“This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.”
An Overview
Neutering a male dog involves the procedure called castration where the testes are completely removed through a small surgical incision made between the pet’s penis and scrotum. Fixing the female dog, on the other hand, involves the procedure termed as spaying. Here, the bitches undergo ovariohysterectomy or the removal of their ovaries as well as uterus through a small surgical incision made over their belly button.
Known Advantages and Disadvantages of Having a Dog Neutered.
Castration: The Pros and Cons
Neutering your male dog is helpful when it comes to controlling birth especially when you also have a bitch that has not yet been spayed. The process also stops territorial behaviors usually expressed through urine marking. Other reasons that make castration suitable in most occasions include being able to lessen the dog’s dominance aggression, and risk of prostate disease later in his life. Neutering also aids in getting rid of their propensity to eventually develop testicular cancer.
Nonetheless, arguments against male dog castration include the cost, the risk of weight gain, anesthetic problems, and other potential health complications such as infection, scrotum bleeding, and even herniation.
Spaying: Pros and Cons
Because unwanted pregnancies are a bother, spaying a female dog is one of the first few options to avoid the hassle. Other reasons to neuter the female dogs include being able to stop the bitch pet from menstruating, or seasons during which the blood from her vulva drips over the floor in the house. Erratic behaviors linked with being on heat are also stopped through spaying. In addition, spaying helps reduce your pet’s potential at developing breast cancer, pyometra, and ovarian or uterine cancer later in her life.
Nevertheless, experts argue that spaying can result in the pet’s undesirable weight gain, anesthetic risk, and other possible health complications.
What Now?
If you think it is best for you and your dog to have him or her neutered or spayed, find a reliable veterinary clinic for the operation. Should you choose not to alter your pet, take extra cautions to avoid unwanted pregnancies that lead to orphaned pets.
Christine
says:“Undesirable weight gain, anesthetic risk, and other possible health complications” are cited by “experts” as reasons to alter your dog. This is an outdated way of thinking about the long term health of our pets. Imagine the same standard on Human reproductive organs and you will realize this is antiquated institutional rhetoric.
It is disappointing that this article does not mention any of the health benefits of keeping your pets’ hormones in tact. As a responsible pet owner, the health and well being of my dog is more important than the inconvenience of having her wear a pair of shorts for 3 weeks during her cycle. To say that blood dripping on the floor is a “reason” to spay is ridiculous!!
While I realize there are valid reasons for promoting the Spay/Neuter Mantra to the general public due to pet overpopulation in this country, this forum could be better utilized to educate Responsible pet owners of the health benefits of keeping your dog in tact. As a competing athlete, my dog has benefited from a Veterinarian who is willing to independently research the pros and cons of all “routine” medications, treatments and procedures.