While others say that early spaying & neutering is too aggressive and spaying a dog after first heat is better as it will actually damage your pet’s health and shorten their lifespan if done too early. Advantage: Spaying gives a healthier life to a female pet as spaying helps to prevent breast cancer, uterine infections which are very harmful. You are asking if spaying your dog Paris is the best thing for her. The reason for all these bone and join related diseases is because male dog's reproductive organs are responsible for producing a sufficient amount of hormones and helping with the development of those body parts. Both spaying and castration are done under a general anaesthetic, and involve your dog staying with your local Vets4Pets as a day patient.. Neutering provides a range of great benefits for both you and your dog, and helps you keep your dog happy and healthy. Here are some answers to the most common questions that pet parents have about the spay and neutering process. Finally, spaying your female dog protects her from getting uterine infections. Spaying or neutering is one of the most responsible ways dog owners can care for their pet. Your dog is much less likely to run away or to accidentally sire puppies on a female dog in heat. Ventral midline ovariohysterectomy (OVH) is considered an effective technique for sterilization and neutering of both dogs and cats with very low complication rates when performed by surgeons that are experienced with this procedure.4-6 There are many minor variations with no research evidence comparing the relative merits of most. After neutering your dog, you'll reduce his sexual desires. (male dogs), 1 PRO of neutering your dog: Reduction of “Male” Behavior, 2 PRO of neutering your dog: Better Prostate Health, 3 PRO of neutering your dog: Control of Breeding, 1 CON of neutering your dog: Hypothyroidism and Weight Gain, 2 CON of neutering your dog: Dementia and Bone Problems, 3 CON of neutering your dog: Risks of Anesthesia, How Neutering Dogs May Lead to Cognitive Impairments, Podcast on Pros & Cons of Neutering/Spaying Dogs, 30 Myths That Many Dog Owners Still Believe, 15 Cheap Ways To Prevent Most Common Health Issues in Dogs, Cataracts in Dogs: 5 Ways to Prevent and Treat Them, Blue-Eyed Beauties: 11 Blue-Eyed Dog Breeds, Most Popular Egyptian Dog Breeds in the United States. Decide what is best for your pet, because your duty is to ensure their wellbeing. keep the puppies with their mother until they are about 6 weeks old, and then try to find a home for them. I also recommend listening our editor Samatha's recent podcast episode on the pros and cons of neutering/spaying dogs and how people view this all-important surgery (below). Normally, owners must keep the puppies with their mother until they are about 6 weeks old, and then try to find a home for them. The gibbon is a hominoid, just like humans, chimpanzees, or…, Can you imagine a cat that looks wild but is as cuddly and friendly as the most adorable domestic cat?…, The production of water buffalos (Bubalus bubalis) has proven to be one of the most successful branches of cattle farming…. The only disadvantage to desexing is the drop in metabolic rate. This could lead to obesity and other problems that in the long run will have serious consequences on their health. Similarly, neutering your pet decreases the chance that he will wander off to try to find a female to impregnate. You may have noticed your dog’s need to lift his leg and spray. After we've taken a look at all the pros and cons of spaying or neutering your dog, it's clear that we still need more conclusive evidence on how to view this procedure and whether it's essential to fix your dog. Again your dog will learn the 21 skills that all family dogs need to know. Similarly to spaying your dog as a female, neutered male dogs can experience the case of hypothyroidism, and studies have shown that neutering will almost triple the risk of obesity, as was discussed above. Furthermore: “In addition to dogs suffering pain from joint disorders, the condition may also disqualify the dog as a working partner in military and police work. Spaying your female dog drastically cuts her chances of developing breast cancer – a disease with just a 50% survival rate in dogs. A cohort study of shelter dogs conducted by the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University concluded that infectious diseases were more common in … Males are castrated whereby the testicles are surgically removed. What is involved in desexing a dog? The content in this publication is presented for informative purposes only. It's similar to human dementia. Your dog will be less likely to get into fights with other dogs, canine packs or strays in the neighborhood, which saves you the cost of vet bills or the pain of finding your pet