The Importance of Spaying & Neutering; Make an Educated Decision
Why spay or neuter?
Every year, millions of unwanted dogs and cats, including puppies and kittens, are euthanized. The good news is that responsible pet owners can make a difference. By having your dog or cat sterilized, you will do your part to prevent the birth of unwanted puppies and kittens. Spaying and neutering prevent unwanted litters and may reduce many of the behavioral problems associated with the mating instinct.
Spaying eliminates heat cycles and generally reduces the unwanted behaviors that may lead to owner frustration. Neutering male dogs and cats reduces the breeding instinct and can have a calming effect, making them less inclined to roam and more content to stay at home. It can also make them more playful and less tense when it comes to socializing with other dogs.
Early spaying of female dogs and cats can help protect them from some serious health problems later in life such as uterine infections and breast cancer. Neutering your male pet can also lessen its risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate gland) and testicular cancer.
The procedure has no effect on a pet's intelligence or ability to learn, play, work or hunt. Most pets tend to be better behaved following surgical removal of their ovaries or testes, making them more desirable companions.
Benefits of Spaying (females):
· No heat cycles, therefore males will not be attracted, less desire to roam
· Risk of mammary gland tumors, ovarian and/or uterine cancer is reduced or eliminated, especially if done before the first heat cycle
· Eliminates risk of Pyometra (Uterus infection cause by hormones)
· Decreases aggressive behavior
Benefits of Neutering (males):
· Reduces or eliminates risk of spraying and marking
· Less desire to roam, therefore less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents
· Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated, and decreases incidence of prostate disease
· Decreases aggressive behavior
OVERPOPULATION FACTS:
Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.
Each year, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized (1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats).
SPAY & NUETER OPTIONS
If you decide to spay or neuter your pet, you have options. Discuss the options with your veterinarian so you can make a decision that's right for you, your family and your pet.
Surgical Sterilization
During surgical sterilization, a veterinarian removes certain reproductive organs.
Ovariohysterectomy: the typical "spay": the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are removed from a female dog. This makes her unable to reproduce and eliminates her heat cycle.
Hysterectomy: the uterus and part of the fallopian tubes are removed from a female dog. This makes her unable to reproduce, but her ovaries remain and will produce hormones.
Orchiectomy: the typical "neuter": the testes are removed from a male dog. This makes him unable to reproduce and reduces or eliminates male breeding behaviors.
Vasectomy: only the vas deferens, which conducts sperm from the testes, are removed. This procedure makes the dog unable to reproduce, but his testes remain and will produce hormones.
Nonsurgical Sterilization
There is currently an approved product on the market used to neuter male dogs that is injected into the testes to stop sperm production and render the dog infertile. Because not all of the hormone-producing cells of the testes are affected by the drug, the testis will continue to produce hormones. As research continues, additional products for nonsurgical sterilization may be developed.
RISKS OF SPAYING/NUETERING
While both spaying and neutering are major surgical procedures, they are also the most common surgeries performed by veterinarians on cats and dogs. Like any surgical procedure, sterilization is associated with some anesthetic and surgical risk, but the overall incidence of complications is very low.
Although reproductive hormones cause mating behaviors that may be undesirable for many pet owners, these hormones also affect your pet's overall health. Removing your pet's ovaries or testes removes these hormones and can result in increased risk of health problems such as bone and joint development. Talk to your veterinarian about the benefits and risks of the sterilization procedure so you can make an informed decision.
Before the procedure, your pet is given a thorough physical examination to ensure that it is in good health. General anesthesia is administered to perform the surgery and medications are given to minimize pain. You will be asked to keep your pet calm and quiet for a few days after surgery as the incision begins to heal.
Abnormal Growth
At the heart of the matter is how spay/neuter affects the dog’s hormones. When a dog’s reproductive organs are surgically removed, the sex hormones they produce also disappear. The sex hormones are responsible for more than just sexual behaviors and one of their responsibilities is regulating growth.
Breeders can readily spot the difference between an intact dog and a neutered dog: neutered dogs have longer limbs, narrower heads and bodies, and they are lighter in bone. When the sex hormones are removed, the growth hormones are missing important regulatory input and the bones continue to grow longer than they ought to. Studies have proven this to be true (Salmeri et al, JAVMA 1991).
In each long bone there is a growth (epiphyseal) plate, which is a band of cartilage found near the joint. This growth plate lays down bone as a puppy develops and, as it builds bone, the bone becomes longer and the puppy gets larger and taller. Once maturity is reached, this growth plate turns into bone and the puppy’s full height is reached.
When dogs are sterilized before maturity, the closure of some but not all growth plates may be delayed and this would be especially true if a dog is sterilized when only some of his growth plates are closed.
The age at which the growth plates close is entirely dependent on the dog and the breed. In general, the larger the dog, the later the growth plates will close. In giant breeds, this could be nearly two years of age. Some studies have shown that when this abnormal growth occurs due to the growth plates not closing, it causes extra stress on the joints and effects bone density.
WHEN TO SPAY/NUETER
Depending on the breed, it is normally recommended to spay/neuter between 6-18 months as the growth plates close, and the sexual maturity hormones start to kick in. Consult your veterinarian about the most appropriate time to spay or neuter your pet based upon its breed, age and physical condition.