Why desex dogs??? Come on guys, I need FACTS!!!!

[Aroura]

After going to the pound the other day and seeing all those dogs waiting for that fatal needle I've decided to do something about it - and I'm calling on you guys to help me!!!
What I need is facts, facts about why desexing is such a neccissary thing, why bitches should not be allowed to come into heat even once, what the consequences of breeding are. ANYTHING! Does anyone know the statistics on how many dogs are put to sleep each year in australia? How much is a dogs chance of cancer increased each time she comes into heat? Also, why desex male dogs? I need every bit of fact I can get so I can convince this towns people to listen and desex their dogs!!!
I'm going to write a letter to the editor, last time I did this was like in year ten when I changed the future for armidales dogs, by writing about the awful state of the dog park. I sent it in and the next day the paper called me for photos, the day after I was on the front page of the paper! Only about an hour later I had a call from abc national radio for a live interview, then about a month after that I was in the first page of an Australian/New Zealand wide popular dog magazine and to top it off that magazine offered me a job as an editor!!! Unfortunatly mum took the call and I was so angry at her for not letting me take the call that I never chased the job up.
Anyway, my point is, hopefully if I can make even half as big an impact as that I could save, what over time may become thousands of dogs.
So with the help of you guys, I'm sure I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!
So, what do we all think? Is it a good idea?

[Rowie-the-Pooh]

Oh, it's a WONDERFUL idea! :D Maybe I could do something like that over here? I mean, the dogs here are in pretty bad shape if you know what I mean...

I'll just go and find a website about desexing dogs, and post it here! :D

Be RIGHT back! :wink:

[Aroura]

Thanks Rowie, I think it would be a great idea for anyone to write to their local paper. I really don't think that people know all the consequences of breeding their dog - people need to be educated. Sure, not everybody will listen, but for those that do, great! Maybe they will desex their dog, that will save so many dogs down the line, dogs that may otherwise go to homes that may also breed their dogs etc.
The more educated the public is, the less dogs will be put to sleep each year.

[Rowie-the-Pooh]

I found a really good website, unfourtunatly, the lady breeds "Labradoodles" and sells them as family pets, abd is against some of my beliefs, and I'm afraid posting the site will give people the wrong idea...

So I just copied/pasted:

EARLY DESEXING (NEUTERING) OF PUPPIES

Traditionally dogs have been desexed at about 6 months of age, just before they reach sexual maturity. It was thought that desexing earlier than this might affect the development of the urinary tract and lead to urinary obstruction in males and "immature vulva" in females. Controlled experiments in the United States have shown that this is not the case and now large numbers of puppies are being desexed at 6-12 weeks of age, both in the US and Australia, with no ill effects being reported.

Studies have shown that there are differences in behaviour and development between dogs desexed before and after puberty. Dogs that are desexed before puberty tend to remain more "puppy like" in their behaviour. But the timing of pre-pubertal desexing was not shown to have an effect on development. There was no repeatable difference between pups desexed at 6 weeks and at 6 months. Desexing puppies at six to eight weeks of age is quick and simple and puppies recover rapidly and are feeding and playing within half an hour of surgery


DESEXED MALE DOGS

Most people when buying a family pet have a strong preference for female puppies. This is not at all surprising given typical male dog behaviour. If you wear tattoos and own a Pit Bull Terrier you may expect, and enjoy, a bit of macho behaviour in your dog. However most people don't want a family pet that cocks its leg on every post, marches up stiff legged and bristling to sniff the scent glands of every dog it meets, bolts the minute a bitch within a five mile radius comes into season, and most importantly runs any risk at all of biting anyone.

Male dogs desexed at an early age will show little or none of this behaviour. Although most do learn to lift their leg to urinate they will do this predominantly to relieve themselves - not to scent mark their territory, which is the function of this distasteful male dog habit. While they may show interest in females in season this interest is not strong and doesn't lead them to wander.