injured. More on this later. One of the disadvantages of spaying is the increased risk of having cancer known as hemangiosarcoma. Spaying is a similar procedure of sterilization for female dogs. What Are the Benefits of the Sun For Pets? Once castrated, a male dog's endocrine system starts to function in a different way and hormonal levels are affected, which results in lower levels of thyroid, which then results is very rapid weight gain and potentially dog obesity. Should the dog get loose, there will be no chance of unwanted puppies being born. While hypothyroidism can be treated with medication after you consult with a vet and confirm that it's definitely the case, your dog's weight gain must be addressed separately. Obesity is probably the most commonly quoted disadvantage of spaying. Even though terms neutering and spaying are used in veterinary medicine, most often the term “neuter” will refer to the removal of reproductive organs in the dog for both sexes. Some studies have shown (8) that about 1 in 5 dogs will have complications after surgery under general anesthesia. For this we recommend that you contact a reliable specialist. A lot of dogs have a tendency to run away in search of females in heat, and vice versa. Spaying your female dog will prevent periods of her being in heat. Obesity is probably the most commonly quoted disadvantage of spaying. Neutering and spaying are also performed for many other animals, but dogs are the most common recipients of this unpleasantly sounding surgical procedure. Spaying or neutering a dog is a very serious decision, and you should not take it lightly. Your dog urinating in the house to mark his territory will be a problem of the past if you sterilize him. Science on Pros and Cons of Neutering or Spaying Your Dog, When in heat, a female dog can have bloody discharge that will stain her coat and your furniture, her own dog bed or dog crate. Neutering your male dog helps in reducing his desire to “mark” his territory. For example, after spaying your dog, you might have her run the risk of uneven bone growth, bone cancer, urinary incontinence, and this procedure can also affect the appearance of her private parts. For the past 30 years, our profession has urged the public to spay and neuter dogs and cats for a host of beneficial reasons, including population control and the avoidance of breast and testicular cancer. While you may not have to shoulder any of the responsibility of the new litter, if you choose to help, there is the cost of pet food and veterinary care bills. Dogs that are neutered no longer have the risk of suffering from testicular cancer, a common form of cancer in dogs, later in life. Here are the benefits of. That means your dog will never be able to become pregnant and there's no going back with this. Breeding, whether intentionally or accidentally, can become a largely financial and time-consuming burden for dog owners, which also comes with health risks and responsibilities. Dogs with dementia will usually start interacting differently with humans and completely forget all the obedience training they've gone through. Also, a neutered dog will have a reduced level of aggression and dominate behavior. Urinary tract infections, tumors in the breast or testicles, and other diseases related to the reproductive system – regardless of whether the dog is male or female – can be prevented by spaying or neutering your dog. RELATED: 8 Laws All Dog Owners Should Be Aware Of. If you decide to find homes for your new puppies, that may prove to be much harder than you think. One, you want to breed the dog. The role of female hormones in preventing obesity is poorly understood. He is less likely to hump other pets or objects. Spaying your dog eliminates the risk of an infection of the womb (called pyometra), which studies show affects up to 25 per cent of un-neutered bitches and can be fatal. Overall, it seems that it still is worth to de-sex your dog as pros of sterilization outweigh the cons. A sterilized dog will no longer do this, at least not so often or with such intensity, because his sex drive will go down considerably. The advantages are numerous. RELATED: 30 Myths That Many Dog Owners Still Believe. Weight gain and dog obesity issue can be avoided by using an adequate amount of regular exercise, understanding dog food and proper nutrition and otherwise providing your female canine with a healthy and stress-free lifestyle. Shelter medicine experts developed the concept of ultra-early neutering of kittens and puppies before adoption. The Disadvantages of Spaying Your Girl Dog There’s no doubt about it: Some spayed dogs are more likely to develop weaker bladder control in later life, while some are more prone to cystitis. By spaying your female canine you won't have to worry when leaving her alone in the yard