Simple Truth about Spaying and Neutering:

a.  Animals don't share our sexuality. They are not motivated by sexual pleasure, but rather by an instinct to breed. Unlike humans, they don't have sex for romance, for fun, out of guilt, aggression, depression, or joy; they don't have sex because they're happy, sad, angry, high, or just plain in love. For animals, it's not that complicated or convoluted. In fact, it's quite simple: the female animal goes into estrus (heat) and the male reacts to her pheromones which triggers the instinct to breed. (Mounting or "humping," outside of actual breeding, should not be confused with sex; it's about dominance.)

b.  Male animals are not men and don't embody the concept of "manhood," though intact male dogs do tend to be more aggressive, high strung, and hard to handle.

c. Altered animals of either gender make better pets. They enjoy longer, healthier lives, and are more relaxed. Unspayed females have higher incidences of mammary tumors, uterine infections, and cancer. Unneutered males, in addition to demonstrating high levels of aggression and other behavioral pr oblems, have much higher probability of prostate cancer.

d.      The cost of altering a dog can run from $50 to $150. If you shop around you may, no doubt, find a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in your area. Call your local SPCA and ask for a referral. If you're low on cash, ask your friends to pitch in. You'll be surprised at how responsive others will be.

e.      13 million animals are destroyed every year because of over population and our diminishing ability as humans to care for those animals that exist.

Children can witness the miracle of birth in any number of ways. Videos are available at public libraries, as well as endless opportunity for engaging conversation and interaction between parents and children.

There are so many other ways to educate children about the miracle of birth without enforcing a higher probability of death for more animals.

Would those unthinking adults who would have their children witness the miracle of birth by allowing a litter of puppies to be born, in the same turn, have their children witness the inevitability of death by allowing their children to see the destruction of unadoptable animals who are being killed every day simply because there are too many to manage?

We think not, and we don't recommend that children be privy to such heart- break.

But we do think that there is something very basic that every adult and child should know:

There are more dogs than homes for dogs, and because of This absolute truth, animals are dying needlessly at the hands of humans every day. Now, what's so natural about that?

10 REASONS NOT TO SPAY OR NEUTER A PET

 “Just one litter and then we’ll have Fluffy spayed”

Reality is that every day litters are turned into the pound, humane society or rescue organizations. There are thousands of animals up for adoption each year and this isn’t including the thousands that are being put down every year.

2. “My pet doesn’t run wild, so it doesn’t need to be fixed”

There is no guarantee that your pet won’t get loose at some time or another, or that another animal won’t jump your fence and impregnate your female pet. A uneutered male will be tempted to leave your property and cross dangerous highways searching for a mate and plus neutered males are less likely to mark his urine inside the house.

3. We always find “good” homes for the litter or we can sell them to make money.

Not all “good” homes are good homes, and plus there are many animals already in shelters waiting for good homes. Selling them to make money, even well-known breeders are fortunate if they break even on raising purebred litters. The cost of raising a litter-which includes vaccinations, worming, and other health care costs, and feeding a quality food consumes most the profit.

4. “I want my children to witness the miracle of birth”

Are you going then to take your children to the pound to watch those puppies be euthanized so they can witness the tragedy of death? Reality is that 75% of animals end up in shelters end up euthanized. So ask yourself where your puppies will end up when you can’t find homes for them.

5. “My pet is so cute and unique; there should be more of her”

At your local animal shelter there are so many animals that are cute and unique, most with only a few days to live.

6. “It’s just not natural”

There hasn’t been anything “natural” about dogs and cats since we domesticated them.

7. “I just couldn’t look my pet in the eye if I had him castrated”

Your pet doesn’t have a sense of gender in the way that humans do.

8. “A female dog or cat should have at least one litter for health reasons”

Spaying your female pet before her fist heat cycle greatly reduces her chances of developing breast cancer and completely eliminates the threat of uterine and ovarian cancer and infection. Neutering your male pet prevents testicular tumors and may prevent prostate problems. Neutering also decreases the possibility of perianal tumors and hernias.

