Age To Get Puppies Spayed

Having your puppy spayed is by far the best way to ensure that we combat the problem of unwanted dogs. There are a huge number of healthy dogs put to sleep each year in America and an even greater number waiting in shelters to be adopted. Much of the trauma that these animals go through would be spared if only we took a more responsible view regarding the age to have puppies spayed.

Puppies are sexually mature at around six months old. From this time on a bitch can become pregnant and have her own litter of puppies, despite the fact that she will still seem like a puppy to you. Therefore, if we wish to keep the overpopulation of dogs to a minimum, the best age for puppies to be spayed would be before they are six months old. This should be before the puppy comes on heat for the first time.

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Not only is this the best age to have puppies spayed from the viewpoint of controlling the dog population, it is also better for the dog on medical grounds. You will have reduced the risk of your dog suffering from mammary adenocarcinoma by about 98% when she is older.

Whether there is a limit regarding there being too young an age to have puppies spayed is a much discussed subject. The American Medical Veterinary Association now advocates the spaying of female puppies from as early as 7 weeks. There are many other reputable organisations who agree with the AMVA on this decision including The Humane Society of the United States and The Kennel Club of the United States.

There has been years of research into the subject and findings have been contra to previous beliefs. It was thought in the past that operating so early in life could cause the dog problems in later years. It has now been proved that there are no medical contraindications for the procedure at this age regarding either behaviour or physical well being. Many veterinarians however, will still not agree to the procedure at such an early age and are still of the opinion that the best age to have puppies spayed is at around six months, just prior to first season. Veterinarians who are involved with The Humane Society of the United States are particularly supportive of early age spaying if it means that the animal can be adopted from a shelter rather than euthanized. Another rule for some is the weight of the puppy. Some will only spay if the animal weighs at least two pounds.

The majority of specialists will say that the ideal age to have puppies spayed would be at six months. In some cases this can be reduced for an early age spay from as young as 7 weeks. Either way, the important issue is that you do have your puppy spayed. This will be one step closer to helping reduce unwanted pregnancies and save the trauma that unwanted dogs have to endure.

Age To Get Puppies Spayed

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Finding Puppies That Need Homes

When you've decided you'd like a new puppy to bring home, it's probably in your and the puppy's best interest if you can find one available that is in need of a home. Many people have been lead to believe that only adult dogs are in need of a home and that they probably need a new home because of behavior or potty training issues, however this really just isn't the case.

Even if an adult dog available for adoption doesn't have any issues to be concerned about, many people simply want a puppy because, let's face it, they're cute and adorable, but the attraction is also that you can train a puppy yourself, and you can easily bring it in as a new member of your family

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It is a fact that there are an abundance of adult dogs available for adoption, some of them due to behavioral or training issues, but many simply because they were being neglected or just weren't wanted anymore, so their owners have abandoned them. It is also a fact, that there are hundreds of thousands of puppies needing homes. These puppies may be available for the same reasons their adult counterparts are, or they may just be victims of overpopulation due to lack of spaying and neutering that often results in unwanted puppies.

Yes, we all think the puppies in the store windows are adorable, and, yes, we all know the puppies available through breeders will be beautiful, but there is a definite satisfaction involved when you are able to provide a homeless puppy the loving, comfortable home he longs for and deserves.

You may think that the pound is the only available place to find a dog that needs rescued and that they are full of Pit Bulls and "unlovable" large dogs, but you might be pleasantly surprised if you just go to your local pound to take a look. Perhaps the day you go, there will be a puppy meant just for you.

But there are also other places you can go if you'd like to offer a home to a puppy that desperately needs one. There are animal shelters in most towns, or you can check your local papers for puppies looking for a home! Another option is to check bulletin boards of the local vets' offices, which often have ads posted by people who want to place their puppy in a secure, loving environment.

You can also find rescue societies in your local yellow pages that will be able to direct you to the homes that are keeping the puppies until they find permanent homes.

No matter where you decide to look for a puppy that needs a new home, you're sure to find a delightful new pet that will bring you enjoyment and love for many years to come.

