefits of Spaying or Neutering Your Dog

There are many great benefits of having your dog spayed or neutered, including:

• Reduced Aggression – Spaying and neutering can greatly reduce a dog’s aggressive behavior. This is especially true for male dogs during heat. Dogs that have been altered also tend to keep other negative behaviors to a minimum, such as barking and mounting.
• Less Roaming – Male dogs that are not neutered will feel the urge to find a female mate. They will attempt to escape from their home. This puts your dog at risk for getting into fight with other dogs or animals, being hit by a car, or being lost indefinitely.
• Minimizes Urine Marking – Dogs have a natural tendency to mark their territory. Although not as noticeable, even female cats will try to mark their space. Studies show that this urge for urine marking is significantly reduced after a dog is spayed or neutered. This is even the case for older dogs that were not neutered or spayed as a puppy.
• Lower Risk of Cancer – Spaying and neutering has also been linked to lower cancer rates for both male and female dogs. Female cats that have been sprayed are less likely to form ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and uterine cancer. On the other hand, male dogs that have been neutered have a lower risk of getting testicular cancer.
• Live Longer – Recent studies show that dogs that have been spayed and neutered are not just at a lower risk for cancer, but that they actually appear to be healthier. One report showed that female dogs that have been spayed tend to live more than 20% longer than those dogs that were not spayed. Male dog that are neutered also live nearly 18% longer than other male dogs that are not neutered.
• Save Money – Raising healthy dogs will save you a lot of money in the veterinarian bills over their lifetime. In addition, raising a litter of puppies, even for a month or two can be very expensive when you take into account all the extra food and vet bills. In addition, if you live in Pima County, you will receive a significant discount on your annual dog licensing fee if your pet has been spayed or neutered.

Unproven Myths

Some pet owners refuse to have their pet spayed or neutered because they think that it will change their pet’s behavior. This is just not true. Your pet’s personality will not be changed after the spaying or neutering surgery. This process may decrease some of the dog’s aggressive and dominant behaviors, but not their personality. It will also not change the dog’s natural instinct to protect the family and the home.
Another popular myth that many pet owners believe is that their dog will get fat if they have this surgery done. There is no link between spaying and neutering surgery and overweight pets. The only reason a dog would become overweight is if he eats too much food and/or does not get enough exercise. As long as you feed your dog properly and give him enough exercise, you should see no significant changes to his weight.

Unless you are specifically purchasing your dog for breeding purposes, you should do the responsible thing and have your dog spayed or neutered. Today, this is a very affordable option that can be completed in just a matter of minutes. Your dog will be back to normal in just a few short days, and you will never have to worrying about dealing with a litter of puppies.

A dog can become pregnant at about six months of age. This makes it very important to have your dog altered by the time they are at least six month, but some vets will perform this procedure as young as 8 weeks old. If you are purchasing an older dog, then you can have it spayed or neutered as soon as you purchase him.

Your vet will be able to perform this surgery right in the office. However, if you are looking for a more affordable option, ask your vet, dog groomers, or other dog owners if they know of any low-cost spaying or neutering services located in your area or if there are any special events coming up. This could help you save money, while still ensuring you dog is safely spayed or neutered.

Need more info on Spay or Neuter? Call our friends at Cortaro Farms Pet Hospital