A couple days ago, we looked at the benefit testosterone has on male birds--it makes them better singers. While singing may seem a superficial benefit, there are many benefits to male sex hormone (testosterone) and to the female sex hormone (estrogen):
- normal bone and ligament growth
- fewer athletic injuries,
- less cancer,
- less tendency to urinary incontinence,
- less tendency to roam.
Although we recommend that male dogs are neutered and female dogs are spayed, we recognize there are negative aspects to neutering and spaying . Let’s look at the positive reasons to alter dogs first, then at the problems we cause because we alter them. Knowing these problems allows us to take steps to prevent them.
Benefits of spaying and neutering:
1. No unwanted pregnancies
2. Decreased tendency to roam
3. Decreased tendency to urine mark
4. Decreased mammary cancer
5. Decreased uterine infection (pyometra)
1. No unwanted pregnancies
Almost 60% of puppies and 70% of kittens born in the US are from unplanned pregnancies. Millions of these innocent little puppies and kittens are taken to animal shelters where their first few months of life are not conducive to growing into healthy, well balanced adults. Not that all these puppies and kittens have a chance to be grow. We euthanize around 10,000,000 pets every year, many are puppies and kittens.
Unwanted pregnancies occur because almost 60% of families with female dogs don’t realize they can come into heat twice a year. Over 80% of families with cats don’t realize that queens are seasonally polyestrous, which means they can be in heat for several weeks at a time more than once a year.
2. Decreased tendency to roam
Most families don’t realize the intensity of the pet’s drive to reproduce. This drive makes human lust look inconsequential, and I’m including the lust that gets Presidents into trouble and prom queens redirecting their energies from college entrance exams to diaper etiquette. Pet lust compels dogs and cats to dig under fences, cross interstate highways, and live for weeks on garbage rather than sleep at home with a nice warm bed and hot meals. Animal lust is responsible for expensive visits to the emergency room, hours of searching for lost pets, and the heartache that comes from never seeing a beloved pet again. This pain and expense is eliminated by spaying and neutering.
3. Decreased tendency to urine mark
Intact male dogs insist on bragging to the animal world about how much territory they have dominion over. Their bragging takes the form of urine spraying. After one dog begins to brag, the others brag to prove they have just as much right to the living room, kitchen, bedroom, porch and yard as anyone else has. The intact females soon join in; then, the spayed and neutered pets add their wee initials. Once urine marking starts, it isn’t controlled by screaming, throwing foam balls, spraying water, or any other tricks. It can, however, be prevented by neutering and spaying early in life before the tendency to mark begins.
4. Decreased mammary cancer
Spaying dogs early in life helps prevent the number one cause of cancer—mammary cancer. In dogs, half the cases of mammary cancer will be metastatic disease that leads to premature death. For cats, the mammary cancer is less common than in dogs, but when it occurs, it is 90% likely to be fatal, metastatic disease. Dog breeds most likely to develop mammary cancer include the Boxer, Dachshund, Spaniels (Brittany, Cocker, and English Springer), English Setter, German Shepherd, Maltese, Miniature and Toy Poodle, Pointer, and Yorkshire Terrier. Cat breeds most likely to develop mammary cancer include the Siamese and Japanese domestic breeds.
5. Decreased uterine infection
Uterine infections or pyometra (pyo=pus and metra=uterus) are very serious in older, unspayed female dogs. By the time dogs are 10 years old, the incidence of pyometra is almost 25%. These infections are difficult and expensive to treat and are often fatal. They are prevented by spaying.
Cats can also develop pyometra, especially when they are older, but cats are less likely to have uterine infections than dogs are. In addition, feline uterine infections are less likely than canine infections to be fatal.
For these 5 serious concerns, spaying and neutering is recommended for most cats and dogs.
What about the problems caused by spaying and neutering?
In future blogs, we’ll look at the serious negative consequences that accompany spaying and neutering in female cats, female dogs, and male dogs. There is insufficient information to describe negative effects in neutered male cats.
For female cats problems caused by spaying include:
1. Surgical complications
2. Obesity
3. Feline urinary tract disease (FLUTD)
4. Diabetes
For female dogs problems caused by spaying include:
1. Surgical complications
2. Aggression
3. Cancer of the bladder (transitional cell carcinoma)
4. Cancer of the bone (osteosarcoma)
5. Cancer of the blood vessels (hemangiosarcoma)
6. Knee injuries and rupture of knee ligaments (CCL cranial cruciate ligament)
7. Obesity
8. Diabetes
9. Urinary incontinence
For male dogs problems caused by neutering include:
1. Surgical complications
2. Cancer of the prostate
3. Cancer of the bladder (transitional cell carcinoma)
4. Cancer of the bone (osteosarcoma)
5. Cancer of the blood vessels (hemangiosarcoma)
6. Knee injuries and rupture of knee ligaments (CCL cranial cruciate ligament)
7. Obesity
8. Diabetes
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