9. “Neutering my pet will make them fat and lazy”

Too much food and not enough exercise make pets lazy.

10. “Fixing my pet will change his/her personality”

The primary influence on an animal’s personality is the kindness and care with which it is raised. Any change created by spaying or neutering will for the better. After being altered, your pet will be less aggressive toward other animals and will be less likely to wander.

 

To Have or Not to Have Testicles

My brother really doesn't want to neuter his dog. It's not because he wants to breed the dog, but because he is just not convinced that the advantages of castrating outweigh the disadvantage, namely, his belief that Theo will miss his testicles. So I recruited Dr. Brad Coolman, a former veterinary surgery resident at the University of Illinois Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital in Urbana, to address my brother's concerns.

Dr. Coolman has served in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. For three years he worked with the military police dog program in San Antonio, Texas, which trained about 400 dogs each year and was a referral hospital for military police dogs from around the world

Concern No. 1 "Castrated dogs are wimps."

"Many guys who don't want to castrate their non-breeding dog are concerned that losing the testicles of a dog is the same as losing the manliness of the dog," says Dr. Coolman. "At the Army facility most of the police dogs were male and many of them had been neutered for medical reasons. The handlers, the majority of whom were macho-male types, were often shocked to learn that their tough, aggressive dog was actually neutered." My brother's claim that his dog will miss his testicles is anthropomorphism-attributing human characteristics and feelings to animals.

Concern No. 2 "Why should I neuter my dog? He can't get pregnant."

Neutering reduces roaming behavior. My brother's dog, Theo, is a farm dog who could roam to our neighbor's ground and potentially father an unwanted litter of puppies. Spaying and neutering are the best way to reduce the 4 to 6 million unwanted pets euthanized each year. Even though males can't get pregnant, they can sire multiple litters.

Concern No. 3 "I thought you said neutering would not change my dog's behavior."

Neutering can decrease roaming behavior, marking behavior, and some forms of aggression, but genetics and training are more important contributors to your pet's behavior."I've seen many excellent police dogs, and I've never seen a recently castrated male suddenly lose all its working drive," says Dr. Coolman.

Concern No. 4 "All neutered dogs are sleepy and fat."

People think neutered dogs are more sleepy and less playful than usual after castration. In fact, those behavioral changes are typical of puberty, the stage of life when most neutering occurs. The changes merely reflect your pet growing up. But don't blame obesity on being neutered. Any dog can become obese. Obesity should be controlled through proper diet
and exercise.

Concern No. 5 "If I don't let my dog near unspayed females, why should I neuter?"

The list of medical reasons for castration is convincing. "Testicular tumors are very common in older dogs. If you don't have testicles you don't get testicular tumors," notes Dr. Coolman. "Castration also prevents most diseases of the prostate: hyperplasia, prostatitis, cysts, and abscesses. Unfortunately, castration does not prevent prostatic tumors."

Owners should castrate dogs who carry heritable diseases, such as hip dysplasia or other congenital conditions, to make sure that undesirable traits and disease aren't passed on."Dogs that are cryptorchid, i.e., with one or both testicles that did not descend, should be neutered," emphasizes Dr. Coolman. Cryptorchid dogs are at much higher risk of
developing testicular cancer, and the condition is hereditary.

Concern No. 6 "You're just telling me to do this because you're a girl. Do you tell people to neuter girl dogs too?" my brother asks me as he scrambles for a last reason.

People of both genders understand the benefits of spaying female dogs, but there still are a few myths out there. It is not true that it is best to let your female have a litter of pups before spaying her. "Spaying a dog before her first cycle decreases the risk of mammary tumors. Spaying also decreases the risk of uterine infections, pyometra, abnormal estrus cycles, cancer, and unwanted behavioral changes during heat cycles. It also helps deter unwanted attention from intact male dogs in the neighborhood," adds Dr. Coolman.

When deciding whether to neuter your pet, don't put your own perceptions or feelings into what your dog is thinking. Rather, study the medical and social benefits of having a castrated non-breeding dog and discuss the issue with your veterinarian before making your decision.