Neutering

Should You Spay/Neuter Your Dog?
     Most dogs should be spayed or neutered at an early age. Animal shelters are crowded with unwanted pets that, in many cases, are the result of accidental or poorly planned breeding. Unfortunately, the majority of these unwanted pets are never adopted.
    Spaying or neutering your canine companion helps contribute to better health and longer life for the pet, and peace of mind for you.
Three Good Reasons Why You Should Spay Or Neuter Your Dog
Reason Number One: Spaying or neutering contributes to a longer, healthier life for your dog.
   Spaying your dog before her first estrous cycle (that is, before she reaches sexual maturity) greatly reduces her chances of developing breast cancer and helps to eliminate the threat of uterine and ovarian cancer and uterine infection, which are common occurrences in unaltered females.
   Neutering your male dog may prevent testicular tumors and may prevent prostate problems. Neutering also decreases the possibility of perianal tumors and hernias, which are commonly observed in older, unaltered dogs.
   Many veterinarians encourage that dogs be spayed or neutered at an early age (as early as 10-12 weeks old). Be sure to consult your veterinarian for the best time to have this procedure performed.
Reason Number Two: You are helping to alleviate the dog overpopulation problem.
   Each year, millions of unwanted dogs are euthanized (put to sleep) at shelters across the country. Many of these are the result of accidental breeding by free-roaming unaltered dogs. The more dogs spayed or neutered, the fewer will have to be destroyed.
Reason Number Three: An altered dog is a better pet for your family.
No family wants to cope with an unwanted litter. Spaying prevents your dog from giving birth to unwanted puppies.
   Males neutered early in life are less aggressive toward other males and are not distracted by females in heat. A neutered male will be less tempted to leave your property and cross that dangerous street searching for a mate. Neutered males are also less likely to mark territory with their urine.
   Spaying your female dog eliminates the problem of stray males camping in your yard and decreases her desire to roam and breed.
Five Common Excuses For Not Spaying Or Neutering Dogs
Excuse Number One: My dog will get fat and lazy.
Neutering or spaying may diminish your dog’s natural tendency to wander, but will not affect the overall activity level. When dogs do gain weight after being altered, it is usually attributed to a combination of overfeeding and inactivity. Just remember to adjust the amount of feeding to your dog’s activity level.
Excuse Number Two: My dog’s personality will change.
Any change will be for the better. After being altered, your dog may be less aggressive toward other animals, will be less likely to wander, and may have a better personality. Spraying (urine marking), which is often done by dogs to mark their territory, diminishes or ceases after they are altered.
Excuse Number Three: We can sell puppies and make money.
Even well-known breeders are fortunate if they break even on raising purebred litters. The cost of raising such a litter – which includes stud fees, vaccinations and other health care costs – consumes most of the “profit.” Finding good homes for these puppies can be difficult, and shelters are already crowded with unwanted dogs. Leave the breeding to professional dog breeders.
Excuse Number Four: My children should witness our dog giving birth.
There are several educational alternatives for witnessing your dog giving birth. Contact your veterinarian and local library for this valuable information. Remember, there are already too many dogs in shelters. Be sure to avoid this excuse so as not to contribute to the unwanted dog population.
Excuse Number Five: I am concerned about my dog undergoing anesthesia.
Placing a dog under anesthesia is a very common concern of owners. Although there is always a slight risk involved, the procedures currently used by veterinarians use equipment that monitors heart and respiratory rates during surgery to ensure that their patients are doing well under anesthesia. The medical benefits of having your dog spayed or neutered far outweigh the slight risk involved with undergoing anesthesia. Consult your veterinarian if you are concerned about this aspect of the procedure.
Take Action To Spay/Neuter Your Dog
Thousands of companion animals are spayed and neutered every day. Both operations are low-risk procedures, usually without complications. Consult your veterinarian about the particular procedure that will be performed on your dog.
   Normally your veterinarian will instruct you to withhold food and water from your dog for 12 hours or overnight before the operation. The type of procedure will dictate your dog’s length of stay at the veterinary hospital. When your dog comes home, he/she must be confined to the house for a few days. You must keep your dog quiet and prevent him/her from jumping, or biting at the sutures. Your veterinarian will discuss post-operative care of the incision, including when the sutures will be removed.
Be Responsible: Spay/Neuter Your Dog!

Checks can be made payable to:
Animal Rescue and Control (ARC)

And mailed to:
PO Box 1099
The Valley, Virgin Gorda
British Virgin Islands. VG1150

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