# Spaying and Neutering



## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

This was brought up on another thread, but I'm curious as to peoples' decisions when/why to spay/neuter. I know many people think it's healthier/more natural to keep dogs intact and just take steps to insure unwanted pregnancies. But I know there are also a ton of arguments as to the health benefits if spaying/neutering. There are also arguments as to when to spay/neuter if you choose to have it done, etc. 

I'd just love to hear people's opinions on the matter :smile:

All of my other animals I've had speutered were done at 6 months of age without even thinking about it but that was when I was a kid and had no say in the matter. After doing more research on the subject, i decided to wait a little longer on Peyton to do some health testing to see if she'd possibly be suited to have one litter, decrease her chances of developing spay incontinence, and give her hormones time to kick in and make her grow a little. However, my other two speutered dogs are acting annoying with her and she is a vwd carrier (not really a big deal when it comes to breeding but it does cause more of a concern for who I choose as a potential mate for her). 

Also, I work at a vet clinic and I see WAY too many cases of mammary, prostate, and testicular cancer, not to mention bladder stones and a myriad of urinary tract issues stemming from dogs who are older and still intact. So even if I had bred Peyton, she would have been spayed as soon as it was safe for the puppies to decrease these risks. It makes me wonder, with all these known risks, why people choose not to speuter their pets. 

I'm genuinely curious, so this is not a bashing thread, this is an educational thread meant to share with others your opinions/beliefs/knowledge on the topic.


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

I am definitely pro-spay. I would not leave a bitch intact as I know of too many people who have lost their brood bitch to mammary cancer. That being said, I am not a believer in early spay either. As I have said in previous threads, Millie was spayed at five months. But, if I were to make that decision again I would wait until 1 or 2 heat cycles. Yes, the risk of mammary cancer increases each time a bitch has a heat cycle, but the risk is still so slim even after 1 or 2 heat cycles. I would choose to let a bitch experience 1-2 heats in order to ensure that she has gone through a natural puberty and matured fully. 

With boys.. I am not so sure  I would love to hear what others have to say. I have been doing all of my research on girls! But from the little research I have done, it doesn't seem that neutering is necessarily imperative as far as health risks when left intact. However, you do have to consider possible behavioral differences in neutered vs. intact males. Additionally, I think that you have a responsibility as an owner to prevent your intact dog from trying to sex it up with the neighborhood bitches:wink:


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## PalmettoPaws (Dec 30, 2009)

My dogs are neutered and spayed. To me there was never any question whether or not they would be. I don't want to risk the health problems that can come with leaving dogs intact and I also don't want to add to the overpopulation problem. Kodiak is a rescued mixed breed so there never would have been any reason for me to allow him to breed. Savannah is a purebred Standard Poodle but I also had her spayed because there are too many dogs dying in the streets and shelters for me to justify bringing more into the world.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

I too work for a Vet (my father) so I have always been pro spay/neuter, but the more I learn & research the more I think early spay isn't the answer. I have a friend who has rotties, she used to spay early and used to lose a lot of them to Osteosarcoma by age 5 or 6, her 2 girls now 1 is intact but only 2 the other was spayed older and is 5 years old and so far no problems. I posted the information/research I have done in the health issues under Ziva got partially spayed today thread. I think a partial spay may be the answer to a lot of the issues with not spayed, however, I also think that a lot has to do with the environment, toxins they are exposed to and diet as far as mammary tumors etc go. I am on several 'natural' yahoo groups and there are multiple people with 13 or 14 year old dogs who are naturally reared and intact and haven't had a problem with mammary tumors or pyometra.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I would spay (or partial spay now that its been mentioned!) or neuter any dog or cat that I will own that is not to be bred. No reason to keep them intact if they are not intended to reproduce. I don't believe in spay/neuter at an early age for dogs only though. I prefer to let them reach full maturity before they are fixed, more important for larger/giant breed dogs in general.


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## k9capture_16 (Aug 23, 2010)

I will spay/neuter cats, but will only spay dogs. I do not believe in neutering male dogs. I have done my research and feel comfortable with my decision to keep intact male dogs. I am responsible enough to own intact male dogs as any of the 4 males I have owned intact never once sired a litter. I dont like female dogs so I doubt I would ever own one. Ruby is fixed but I inherited her, I couldnt just let her be dropped off at the shelter.

For male dogs the risk of testicular cancer is FAR to low for me to neuter for it. Also with neutered dogs more at risk of prostate issues, hypothyroidism etc I prefer to keep male dogs intact.

Thats IMO. I do always tell others to spay/neuter unless its a friend who I know if responsible.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

I have always been a firm believer in spaying and neutering, and now that I'm more aware of the health risks of spaying/neutering early, I will wait. Ryou got neutered at about 8 months, and Amaya spayed at about ten months (after her first heat).

However, I do, in the future, want to have maybe one or two litters, but that will be WAY in the future, after I'm settled and making good money enough to care for puppies properly, and have good quality pulling dogs that won't just be adding to an overpopulation of horribly bred dogs. If I get dogs in the future, however, that I do not plan to breed, definitely going to spay/neuter, because I'm not patient enough to do enough training to where I could control a male dog around a female in heat, or a female in heat with male dogs around. haha. In other words, I'm not responsible in that kind of way! XP


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