Spaying and neutering your pets can seem to be cause célèbre among pet lovers these days. Car magnets, T-shirts, posters and even celebrities urge you to spay or neuter your pets. But why? Are there benefits to neutering our dogs and cats? In one word: yes. There are many excellent reasons for opting to neuter your dog or cat.
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Cancer Risk Reduced
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When a male animal is neutered, his testicles are surgically removed. Doing so effectively eliminates any chance of testicular cancer and greatly reduces the risk of prostate cancer. This increases a dog's lifespan by one to three years, letting your pet lead a healthier, longer life.
Behavioral Benefits
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When a female dog is in heat, she emits a pheromone (hormone) that is like a homing beacon to all the unaltered dogs in the area. This pheromone is irresistible to intact male dogs. It travels for miles, and the males will do all they can to get to the female, including roaming, escaping the house, and jumping fences. Males also become more aggressive toward other dogs and people, increasing the likelihood of injuries to themselves and others. Neutering reduces the occurrence of this behavior--neutered males just don't find the pheromone as irresistible as un-neutered males do. They are less likely to get into dog fights, and neutering significantly reduces the desire to roam and wander in search of a mate. They are also less likely to get hit by automobiles--up to 85% of the animals that are hit by cars are not spayed or neutered.
Unneutered males also have the urge to mark everything. They leave their "calling card" with their urine--which is really pungent in unaltered animals. Neutered dogs mark as well, but not as much, not as often, and it is not as odorous.
Animal Population Control
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This is probably touted as the number one reason for neutering your pet. A dog can have up to two litters a year, with six to 10 puppies in each litter. This adds up very quickly. Here in the United States we already have a severe pet overpopulation issue. Three to four million animals are euthanized each year because they do not have a home. These numbers could be greatly reduced if owners would spay or neuter.
Better Pets
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Overall, neutered dogs make better pets. The annoying behaviors associated with the male of the species--aggression, marking, escaping, and so on--are reduced or eliminated. They are healthier, happier and safer. They are less likely to be hit by a car. The reasons for neutering add up. It is one of the easiest things you can do to increase the quality of your pet's life, as well as your own.
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