Desexing - to be or not to be

feralaussie · Post by **feralaussie** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 7:02 am

We are debating whether or not to have our bitch fixed.

My partner is keen to let her have at least one litter. He feels that having a litter will make her a more tolerant and patient dog. I suggested she would probably develop that when socialising at obedience school and consequently training and hunting with other dogs.

I like to hear your thoughts as to when is the best time to get her desexed (if we decide to go ahead). Should I consider getting it done before her first heat or after? When is her first heat due ....about 12 mths of age?

What are some of the pros and cons to take into consideration when making this decision?

Country-Side Breeders · Post by **Country-Side Breeders** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 7:20 am

In Females, spaying decreases the incidence of breast cancer (the rate goes down to almost zero if the spaying is done before the first heat cycle!). It eliminates the chance of developing a serious and potentially fatal infection of the uterus experienced by many mature unspayed animals (pyometra). Spay surgery also eliminates the heat cycle and associated mood swings and undesirable behaviors, messy spotting (in dogs) and the attraction of all available males to your yard. Of course, having a female spayed after the first heat will still cut down the risks of developing these health issues. The first heat can occur anywhere between 6 and 12 months of age.

Having her spayed won't help to make her a more tolerant or patient dog. That's all done in the way you raise her and socialize her. The more time you put into your dog, the more you're going to get out of her. The best behaved dogs that I've seen are the ones that are kept in the house with the owners.

If you don't intend on breeding your bitch (besides for the reason you've mentioned, which I don't feel is a good reason at all), have her spayed.

crow · Post by **crow** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 9:01 am

I agree totaly I have a uncle that has taken a english pointer and brought it into his house instead of penning him up that dog has turned out to be one of the best most people friendly pointers i have ever met. i think it is a safe bet to say that most pointers nowadays are not very people like now days, with the age of the field trail taking over.

also if you arent going to breed her spaying her before the 1st cycle would be the best for your dog.

feralaussie · Post by **feralaussie** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 8:52 am

Thanks Patty.

I had heard about the cancer risks & I admit it's something to seriously consider. All my animals have been with me until their last breath and my decision takes that into account. On one hand I don't want to subject her to unnecessary risks. She will be with me for a long time as a pet, a member of our family and as an excuse for Dad to sleep in while us girls go hunting.

On the other hand her sire is a well trained hunter & has a beautiful nature. If time and training proves her worthiness, I shouldn't ignore the chance to continue the lineage.

As for coming inside the house, I wouldn't have it any other way. My animals have always been very much part of my life and I have on occasion walked away from potential scenarios (whether a relationship or renting a property) because my dog/s weren't accepted. Love me...Love my animals.

WildRose · Post by **WildRose** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 9:28 am

There's more and more hype about the "benefits" of neutering all the time. Personally I'm still in the stone age and really don't buy it. Canines have been proliferating for about 30 million years and mother nature designed them to have gonads. Our first male was intact throughout his life and live to see his 21st birthday. We've never had a male with prostate cancer and most of ours have still been hunting at 12-14 years of age. We've never had uterine cancer in or breast cancer in a female and we've owned a bunch of them from birth to death and never lost one to age or disease before 14.

Consider this sam. Statistics can be used to show a lot of different things. If you have two sample groups of a hundred each, in group A neutered dogs you have zero positive for cancer. In group B the un neutered group you have 2 positive for cancer. Instead of the exact numbers being reported what you have reported is the fact that in this study it was shown that there's a 200% higher risk of cancer in the intact group... . No the facts are not different, just how they are presented.

I think there are good and sound reasons to neuter, there's way too many unwanted pets in this world but if one is going to decide on neutering which is of course usually irreversible, do it for the right reasons, not because you THINK you are doing it for the health of your pet. Mother nature designed these creatures to have the hormones that come along with the gonads, so when you remove them you are changing the physiology of the beast. CR