Black Immigrant Daily News
Considering neutering your pet but hesitant or unsure?
It’s Parenting Monday on Loop and we decided to share some education and advice on neutering for pet moms and pet dads who may have cats or dogs.
Neutering has a lot of myths surrounding it especially as it relates to erroneous disadvantages of the procedure.
With the help of kind and considerate vets and animal shelters and charities on island, neutering is a very real possibility and with no harm to your fur babies.
What is Neutering?
Neutering is the removal of ovaries and uterus (spaying) in females and the removal of testicles (castration) in males.
What are the advantages of neutering?
Male Dogs
Reduces the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis
Reduces the risk of hormone-related diseases such as perianal adenoma
Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer, the second most common cancer in intact dogs
Removes sexual urges, which usually decreases roaming behaviors
Reduces certain types of aggression
Female Dogs
Eliminates the risk of pyometra (infection of the uterus) and ovarian cancers
Reduces the risk of mammary cancers once performed at a young age
No heat cycles so no unwanted male dogs coming around your property
No unwanted litters
Male Cats
Removes sexual urges, which usually decreases roaming behaviors
Reduces the “spraying” behaviour associated with male intact cats
Eliminated the risk of testicular cancers
Reduces the aggressive behaviour which often leads to cat fights
Female Cats
Eliminates the “yowling” associated with cats in heat
Reduces the risk of mammary cancers once performed at a young age
No heat cycles so no unwanted male cats coming around your property
No unwanted litters
What are the disadvantages?
Most of the perceived disadvantages are false. The most quoted of these are that the dog will become fat, lazy, and useless as a guardian. Obesity is probably the most commonly quoted disadvantage of neutering. In most cases, obesity is the result of overfeeding and not exercising enough. By regulating your dog’s diet and caloric intake, you can prevent obesity in both neutered and intact males.
Neutering doesn’t cause a change in personality, guarding instincts, intelligence, playfulness, or affection.
Risks of Neutering
Neutering is considered a major operation and requires general anesthesia. With any anaesthetic the risk of serious complications, including death, is always present. However, with modern anesthetics and monitoring equipment, the risk of a complication is very low. It has been said that your pet has a greater chance of being injured in a car wreck than having an anaesthetic or surgical complication.
One place where dogs can be spayed or neutered at a low cost to help alleviate the over-population of dogs in Barbados is K9 Friends (Barbados). The registered charity was founded by Karen Millen and Danielle Mulligan in 2014 and was set up to help other animal welfare charities/groups on the Island and to spay and neuter dogs.
Fun Fact: February is Spay and Neuter Awareness Month
Article contributed by Debbie Funk, who is part of the group BE THEIR VOICE (BTV) which has as its main aim, to help rescue/rehome/spay/neuter and educate on how to treat animals and stop cruelty and abuse.
Neutering of brindle dog at veterinary clinic in Barbados
NewsAmericasNow.com
