The benefits of spaying and neutering your dog goes beyond eliminating the risk of an unwanted pregnancy. Unaltered pets exhibit different behaviors that their owners often attribute to unrelated factors. These misgivings can lead to everything from difficulty in housebreaking to running away.
Animal welfare organizations all over the world have stressed the importance of spaying and neutering dogs and cats for decades, yet there are still pet owners who have intact pets. Lack of understanding of its importance or financial issues is often at the root of this important issue. The ultimate victim is not just the dog or cat, but family members who grow attached to their pets and end up losing them or surrendering them to animal shelters due to problems with aggression.
Neutering a male dog is a simple surgical procedure that is performed under short-acting general anesthesia. It does not make the dog less useful as a watchdog and can help curb aggressiveness in breeds prone to this behavior problem.
Several years ago, we rescued a badly abused Pit Bull-mix, who had been beaten and badly abused. Before he was neutered, 'Steve,' who was named in honor of the famed wildlife expert Steve Irwin, was aggressive with our other dogs. After he was neutered, his tendency to be territorial and fight with our other dogs was no longer an issue. And Steve remains an excellent watchdog.
Female dogs that are spayed are less likely to develop tumors, and owners of spayed females also benefit from not having to address sanitary issues when their dogs go into heat. The procedure for spaying females involves the surgical removal of her reproductive organs through abdominal surgery. Self-dissolving sutures are often used so pet owners do not require a second trip to the veterinarian for removal.
The instinct to reproduce can be significant in dogs. Eliminating it with spaying and neutering will not only result in a healthier, more devoted pet, but it will also decrease the likelihood of your dog running away or ending up in a shelter due to aggressiveness or hormone-related behavior problems.
If male dogs are neutered after they are several years old, it can be more difficult to correct some behavior issues. To avoid this, have your male dog neutered when he is six months old, or at the specific age, your veterinarian recommends.
Those who cannot afford to pay full price to spay or neuter a pet can contact local governments and private non-profit organizations. Many offer low cost or discount spay and neuter programs that can help. You can check the ASPCA website or the Humane Society of the United States to locate a participating veterinarian in your area.
Problems related to shelter overpopulation, many aggressiveness issues, and unwanted pregnancies can be solved with neutering and spaying. Moreover, it may be the most important thing you will ever do to improve the health and attitude of your pet.
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