Why you should neuter your pets.
DID YOU KNOW.....US Statistics:
67,000 dogs can be produced by a female dog and her offsping in 6 years
8 to 10 million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters each year
61% of all dogs and 75% of all cats entering shelters are
killed An animal is euthanized every two seconds in the US
Only 4% of cats and 14% of dogs brought to a shelter are returned to their owner
Above statistics supplied by AVMA Center for Information Management, The Humane Society of the U.S.-Pet Overpopulation Fact Sheet, SPAY/USA -"Did You Know..." Fact Sheet, The Humane Society of the U.S.-Prevent A Litter Brochure, AHA Animal Shelter Reporting Study
Will Neutering Harm Your Pet?
One of the healthiest things you can do for your pet is to have it spayed or neutered unless you intend to breed dogs or cats for commercial purposes. Neither spaying or neutering adversly effects the natural development of an animal's personality and breed characteristics. Your pet WILL NOT become fat unless it is overfed. Dogs or cats spayed or neutered at an early age are more apt to be healthy and cause fewer problems for their owner and other pet owners around them. Ask your veterinarian about the appropriate time to have your dog or cat spayed or neutered.
If you receive a puppy or kitten as a gift, your first responsibility is to see your veterinarian for the necessary vaccinations required by the city laws and ordinances and to talk with him about the spaying or neutering of your pet. Veterinarians are performing the spay/neuter procedure on animals as young as eight weeks with the results being a quicker and easier to perform surgery and fewer medical problems for your pet than those animals being conventionally altered. Spaying and neutering is NOT painful. General anesthetic is used during the spay and neuter procedure with animals usually returning to normal within a 24 to 72 hour period. Any discomfort should be minimal to your pet.
What Are the Results of Spaying and Neutering your Pet?....
Positive changes will result when you spay/neuter your pet. Male cats should stop their territorial spraying. Male dogs and cats should fight less and are less likely to become lost due to straying from home in search of a mate. Females will not go into heat and need to be confined indoors to prevent pregnancy. The risk of mammary and testicular cancer is decreased in your pets. Your pet will remain protective and loyal.
There are many myths about the advantages of male versus female dogs and cats. Here are some of the things you should know:
DO NOT choose a female pet to show your children the miracle of birth when the pet has a litter. Most owners are not present at the right time to witness the births. A greater likelihood is the difficulty most owners have finding loving home for puppies or kittens produced by a birth
.
It is NOT TRUE that allowing a female dog or cat to have a litter is good for her health or wellbeing. Medical studies have proven that female dogs steralized(spayed) before their first heat are less likely to develop mammary cancer later in life and will be spared possible uterine infections as well.
Neutered male dogs and cats have fewer behavioral problems than do intact males. They are less likely to roam, to urinate in the house and to develop specific kinds of cancer.