or when taking her for walks. Again, same as with spaying your dog, neutering a male canine means that your pet will have to go through surgery which requires anesthesia. The sense of competition with other males will no longer be there, and he won’t feel the need to mark his territory so much. LISTEN: Podcast on Pros & Cons of Neutering/Spaying Dogs. Based on all the scientific data, it is clear that early neutering has more cons than pros. Obesity is the result of overfeeding and lack of physical activity. Aside from the above mentioned cancers, spaying reduces the risk of your female dog getting breast cancer if she is spayed before she reaches 2.5 years old. Many believe a female dog should be spayed before her first heat cycle, and a male dog should be neutered within 6 months after birth. The Best Tips to Help You Care for Your Pet Chinchilla, Mental Stimulation in Dogs: A Matter of Games. Most of the perceived disadvantages are false. After being sterilized, these aggressive behaviors usually go away and the dog calms down. Spaying is a general term for the sterilization of a female animal, in this case, a dog. One exception is the flank approach to OVH, which is preferred in some countries for cats an… Most commonly cited two main reasons for spaying or neutering a dog are: Overpopulation of dogs. When a dog is desexed it requires a full anaesthetic. So to your question of whether you should sterilize you dog, we would say yes if you consider this to be important. The most quoted of these are that the dog will become fat, lazy, and useless as a guard dog. Having a dog in heat when living in an apartment maybe not be the most pleasant thing. With client education and marketing, our profession has succeeded in making early spay-neuter programs our national custom, primarily for control of the population explosion. Colloquially, neutering doesn't necessarily mean that it applies to male dogs alone. This means that less food is required to maintain the same body weight. Let's take a look at the consensus of the pros and cons of spaying and neutering dogs. Since they are more mellow and not seeking a female in heat, they are more calm and stay closer to home. See this section under “spaying your dog” above for more. Let’s start with the positive points. Veterinarians usually call this procedure either de-sexing dogs, or fixing dogs. If it is done before five months, the possibility of developing sarcoma is very high. Also, when animals get older, they have a tendency to get prostate, ovary, uterus or testicle problems. We remove the entire reproductive organs from female dogs - that is the uterus (womb), the Fallopian tubes ("the tubes") and the ovaries. In the most basic sense, it is far less expensive to have your dog spayed. Both neutering and spaying refer to the most common methods of sterilization of animals, most often used with dogs, but many other animals go through this as well. If this happens, your dog will start forgetting things he used to know, become disoriented wherever he is, even if it's the house where he has lived for years previously. Dog owners will usually have their puppies spayed or neutered around the age of 6 months or earlier. There is also a small risk of death during birth or right after. Finally, abnormal vulvas can trap bacteria and cause dermatitis, vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, all of which should be considered. Obesity is the result of overfeeding and lack of physical activity. After spaying or neutering an older dog, side effects are usually minimal. Also, you would have no idea how the new puppies are being treated or if they are safe. We hope these findings provide evidence-based guidelines for deciding the right age to neuter a puppy to reduce the risk of one or more joint disorders.”, – Prof. Benjamin Hart from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (source). Even though these types of cancers are already very uncommon (6) for female dogs to develop throughout their lives, many veterinarians advise that it's still a very valid reason to proceed with spaying your dog, and it doesn't hurt to be safe. Although there are many advantages to sterilizing your dog, there are also disadvantages to be taken into account. If it’s performed sooner, these veterinarians reasoned, surgical gonadectomy (aka, spaying and neutering) might just be … Based on all the evidence we currently have, most dogs are neutered or spayed much too early, and this increases risk of further health problems and complications. If left untreated, this disease may very well kill your pet. Additionally, if the spaying surgery is done wrong or at the wrong age, even more health complications can come through for the dog. Statistically, it used to be that there are more pros than cons to making the decision of neutering or