Finding Puppies That Need Homes

My name is Kevin Highfill. Please visit my site at http://www.online4pets.com/ to discover more information about puppies needing homes.

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My Dog is Having Puppies! Now What?

Most of us really do not know too much about a female dog having puppies and so I thought I would gather some information so that if you ever have to care for a pregnant female dog, you will have some knowledge of what to expect and do.

A female dog comes into heat (or an average sized dog) about every six months and for large dogs about every 8 to 10 months. The heat period lasts for up to three weeks. The first sign might be a swollen vulva and then sometime during the first week your female will start to bleed. Then comes the call of the wild and the male dogs will descend upon your property with total determination, so be prepared for lots of company.

SPAYING YOUR DOG

Unless you are a breeder it is advisable to have your female puppy spayed as soon as it is possible. However, once in a while in our busy lives, we may forget to have it done and lo and behold we have a pregnant dog on our hands.

Pregnancy can last anytime between 60 to 67 days with the average being 63 days. If possible keep track of the date the neighborhood male visited your dog. About three weeks after that take her to the vet to have the pregnancy confirmed.

If your dog is pregnant she will begin to eat more than she usually does (approximately 1 1/2 times more). Be certain to feel her a high quality food. There are foods available at pet stores or your vet for pregnant females, however if you choose not to go that route, be certain to feed her quality dog food.

During the nursing period she will eat even more. Do not withhold food, as she knows what she needs. It might be wise, if advised by your vet, to feed her vitamins and supplements.

From the time of breeding many dogs tend to go through behavioral changes, some will become a great deal more affectionate, while others might get a bit more irritable. Some believe it or not even suffer from morning sickness, followed by a huge appetite.

The pregnancy begins the moment the male's sperm reaches the female's eggs. As I said the average pregnancy lasts about 63 days. In the beginning the puppies are just a series of fertilized eggs that soon begin to divide into cells. They start with two cells and finally dividing into 16 cells which is what it takes to make a puppy.

From the 9th day to approximately the 20th day these fertilized cells change into am embryo and attach themselves to the wall of the uterus. By the 25day your vet or breeder can begin to feel the embryos and confirm the pregnancy.

By day 28 the embryo begins to resemble a puppy and is about 2 centimeters long, By day 30 all kinds of interesting things begin to happen, the legs and paws are beginning to form, the embryos begin to open their mouths and stick our their tongues and seem to be panting. The central nervous system begins to form and the puppy's sexual characteristics begin to form, also.

By day 35 the eyelids fuse to protect the forming eyes from contamination. The fetus is officially formed by this time and is about the size of a billiard ball.

From day 45 to the day the puppy is born all kind of wonderful things are gong on. The calcification of the bones now enables your vet to X-ray the puppies and see how many there are.

By day 55 the puppy has a full coat of hair, nails and paw pads, the baby teeth are formed but will not be visible until a few weeks after birth.

By day 57 they are completely formed and are beginning to develop a sense of smell.

Day 63 or there about the birth will happen and comes in 3 stages, the cervical stage, which lasts anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. The puppy will be born between 10 to 20 minutes after the female begins straining and it usually will take an hour or more between each puppy's birth. Most puppies are born head first, but sometimes mother nature pulls a trick and a puppy can be born breach with the legs or tail coming out first.

Most females will remove the birth sack by themselves, but if she does not it is up to the human to do so. In this case, I hope you have had a conversation with your vet on what to do.

Prior to the birth you should have prepared a whelping box for your female so that your female knows where to go. Many females want their humans with them at the time of birth and some will not deliver unless the human they love is there.

Line the whelping box with lots of newspapers to absorb the fluids and have it in a secluded place so that the mother feels safe. Keep little children away unless well supervised and quiet.

This is just a birds eye view of what to expect if your female is pregnant. I most urgently advise you to have several talks with your vet regarding the upcoming birth and if you possibly can, have someone who is familiar with the birthing process with you to help if needed.

Puppies are such wonderful critters and such a joy to have around, but spaying your female is really the best way to go.

My Dog is Having Puppies! Now What?

If this article has been of benefit, please visit my web site and blog at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com.

SPAYING YOUR DOG