Spay & Neuter Week!

Nala

Hi everyone,
Just thought I'd let you know i's Spay & Neuter week next week (22-29 May).
A 10% discount is available from participating vets for spaying/neutering booked during Spay & Neuter Week.

For information about Spay & Neuter Week visit
http://www.spayweekireland.ie/index2.html

Reasons to spay/neuter your pets:

http://www.spayweekireland.ie/why.html

Sigma Force

Although rabbits are not yet covered under this scheme please remember to spay female rabbits and have them spayed by an experienced small animal vet. Unspayed females have a 85% chance on contracting uterine cancer.

She-Ra

I've a question... my pup is a female boxer, 6 months old and i've been told by 2 different vets different things... one said dont spay til she's through her first season as she wont grow properly?!?!? other said its nonsense.... any idea????

Nala

I think I've read something about that if you neuter them too young it can interfere with their growth. Apparently it also makes them more hyper. I can't back this up at the minute. Have you tried Googleing it? There's some good vetinary websites out there.

On the topic of spaying/neutering, there is a myth that a cat or dog should be allowed have a litter before being neutered, which is rubbish.

She-Ra

i'm DEF not breeding her... and i thought it was the opposite... it calmed them down.. if she gets even more hper i'm screwed!

peasant

one said dont spay til she's through her first season as she wont grow properly?!?!? other said its nonsense.... any idea????

According to my knowledge, the sexual hormones also play a role in regulating growth in adolescent dogs. If you spay/neuter them to early these hormones are not produced any more. Especially in male dogs this can lead to extensive growth, resulting in bone and joint damage/complaints later in life. This is a proven fact.
There are theories out there saying that female dogs need to run through one cycle of "heat" in order to have fully developed hormonally as well as physically and "emotionally" ... how well founded these theories are, I don't know.

How much early spaying/neutering may or may not influence a growing dogs character is hard to prove or measure. It is well known though that it will not affect a dogs character traits to spay/neuter later in life. With the exception of any and all sexual related activity, which will of course stop. Esp. in male dogs this will have a certain calming effect as they are simply not "interested" any more.

donutheadhomer

we have the 2 cats (brother and sister cats) neutered and lulu the dog also. Fudge, the male cat since then has acted like he has had a lobotomy, dull and lifeless.
Lulu was done early as she came into season very early. her growth has been affected and she is really hyper even for a boxer

Sigma Force

You can spay/neuter a dog or cat at any age provided they are in good general health. Puppies and kittens should be spayed much earlier than 6 months it does not effect their growth or anything else.

The reason many think dogs personalities change is because at around the 6 month mark puppies tend to get a bit more cheeky and forward which is the same age most get spayed so they think it's the spay that has caused it.

Vets get handed in stray dogs and cats to be put to sleep on a daily basis you would think by now all of them would encourage people to spay and neuter early.

If your boxer hasn't come into heat yet you should spay her now, if she is in heat have her spayed straight afterwards.

peasant

I have done some more research on the topic and have found the following results for spaying early:

dogs: might grow slightly larger than unneutered ones, but the growth is slow and no negative side effects have been found. (contrary to my posting further up). Countless positive effects though: significant reductions in cancers of the primamary and secondary sexual organs and of course ...population control

cats: might have a slight increase in body mass, but that is controllable by diet. Also less risk of cancers and ....of course, population control.

She-Ra

its booked... little Mo is gettin herself brought up friday week... awwww my poor baby