spaying your dog. In no sense is this information intended to provide diagnoses or act as a substitute for the work of a qualified professional. This practice was embraced by … However, most of these complications will not be very serious with a very low death rate. Although there are many advantages to sterilizing your dog, there are also disadvantages to be taken into account. Post-operative care is critical for the senior dog. There are two ways to desex a dog - the most common way is surgical desexing. READ: 15 Tips on Dog Pregnancy and Whelping. Breast cancer is particularly dangerous, resulting in death for about 50% of canine cases. But another study has shown that castration may increase progression of tumors (11). First-time dog owners are likely to have many questions about spaying and neutering procedures, from the risks involved to how much they will cost. 1. Often a dog will even mark inside your home. Spaying your dog will eliminate the risk of your female dog developing cancer of her uterus, cancer of ovaries or reproductive tract. Your female pup will live longer Spaying can help to prevent your female dog from having many serious health problems, such as uterine infections and breast cancer. Here's a quick science-based overview of what we know today: With this new research and more on the horizon, veterinarians and scientists are beginning to reconsider their stance on neutering and spaying dogs. A new pet, a…, Without a doubt, when it comes to the different species that inhabit the Amazon River, the piranha will be the…, These apes are a group of little-known primates, called hilobaths. Neutered dogs are less likely to have the desire to roam as well. Neutering is the de-sex procedure of male dogs where their testicles (or gonads) are removed. Therefore, there's a chance that your male canine will react poorly to anesthesia itself and as previously indicated, 1 in 5 dogs may have further health complications after surgery under general anesthesia. A typical story is the older female dog who wets her bed when deeply asleep. Veterinarians like me constantly encourage pet guardians to have their female dogs spayed to avoid several life-threatening diseases, including pyometra (infection of the uterus) and mammary tumors (breast cancer). As one more than 50% of dogs and almost 85% of cats are prone to this. Most of the perceived disadvantages are false. (female dogs), 1 PRO of spaying your dog: Heat Period Reduction, 2 PRO of spaying your dog: No Doggy Pregnancy, 3 PRO of spaying your dog: Less Risk of Cancers, 1 CON of spaying your dog: Hypothyroidism and Weight Gain, 2 CON of spaying your dog: Cancers and Complications, 3 CON of spaying your dog: Sterilization and Use of Anesthesia, Neutering Your Dog: 3 Pros and 3 Cons Three methods of spaying all have their pros and cons In veterinary medicine, one very common surgical procedure is the ovariohysterectomy, more commonly known as a “spay.” This procedure involves removing the ovaries and uterus down to the cervix to prevent a female pet from reproducing. The problem is real, however. Obesity is the result of overfeeding and lack of physical activity. We must definitely reconsider the time of spaying and neutering dogs. In addition, you won’t need to stop as much when he’s with you in the car. They are not going to develop a serious uterine infection common in older female dogs called pyometra, which required emergency spaying with a seriously ill patient. Early spaying can increase the risk of hip dysplasia, torn ligaments, bone cancer, and urinary incontinence. Many dog owners find themselves contemplating on this decision for a while, and rightfully researching the Internet for all kinds of answers to common sense questions: Rest assured, these are all valid concerns of a responsible pet owner, and I will try to address of all of them using evidence and expert opinions on the matter. Therefore spaying or neutering your dog can be more convenient in this regard. The most quoted of these are that the dog will become fat, lazy, and useless as a guard dog. ny complications during the pregnancy period of your dog may also result in even more veterinary care bills and addition health risks for the newborn puppies. Regular exercise will also be needed as well as constant monitoring to see how this program has affected your pet. The cons of spaying her are, it cost A dog who has been spayed will be unable to get pregnant and won’t come into heat. These rodents have managed to win over many…, Given that the reproductive cycle of dogs is very similar to that of humans, there are many who wonder whether dogs go through menopause. She will also be a much cleaner, calmer and more affectionate dog, according to veterinarians. Early spaying triples the risk of bone cancer, a deadly cancer that mostly occurs in