Desexed males are not prone fighting or to dominance aggression and do not figure in the statistics on dog attacks on people. Many studies have shown that lots of men strongly resist the idea of owning a desexed male. If you are reading this and find yourself among this group it is important to think through why you are buying a pet. Are you looking for an animal that reflects your personal self image or do you want a childrens pet? This is a serious question and I do not mean to appear judgemental. I fully sympathise with men who feel that they couldn't own a Chihuahua or a toy Poodle, but I also believe that when the animal is to be a family pet compromises needed.

Taken from : http://www.family-pets.com/desexing.html

And another one:

Desexing
Bitches are desexed for a number of reasons:

to prevent the season cycle which occurs twice a year for 3 weeks (This may attract many male dogs to property where the bitch is housed resulting in fighting and destruction of gardens, or the escape of inseson bitches);
to prevent unwanted pregnancies with the associated problems of rearing puppies and finding proper homes for them;
to prevent breast cancer and uterine problems frequently found in entire (undesexed) bitches that have not had puppies.
Male dogs are predominately desexed to prevent fighting and straying.

The preferred age for desexing dogs is usually between two and six months. Your veterinary surgeon will advise.

Taken from: http://www.rspca.org.au/animalcare/dogs.asp

And this is a really good one, I couldn't paste it here, so I put the link..

http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/?page=animal_neuter

Hope this helps!

[Rowie-the-Pooh]

I got these sites from Google, most of them are great! :D

Just go to Google, and type in "Desexing Dogs", and walla! :wink:

[Aroura]

THANK YOU SO MUCH ROWIE!!!! :buzi: I didn't read all of that last sight, but it seemed really good!!! I'll go through it all and start writing the letter when I have a little time on my hands. I'm really gratefull, I've got confidence that this letter can make a difference, and thats such a great feeling!!! :jumpie:

[mouseatthebusstop]

GOOD TOPIC AROURA. SOMEONE I KNOW HAS AN 11 YEAR OLD LAB BITCH NEVER HAD PUPS SHE FELT IT WAS A WASTE OF MONEY TO GET THE OPERATION DONE ABOUT

[Rowie-the-Pooh]

Aroura napisał(a):

THANK YOU SO MUCH ROWIE!!!! :buzi: I didn't read all of that last sight, but it seemed really good!!! I'll go through it all and start writing the letter when I have a little time on my hands. I'm really gratefull, I've got confidence that this letter can make a difference, and thats such a great feeling!!! :jumpie:

:D :oops: Your most welcome Aroura! :D :D :D If you ever need help don't hesitate to contact me!! :wink: I'd love to help! :D :buzi:

[pei obssessed]

Here you go Aurora:

Will spaying my dog early in life keep her healthy longer?

Yes. Very much so. In fact, see the chart below, that displays the age at time of spaying as it relates to the incidence of cancer.

Age at time of spaying Incidence of Cancer
Prior to first heat Decreased incidence to less than 1 in 100
After one heat cycle 8 in 100
After two or more cycles 1 in 4
After 2+ years No significant protection but may delay growth or metastasis of tumors which are already present

http://www.ahrdvm.com/ask/askdog3.htm#early%20spay

There are no predictable behavior changes in the female dog or cat after ovariohysterectomy. Male dogs, however, often become less dominant and aggressive with other dogs and roam less after neutering. Male cats generally do less territorial fighting and roam less, which dramatically increases their life span.

There are many solid health reasons for spaying and neutering our pets. Early spaying prevents mammary cancer and a uterine disease called pyometra. Both of these conditions can be fatal in the female dog. Neutering male dogs reduces the incidence of prostate and testicular disease.

Preventing unwanted litters is another common reason veterinarians recommend spaying both cats and dogs at six to 12 months of age, preferably before the first heat.

http://www.healthypet.com/FAQ/general-1.html

[Rosebud]

:D

Here's another link for you to check out.

http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=2&cat=1625

:angel:

[Guest Anonymous]

Aurora, check around for some articles on Pyometra, a uterine infection unspayed females can get. Also, there was an article published a while back which gave some stats on dog bites in which they showed that unaltered males are most likely to bite someone. I don't have any links on this computer, but they shouldn't be hard to find things on.

