Should Your Shitzu Be Neutered?

It is just as important to prevent problems before they arise, as it is tender loving care, when it comes to your shitzu. One of the most important health decisions you will make is whether to have your shitzu spayed, or if you have a male shitzu, to have him castrated. These procedures (called "gonadectomy" or "neutering") refer to the inactivation or removal of some, or all, of the tissues in the body associated with reproduction.

Your female shitzu should be spayed before her first estrous cycle, so that she will have a lower chance of developing breast cancer later in life. Breast cancer is common in older dogs, and 50 percent of breast cancer in dogs is life threatening. Therefore, it makes good medical sense to neuter your pet at a very early age.

SPAYING YOUR DOG

Early surgical neutering can be performed safely on pups between six and sixteen weeks of age. There are distinct health advantages for dogs that are surgically neutered early in life. Advantages are:

1. It greatly reduces the chances of developing breast cancer if the ovaries are removed before the female's second and preferably first estrous cycle.

2. Prevents ovarian, uterine, testicular, prostate, or epididymal diseases, such as cancer and infection.

3. Prevents unwanted pregnancies.

4. Leads to fewer behavior problems.

An alternative for pet owners to surgical neutering is chemical neutering. This is where the drug (amino acid 1 arginine and a zinc salt) is injected into the testicles, and causes shrinkage of the testicles and prostate gland.

No matter what method you use, the right thing to do is to have them neutered. You are giving you're shitzu the best chance for a long healthy life. You are also doing your part by not contributing to the problem of pet overpopulation. For every female dog that produces one litter of puppies, there is the potential to give rise to 67,000 descendents in a six-year period.

More than 2,500 dogs are born every hour in the United States and more than 2.1 million dogs are euthanized annually in animal shelters. That is one dog every 15 seconds and shitzu's number among them. By neutering your shitzu, you are helping to reduce these numbers.

Remember, the shitzu is a regal animal bred to live a pampered life of luxury in lavish estates. It is not an easy dog to maintain. It requires a lot of personal attention and its coat requires frequent grooming.

Should Your Shitzu Be Neutered?

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SPAYING YOUR DOG

Whether to Have Dogs Spayed Or Neutered

Having your dogs spayed or neutered is never easy, yet it is necessary. Practically all animal welfare and community organizations strongly support spaying and neutering dogs including the Humane Society, Urban Leagues across the country, the Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Animal Hospitals Association. It is the most humane manner to control an ever growing crisis in dog overpopulation.

Uncontrolled dog breeding has lead to far too many dogs competing for far too few adoptive homes. Compounding the situation are many factors including negligent dog owners that buy cute puppies only to treat them as throwaway toys, especially when the pups grow into adulthood. Many of these companion dogs are simply abandoned on the side of the road. Of course, there are other factors, but this is particularly cruel and thoughtless behavior.

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The result of such total disregard to common decency is a large number of pet dogs and cats that are forced to live on the streets and forage for their food as best they can. They prey on wildlife and are a danger to children playing in their own neighborhoods. They become a public health problem by acquiring and spreading various diseases and by defecating in public areas.

Local governments across the nation are forced to spend many millions of dollars in animal control programs, including large scale euthanasia programs in our nation's animal shelters. We must act in a responsible manner and do what we can to help. Having your dogs spayed or neutered is a civic and humane responsibility.

Benefits of Spay Neuter Surgery

There are also benefits of spay and neutering surgery for the dog as well as for the community. Spayed female dogs will be free of their hormone-based aggression, nervousness, and irritability during heat, because they will no longer have heat periods. Certain forms of infection and tumors will appear less often, and bitches will no longer attract attendant males. Dogs have a very keen sense of smell and male dogs can detect females in heat for miles away.

Neutered male dogs will no longer roam far and wide for mating partners, and will not be as interested in marking territory. Their urine will be less odorous. In general, they will exhibit less anxious behavior. Neutered dogs will exhibit less hormone-driven aggression towards humans and also towards other dogs. However, note that habitually aggressive dogs will not change their personality or behavior after neutering. Aggressive dogs need good training to learn appropriate behavior. Neutering is not a replacement for proper dog training. Spayed and neutered dogs are more content, happier, and friendlier pets.

Conclusion

Companion dogs are not intended to be breeding animals. It is desirable for female dogs to be spayed before they experience their first heat period. Both male and female dogs should be spayed or neutered well before sexual maturity.

Dogs engage in sex solely to satisfy their programmed hormone-induced instincts and not for enjoyment. Do not think you are depriving your dog of pleasure by sterilization. You are not. Many communities have programs to lower the cost of spay and neutering surgery. The responsible thing to do is to have your dogs spayed or neutered.

Whether to Have Dogs Spayed Or Neutered

Read more about spaying and neutering dogs the article, "Having Your Dog Spayed or Neutered: Clearing Up Some Myths." Also, have you wondered how to properly wash your dog? If you want some tips, read, "How To Give a Dog A Bath." Allen MacAlister is a veterinary medical student and writes about dog and cat allergies and general care.

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