large and giant dogs. With all of the above in mind, you should definitely not rush into spaying or neutering your dog. When these organs are removed, you will have less things to worry about in terms of your dog's health. Many pet advocates, veterinarians, experts, humane societies and even lawyers agree that it is irresponsible to allow your male dog to breed with strange female dog mostly because of the current overpopulation of not just dogs, but also cats and other pets. Neutered dogs run the risk of developing a canine version of dementia, which is actually called geriatric cognitive impairment and is statistically common among neutered dogs. This is due to reduced tone in the valve exiting the bladder. This type of cancer can affect a dog’s spleen and heart. Prostate problems can occur in 80% of non-neutered males, based on one study (10). In this case, a female dog's ovaries and uterus are removed – it's called Ovariohysterectomy. It reduces the risk of prostate and cancer problems. In this article, I will take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of spaying and neutering dogs based on what veterinarians say as well as the most current research. In North America, most animal shelters, veterinary clinics and humane societies highly recommend (read: force) pet owners to spay or neuter their dogs so as to prevent further problems to an already huge overpopulation of domestic animals. What is spaying? Well first of all unneutered animals live shorter lives than their neutered counterparts. By regulating your dog’s diet and caloric intake, you can prevent obesity in spayed or intact females. Spaying a female dog means removing … There are options of a midline approach – your dog will go home with a wound on her belly with the stitches on the outside or the inside. Both spaying and neutering has their advantage and disadvantage. If your bitch is suffering from pyometra and needs to be spayed as part of treatment, this will be more expensive than spaying a healthy dog. Let's start at the beginning to understand what spaying and neutering dogs really means, what this surgery looks like and what it entails for you and your pet. © 2020 TopDogTips.com. For canines who were neutered at the wrong age in their life, or if the process was done poorly, studies show that there's a high risk of hip dysplasia, problems with ligaments and even potential to develop bone cancer known as osteosarcoma, according to above mentioned studies. By regulating your dog’s diet and caloric intake, you can prevent obesity in neutered or intact males. Discover 5 Species that Inhabit the Amazon River. Most recent studies now show that there are a lot more disadvantages to sterilizing your dog than we previously thought. The age at which a dog is sterilized should be considered. It's been observed (7) that one in four unspayed female dogs will contract a uterine infection. There has been a number of studies coming out over the last five years that show how neutering and spaying dogs may actually be extremely bad for their health. It appears that hormones from the female reproductive system offer some protection against this disease. When a female dog is in heat, her genitals swell and she lets out a scent that can be traced for up to a mile and attract unwanted attention from male canines. Obesity is the result of overfeeding and lack of physical activity. However, most of these complications are not serious health issues and they do have a very low death rate. Spaying also … Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. When in heat, a female dog can have bloody discharge that will stain her coat and your furniture, her own dog bed or dog crate. Testicular cancer can also be eliminated by neutering. Neutering and spaying of dogs are done under general anesthesia, so your canine won't feel a thing when a surgical incision is performed. Or some veterinary practices p… It has been observed in the above discussed studies that spaying your dog increases the risk of deadly canine cancers, including lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma. © 2021 My Animals | A blog on tips, care and everything related to the world of animals. Some states even require by law to spay or neuter dogs before they can be adopted. Other common issues, such as infections or cysts, are reduces as well. Sometimes, although not always, dogs are aggressive because of unsatisfied sex drive. Concerning yourself with spaying or neutering a dog while your pet is still a young puppy is a good way to plan ahead, but not rush into that. Most dog owners will need to start feeding their dogs substantially less often, put them on a weight loss diet, use low-calorie foods and healthy dog treats. It seems that waiting until puberty –– the traditional approach –– has a downside they sought to circumvent