[courtnek]

Not a web site - but life experiences

1. Unaltered males bite, roam and have a higher incidence of testicular cancers. Also, harder to train because of dominance issues, especially
in the larger "guarding" breeds.

2. Unaltered females have a higher incidence of uterine-type cancers, which increase with each heat. Also tend to roam, bite more frequently,
and are at times harder to train because of dominance issues.

3. puppies often have a higher incidence of illness, since the mated dogs
are often not checked out for breed specific issues. This is more common
in mixed breed matings, but also happens in purebreds. Temperament
problems is often quite common.

4. There are already too many dogs in shelters, desperately in need of homes; we dont need any more unwanted puppies when there are so
many out there already.

5. A pregnant dog needs constant care and attention. If the mated pair were not similar in size, the whelping itself could kill the mother, or
cause serious harm to the puppies thru having to be extracted by C-section. Once the puppies are born, there is no guarantee that the
mother will care for them. That means YOU have to... bottle feeding, warming bins, continual rub downs; with all of that, if the mother wont feed them, they will not inherit the necessary disease fighting cells that are transmitted thru mothers milk. The small fee associated with spaying/neutering is much less expensive than the C-section that
could be required, and the care necessary to help them survive.

6. Breeding is not simply putting two dogs together and hoping they make puppies. It requires training, skill, mindset, a willingness to breed out the
bad characterisitcs and leave in the good. It's not something the non-professional should tackle, there are too many risks.

7. These are LIVING CREATURES - not stuffed toys that can be discarded when no longer wanted.


That's MY rant, hope it helps you.

:D

[Aroura]

Thanks guys!!! I knew I could count on ya'll for help :wink:
Pei, thanks for that info reguarding cancer rates, that kind of info is really important to me, seeing as before I was so anti breeding that was my main reason for getting our animals desexed, I was even going to get my rats desexed! I couldn't afford it though...
Courtneck, I think number 7 is a very valid point! To many parents buy their kids dogs and let the children have their "one litter" because the kids want it. Not as though kids aren't hard enough work as it is, then the pups get pulled around with by the children which often don't understand that dogs have feelings too, and the dogs end up going to the pound because the parents can't find homes for them and can't afford to keep all of them. Its so sad :(

[IYPChrissie]

I think it is a great idea as well... I will do some research also and see what I can post to help out.

If you got that much attention, you are sure to again!! Good Luck... :lol: :lol:

If you can change the opinions of even 1 or 2 owners it will make a difference...

To be honest, I could never breed a dog, first I could never part with the puppies and 2nd I could never keep them either. :( I have 3 kids and they are expensive enough...

[courtnek]

no. 7 wont help you, since it's a personal opinion. No. 5 MIGHT

5. A pregnant dog needs constant care and attention. If the mated pair were not similar in size, the whelping itself could kill the mother, or
cause serious harm to the puppies thru having to be extracted by C-section. Once the puppies are born, there is no guarantee that the
mother will care for them. That means YOU have to... bottle feeding, warming bins, continual rub downs; with all of that, if the mother wont feed them, they will not inherit the necessary disease fighting cells that are transmitted thru mothers milk. The small fee associated with spaying/neutering is much less expensive than the C-section that
could be required, and the care necessary to help them survive.

THIS is the info we need to make them aware of...LEAN on the expense of "caring" vs. "neutering"

tug on their heart strings....

[Malamum]

Aurora, I think it's a fantastic idea, go for it!!

[imported_Cassie]

Here is an article regarding sexually transmitted diseases ...I work at a vet clinic; breeders always have the bitch tested (blood work) for Brucellosis...this is another reason to spay and neuter your dogs!
this may help you for another reason to spay & neuter..I don't think people realize there are some sexually transmitted diseases and Brucellosis can be a risk for humans.

