The Importance of Spaying or Neutering Your Dog
Narrated from: Dog HealthIn the United States of America the numbers of homeless dogs and cats is nothing less than astounding. About four million dogs and cats are euthanized (put to sleep) because there are not enough homes to take them all in. That is an average of one animal about every eight seconds. The vast majority of these animals are not strays but are the offspring of family pets. The pounds and shelters are full of as many pure bred dogs as mutts and mixes. You can see how irresponsible breeding habits are adding to the existing problem. Responsible pet owners will have their pets permanently altered so they are sure they won’t make the problem even worse. Besides having your pet altered is the best option for your pet!
Once spayed your female dog will no longer go into “heat” so you will not need to worry about a bleeding dog in your home or having all of the male dogs for miles around trying to get to your female. Spaying also helps keep breast cancer at bay and it also helps to prevent uterine infections. Having a litter of puppies can be extremely expensive; your dog will need vitamins and extra food as she carries her puppies. She will need to be seen by a veterinarian to make sure no puppies are stillborn, and there is always the fear of something going wrong at the birth (which can last for several hours) and you could lose your precious pet if you do not seek the assistance of a veterinarian. Additionally, it is not true that spaying your dog will make them fat. Only too much food, the wrong food or a lack of exercise will make your dog overweight.
For male dogs having them neutered will keep them healthier too. Testicular cancer is one of the main killers of male dogs and neutering prevents that completely! Your male dog will not want to run away from home every time he smells a female in heat. A male dog can smell a female in heat over a mile away and once he gets out of the house you will need to worry about him being hit by a car or getting into a fight with other male dogs. He will be a better pet if he wants to stay at home with you and the family. Male dogs will not “mark their territory” by urinating on your floors and furnishings. Like female dogs, male dogs do not get fat because they have been neutered.
The costs involved in spay or neuter surgery is substantially less than breeding your dog. The cost to have your dog spayed or neutered is less than you will spend on puppy food over a four to six week time period! If you are going to own a dog please be responsible and have it spayed or neutered. How horrible would it be to have one of your dog’s puppies euthanized? Adding to this problem helps no one! You can help two dogs by adopting your next pet; simply by removing one from the shelter you have made room for them to rescue another dog.
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