Is it better to not spay or neuter your dog?

If you've ever owned a dog, you've probably wondered at least once whether or not to spay or neuter your pet.

In this article, I'd like to explain the advantages and disadvantages of spaying and neutering.

The ultimate decision is up to the pet owner, so I hope this article is helpful.

Why Spay/Neuter in the First Place?

There are three main reasons for spaying or neutering.

①To treat or prevent illness or injury

Spamming or neutering involves removing a dog's reproductive organs (ovaries, vagina, prostate, etc.). Reproductive diseases become more common with age.

Some of these conditions may develop into serious illnesses, such as pyometra or malignant reproductive tumors. If such conditions are already present, spaying or neutering is necessary.

In addition, in some cases, spaying or neutering is performed to prevent disease from developing.

②To help them become more docile

While asking for a dog to become more docile may seem a bit overbearing, this is one way to ensure a stress-free life for both humans and dogs.

Unspayed or unneutered dogs go through a period when their reproductive instincts become stronger in order to produce offspring, known as the estrus period.

When a female goes into heat, she may experience bleeding from her genitals and a temporary loss of appetite and energy.

Males may howl, become irritated due to hormonal imbalances, and may become disobedient or aggressive.

They may attack and injure other dogs while on walks, or they may attack and injure humans, not just other dogs. To prevent such dangerous behavior, spaying or neutering may be performed.

③ To prevent breeding

This is probably the reason that comes to mind when many people hear about spaying and neutering.

Many people neuter and spay their pets because they fear they will be unable to care for them if their pets increase in number due to breeding.

You may be wondering, "Is it really okay to spay and neuter just because of human whims?" However, in fact, there are many cases where dogs that have bred and become unsuitable for care are sent to animal shelters and ultimately euthanized.

It is also an important role of pet owners to prevent such tragic events from occurring.

The Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering

First, let's look at the benefits of spaying and neutering.

Benefits of Neutering

Reduced Risk of Disease and Potentially Extended Lifespan

Removing the reproductive organs prevents disease in advance, and research has shown that spayed and neutered dogs have a longer average lifespan than their unspayed counterparts.

There is information that spaying and neutering makes dogs more susceptible to cancer, but this is because the average lifespan has increased, resulting in an increased risk of dying from cancer. Spaying and neutering is not directly related to this.

Decreased Mounting Behavior

Have you ever noticed your dog clinging to you and constantly shaking its hips, or leaning over another dog and shaking its hips?

Such behavior is likely due to estrus. If your dog jumps over another owner's dog, it could cause the other owner discomfort.

Such behavior can be curbed by spaying or neutering your pet.

Preventing Breeding

Finally, regarding breeding, even if you're careful not to breed, it's possible that your pet may have ended up having pups before you know it.

It would be fine if you could keep the offspring or give them to a friend, but it's cruel to send them to a shelter when they become unmanageable, only to have them euthanized.

Spaying and neutering can prevent these tragic situations from happening.

Disadvantages of Neutering

Slower Metabolism, More Likely to Gain Weight

Removal of the reproductive organs changes the hormonal balance, reducing the daily metabolic rate and making the cat more likely to gain weight.

If your cat is gaining weight despite being fed the same amount of food as before surgery, you may need to change the amount of food you feed it or switch to a diet food.

A chubby dog ​​may look cute, but obesity is a major cause of illness and injury in dogs, especially in older dogs.

If you have your dog spayed or neutered, be sure to pay close attention to its diet.

Risks of the Surgery Itself

General anesthesia and surgical intervention are risky for dogs, and this is not limited to spaying and neutering surgery. After surgery, there is also the risk of infection from wounds.

After surgery, until the stitches are removed, try to avoid activities that could soil the wound (such as walking on rainy days or taking your dog to places where it may get splashed with water).

Hormone-Responsive Urinary Incontinence

This condition is said to occur in approximately 4% of spayed or neutered female dogs.

Due to a decline in hormones, the external urinary sphincter, which the dog can control, becomes thin and weak, resulting in incontinence.

To treat this condition, you may need to visit the vet for more medication, or in the worst case, you may need to have another surgery.

You will be unable to breed

Once spayed or neutered, your pet will never be able to breed again.

While there's no other way around it if your pet is spayed or neutered due to illness or injury, be sure to fully understand this before proceeding with spaying or neutering for other reasons.

Summary

This article explains the pros and cons of spaying and neutering dogs.

Now you understand that surgery is absolutely necessary and that it is performed for the benefit of both the dog and the human.

"It's cruel to have surgery when they're not sick."
"I want to prevent illness by having surgery before it gets worse."
There are many different opinions and thoughts, but ultimately, it's up to the owner to decide.

Dogs don't speak, so it's difficult to understand their feelings. Still, I hope this article will help you choose the right answer for both your dog and your owner.