Brucellosis is a disease caused by Brucella canis, which is a bacteria that was first isolated from dead puppy fetuses in the middle 1960’s. It is the most common bacteria that can infect bitches and their fetuses. It seems that over the years much has been written on brucellosis in breeding dogs, but despite it all, infection rates may run as high as 8-10%. That is right, it is suspected that one in ten dogs in this country may carry Brucella canis.
Brucella canis also poses a significant public health hazard since it is transmissible to humans, especially those handling aborted fetuses. Humans may develop a serious liver impairment or arthritis.

Medical advancements in controlling this disease have been few and far between. Contrary to some opinions, it is a very difficult disorder to treat, and in most cases, treatment is unsuccessful. A prevalent attitude among many people is that "if my dogs get it, then I will treat it." This is a serious mistake because you probably will not cure it, and if you do, the individual will probably be sterile or be a poor breeding specimen.

Transmission of Brucella canis

B. canis is sexually transmitted by the mating of infected males and females. Brucella canis in the female dog will live in the vaginal and uterine tissue and secretions for years, and except in rare cases, for life. The infected female usually appears healthy with no signs of disease or indication that she is a 'carrier' or harborer of the organisms. She can spread the bacteria to other animals through her urine, aborted fetuses, or most commonly through the act of breeding. Once pregnant, the bacteria will also infect the developing fetuses causing illness.

In males, the Brucella bacteria live in the testicles and seminal fluids. An infected male is just as dangerous as the female as he can spread the Brucella bacteria via his urine or semen. Oftentimes, there are no signs except in advanced cases when the testicles may be uneven in size.

Litters are commonly aborted, usually in the last two weeks of gestation, or the puppies may die shortly after birth. If a pregnant dog aborts after 45 days of gestation, you should be highly suspicious of brucellosis. Usually, the fetuses are partially decayed and accompanied by a gray to green vaginal discharge. This discharge can have very high numbers of Brucella canis. If embryos die early, they may be reabsorbed and the female may never appear to be pregnant at all.

What are the risks?

The risks are great. Since the Brucella canis organisms are transmissible to humans, it is best to avoid all contact with the dead fetuses and their associated vaginal discharge. The infected mother will likely be unable to sustain a pregnancy in the future. Furthermore, she would likely transmit the disease to any male which breeds her causing fertility problems in him as well.

Testing

Testing for Brucellosis usually requires a blood test by your veterinarian and all positives should be retested for a confirmation. Since Brucella canis is mainly spread by the act of breeding, it is paramount to test all canines, male and female, prior to breeding. Test between every breeding of different animals. In other words, if a male (or female) was tested one year ago but has bred since, he must be tested again. In the case of a male, if he serviced a female since his last test, then he must be tested again even if his last test was as recent as four weeks ago. Testing is the only sure way to detect carriers.

In cases of abortion, the bacteria may be isolated from the aborted fetuses. Blood tests can also be performed on the mother's blood to help confirm a positive diagnosis of Brucellosis.

Prevention

When possible, all incoming breeding dogs should be isolated for two weeks upon arrival at the kennel. At the end of two weeks, have the individual (male or female) tested by your veterinarian for brucellosis. Do this even if the dog was tested before shipment. This may seem excessive, but you will spend a lot more money if Brucellosis creeps into your kennel, not to mention the disruption in your breeding program and loss of genetic potential.

Artificial Insemination (AI) can lessen the risk of Brucella transfer at breeding. While rare, transmission of Brucella canis to a bitch can occur during AI, especially if infected semen is used. However, AI will protect an infected female from transferring it to a noninfected male.

All positive males and females should not be bred. Surgical spaying or neutering of these individuals is recommended. Various blood tests are available to screen breeding dogs (male and female) and identify those who are infected (carriers). All individuals used for breeding should be routinely tested prior to breeding.