by getting the deed out of the way early on. This is different to the hysterectomy operation performed in people. This is big advantage, because urinary tract diseases are very common in dogs. One may argue that the term “fixing” a dog may be misleading or even ironic, since the evidence on whether it should or should not be done is not conclusive. Two, it is a surgery and requires special care and recovery time. Know that you're not alone in this, because many pet owners are given conflicting information on whether neutering and spaying dogs is necessary, and whether it's good or bad for their health. Even though they clean themselves with their tongue, they need extra hygiene,…, More and more people are deciding to get a pet chinchilla nowadays. Spaying or Neutering an Older Dog: Side Effects. Veterinarians recommend special medication to deal with hypothyroidism in dogs. If he gets loose, he will try to track down the scent. Much like older humans, hospital stays and surgeries take a little more toll on them than they do on younger dogs. However, given the overpopulation of dogs today with millions of them being stray, homeless, living in shelters or being euthanized, majority of pet advocates see this as an advantage of spaying a dog. International: Türkçe | Deutsch | 日本語 | Suomi | Italiano | Français | Português | Nederlands | Svenska | Norsk bokmål | Español | 한국어 | Polski | Dansk. If your dog is not neutered, he will be able to sense a female in heat from up to a mile away and can get agitated. Even though only 7% of non-neutered males get testicular cancer, having your male dog neutered removes the risk. The role of female hormones in preventing obesity is poorly understood. Scientific reports state that when games are played…, The benefits of the sun for pets are many, and very necessary ones too. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Your dog may also become lethargic, tired and start losing hair. Female dog neutering or ‘spaying’ a female animal involves removing the womb and ovaries (an ovaro-hysterectomy). Disadvantages of spaying or neutering your dog. A sterilized dog will not have this problem in most cases. Here are a few: Risk of hypothyroidism. Experts used to believe based on previous studies that not only does neutering help in reducing unwanted behaviors in a dog, but it also helps in reducing prostate problems and improving dog's testicular health. Low thyroid levels in a female canine will result in weight gain and obesity which is difficult to fight even with adequate diet. The more heat periods she has, the greater will be the risk that she may be developing breast cancer. We also remove the ovaries which means we remove the hormones (more about this later). But that said, the most important thing to keep in mind is to do it at the right time. It appears that spaying or neutering your dog much too early is very likely to cause joint disorders, and potentially obesity and maybe even cancer. It will also help in keeping a dog from chasing a female in heat. This leaves your dog more vulnerable to hip dysplasia and torn ligaments. In the most basic sense, it is far less expensive to have your dog spayed to prevent canine pregnancy than it would be to have her get pregnant and get a litter of puppies. However, there are also definite and proven advantages to fixing your dog, making a good decision in this matter very complicated and difficult to make. Spaying your dog too early can result in health problems later on since her hormones should have some time to work. Spayed and neutered Golden Retrievers are more likely to develop hypothyroidism. Early spaying causes urinary incontinence in up to 20% of spayed females. Because your dog's endocrine system is affected, one of the more known side effects of spaying your dog is the risk of hypothyroidism. This is a big “pro” for many people. Well, today we’re going to analyze…, Mental stimulation in dogs through games generates a range of positive emotions. Although several methods for spaying dogs exist, the term generally refers to a surgical procedure. RELATED: How Neutering Dogs May Lead to Cognitive Impairments. However, not everyone knows what the…, Cats are highly sensitive animals and changes in their routine have a great impact on them. Moving along, male dogs can sometimes experience the case of skin disease known as perianal fistula, or anal fistula. The Humane Society of the United States cites that 6 to 8 million pets are brought to animal shelters every year: The numbers of domesticated pets in the US are growing, and so do the numbers of animals brought into shelters, which clear pose a huge issue on many different levels. 1 CON of spaying your dog: Hypothyroidism and Weight Gain Because your dog's endocrine system is affected, one of the more known side effects of …