Treatment

There is no reliable treatment for Brucellosis. Brucella canis lives inside of the dog's cells so it is difficult to reach the bacteria with antibiotics. Any attempt at treatment would require the use of multiple types of antibiotics. Various antibiotics such as doxycycline, minocycline, and dihydrostreptomycin have been partially effective at causing a temporary reduction in the bacterial organisms after several weeks of treatment. A complete cure is unlikely. It is recommended that infected animals be castrated or spayed.

As a rule, do not breed your dog with an individual that is said to be treated and cured. (Unless of course it is the last of its breed and even that would be questionable.) 'Cured' patients often begin shedding the bacteria months to years after treatments... Do not knowingly take a chance.

Human health hazards

People can become infected with Brucella canis. People should avoid contact with dead fetuses or the discharge from aborting dogs. Transmission has also occurred from contact with secretions from male dogs.

In conclusion, test and isolate. Do not rely on an uncertain cure. If you do not heed these suggestions, then you are playing with fire in your kennel and perhaps with your own health. Remember, statistically one out of ten dogs may be carriers and those are very disturbing odds.

Canine herpesvirus is generally referred to as CHV, and is a leading cause of puppy deaths, especially in puppies one to three weeks of age. We have all heard of breeders saying something like this - 'The puppies were fine this morning, but then they stopped eating and died before I could do anything!' Anytime puppies die in this fashion, there is a reason to suspect CHV.

Here is another sexually transmitted disease...how sad to lose a whole litter of pups this way...
Transmission

[quote]Canine herpesvirus is a viral disease that affects many puppies, causing sporadic deaths and occasionally the death of an entire litter. The virus lives in the reproductive and respiratory tracts of male and female dogs and can be sexually transmitted. The virus persists in the female's vaginal secretions and the male's semen. As in many herpes infections found in other species, adult animals can live for years with no apparent signs; these are called 'asymptomatic carriers.' This means the adult male and female dogs can remain infected and transmit the disease for years while showing no signs of disease themselves.

Puppies can become infected several ways. The virus can cross the placenta and infect them while they are still within the uterus, or they may become exposed from vaginal secretions during birth. The virus can also become airborne from nasal secretions of the mother, so once born, the pup can actually inhale the virus while breathing. Puppies can easily spread the virus from one to another. Lastly, the virus can be transmitted by eating infected materials.

Symptoms

Once exposed, it generally takes about a week for symptoms to appear. With this in mind, you can easily see why 1 to 3 week-old puppies are at the highest risk. Severely infected individuals will become depressed, stop nursing, and cry. Their feces will be soft and yellow-green. Their livers enlarge and their abdomens are painful. The liver becomes damaged and can no longer function normally. Some puppies develop respiratory signs and nasal discharge. Others develop a rash on their abdomen. Hemorrhages such as nose bleeds and small bruises on the mucous membranes or skin may appear. Some puppies will show nervous system signs such as blindness and staggering. Puppies usually die within 24-48 hours of showing signs of disease.

Not all pups exposed at birth become ill, and many show no signs at all or develop only a slight congestion and recover within a few days. Puppies exposed after six weeks of age have a better chance of recovery. Older puppies develop the disease by coming in contact with the mother's infected, but normal-appearing, nasal secretions. Those that live often develop into carrier adults just like their parents.

It appears that the virus thrives best at a temperature of around 99

[bk_blue]

Aroura I think I read somewhere (where though I cannot remember!) that the RSPCA alone puts 50,000 dogs a year to sleep. That's not counting the Lost Dogs' Home and other shelters around the country. :cry:

[Aroura]

Thanks for all the usefull information everyone - all those unwanted dogs every year :cry:
I've got a chem assignment to do and some other uni stuff, but I'll write the letter as soon as I get the chance and post it in here so you can all look it over before I post it and help me to make it better.
Thanks again! :fadein:

[Rowie-the-Pooh]

Your welcome Aroura! :D

Oh, and congrats on reaching 1000! :D :bday: :drinking: :angel: :wink: 8)

[Aroura]

Oh thanks Rowie, I didn't even realise!!!!!! :bday: :angel: