TinyAlbinoDancer - Why I Don't Neuter

[oc_spirit]

I will try to make this post as comprehendible as possible but no promises…it’s been one of “those” days, if you know what I mean LOL Also before I begin I would just like to make it clear that this post is not intended to try to advocate keeping a dog intact, this is simply my own reasons for neutering as I was asked to state in another post. Let it be known that I am all for neutering a pet dog. However, I also believe that no owner should be swayed to make the decision to neuter simply because people around them are recommending that it is the right thing to do (by moral standards only). I believe all responsible owners should find out the pros and cons to neutering and the pros and cons to leaving a dog intact before finalizing their decision.

I will leave all my dogs intact unless a genetic, health or behavioral issue arises that either needs to be fixed via neutering OR is something that I definitely do not want passed on such as deformities. By behavioral I don’t mean the dog leg-humping or marking or some other behavior that can be corrected via training, I’m talking about something along the lines of two males constantly at each other’s throats, or severe aggression in a breed that should not have any aggression such as the Siberian Husky. Here’s why…

All my sledding mentors have told me that an intact dog heals faster from illness and injury than a neutered dog. This is important to me because if one of my sled dogs gets injured somehow or falls sick I need them to get healthy again as fast as possible so they can get back in harness and keep racing. Plus, as I have stated in the past, every dog that I own will be a working dog so again, if one of them gets sick or injured I need them to heal quickly to get them back to doing their job. Granted thus far this has not been provided to me as medical fact, only countless numbers of years working with literally 100s if not 1000s of different dogs. I am planning on asking my vet about this particular matter soon and I will also be taking this to Guelph University (one of the best universities for veterinary medicines and agriculture) to find out what they have to say on the matter. None the less though, I trust my mentors and take what they have to say very seriously so even if the vet studies come back inconclusive this point will still stick with me.

No one can be 100% sure on whether a dog is worthy of being bred or not until they are fully mature which doesn’t happen until at least 2 years of age and sometimes later for some breeds. With this in mind I don’t believe in neutering a dog before at least 2 years when it can be properly evaluated. They need those hormones for proper growth as well. Dogs neutered early result in the lack of those crucial hormones which can have adverse effects in the way that they grow such as males looks feminine and females appearing too dog-ish.

"Castration weakens all dogs to some degree." So says Leon F. Whitney, D.V.M. He goes on to explain: "Castration, whether of dogs or bitches, produces marked changes over the normal. The earlier the operation is performed, the more marked are the changes.” Taken from http://www.courageouscaucasians.com/neutering.htm

Neutered animals also do gain weight faster than intact ones due to excess water retention. While this can be controlled with diet and exercise, I need my guys to be able to take in extra fat and protein and not have it turned into fat but FUEL. I’m constantly battling with OC’s weight trying to find the comfort zone between providing him with enough calories to perform optimally with sledding and not having his body simply taking it in and adding to his waist.

Yes neutering can decrease the chances of cancers such as testicular cancer and mammary cancer, but it can also INCREASE the chances of bone cancer and others. Also it makes the dogs more susceptible to viruses. Progesterone is a more powerful anti-inflammatory than even cortisone and neutering lowers the level of progesterone. The same thing happens in women who go through menopause. Women who were very healthy post-menopause suddenly become effected by immune-mediated diseases and cancers. For more information on this check this site out http://www.dogtorj.net/id57.html Thank you to Kayla from Chazhound for showing me this link.

Even though neutering is a common surgery using just a general anesthesia there is ALWAYS a risk with it. All my future dogs will be carefully selected for their working ability and at times this may mean I got the chance of a life time pup perhaps from a very remote breeder who usually keeps their pups or only gives to very close friends. I’m not going to risk losing a pup on a table for a surgery it doesn’t even necessarily need.

“…keeping him intact may serve a purpose: maintaining his maximum musculature as he ages to help deal with the muscle loss that comes from the inevitable arthritis.” Taken from http://www.dolittler.com/index.cfm/2...vs101.11.26.06

Not only is keeping a dog’s musculature important for potential eventual loss of muscle, it is also important for the dog to perform optimally. I don’t really care about the muscles for the looks. Sure a ripped dog looks awesome but I’m not after the appearance, I’m after the practicality. And besides, the breeds I am most interested in have double-coats so you can’t really see the musculature anyways LOL

I believe I have covered all my reasons for leaving my dogs intact, if I have missed any and think of them later I will be sure to post them. It is important to remember that many people including many vets and breeders have a bias to neutering so they will try to push it upon you. When trying to find information regarding neutering look for people who have an unbiased opinion or at least will give you all the facts straight up. It has been my observations through doing these studies that often if someone gives the only pros to leaving a dog intact to be “showing purposes and breeding” they either have a bias or they are simply uneducated or perhaps even ignorant. It would be wise to take what they say with a grain of salt and continue on with your research.

If you do decide to leave your dog intact, remember it comes with a huge responsibility!!! Some precautions to take are:

- do not let them wander around areas that could have bitches in heat
- do not allow unsupervised interacting between intact males and unspayed females even if they aren’t in heat (some heats are very subtle so she could be in heat and her owner just hasn’t noticed)
- keep the dogs securely confined and males separate from females especially during heats
- keep the dogs on leash when outside of fenced areas
- know your female’s heat cycle and do not let her out of your site during and after ovulation
- be smart

There are exceptions to the rules at times such as, it would not be reasonable to keep an intact livestock guarding dog behind a fence all the time when his job is to protect a free-roaming flock of sheep from predators. Or if you own an intact male and female and know for sure that the female is not in heat. Like the last point says, just be smart about it. Use common sense and you shouldn’t have any problems

If you have any questions regarding anything I have written please ask me about it and ask me to clarify and dont just point fingers and start accussing as I have had happen before on forums from people who obviously just like to start trouble. Oh ya and please dont throw all kinds of ""why I shuld neuter"" websites at me, I have read them, I know the reasons, after all they were part of my research and decision making before I came to the conclusion I have. This is all my opinion, not something I am trying to preach to others. Take it as you will.

[DogLover8]

Well written. I have known about some of reasons for not spaying and neutering.

[oc_spirit]

Thanks! Here is another link I was planning on adding but forgot *oops* Although this is a bit more on early VS later neutering than whether or not to neuter at all, but it has some very good points that should be brought to attention!

http://caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

[TinyAlbinoDancer]

Thank you OC. That was alot to type out and I appreciate you taking the time and effort to do so! I'll chew on it a bit before replying (if I need to).

[Cassiepeia]

Good post, OC.
My only gripe is that the majority of people out there are "average" dog owners who are no where near responsible enough to keep an intact dog. I'm not big on the idea of encouraging them to not spay or neuter their animals (which I understand is not what you're doing).
Keeping an intact dog is something only extremely responsible and educated people should ever do and the rest should be actively encouraged to spay/neuter their dogs for the sake of the dogs and the dog overpopulation problem.

Cass.

[DogLover8]

Great post, oc_spirit. I probably should have added this to my first post.

There are many pros and cons to spaying and neutering. If do not think you can handle an intact dog well, it is best to get the animal spayed or neutered.

[Rivsky]

Great post OC - a friend of mine recently had to decide whether or not to get her staffy male neutered and was going through all the same sort of pros and cons thing as yourself - in the end she decided to have him neutered for behavioural reasons - he was getting quite dominant and dog aggressive so she decided to have him neutered.

I know that you yourself don't have cross breeds but would you advise someone with a cross breed to neuter/spay as there is no standard look that a cross breed has to strive to and just that chance that it could result in a mating of another cross breed litter.

Great to hear that you've also researched ways to responsibily keep intact dogs as well - looks like you spent a LOT of time researching before reaching your final decision.

[oc_spirit]

TinyAlbinoDancer, not a problem, its actually something I''ve been meaning to do you just gave me the push to get it done LOL

Cassiepeia, very good point which is why I did make sure to specify that my post was simply my own reasons, I didnt want the average joe thinking I''m trying to pursuade him to not neuter his pet That is not my intentions at all, all I wanted to do was show that there is another side to the story which often gets left out.

[britishbandit]

Originally Posted by Cassiepeia

Good post, OC.
My only gripe is that the majority of people out there are "average" dog owners who are no where near responsible enough to keep an intact dog. I'm not big on the idea of encouraging them to not spay or neuter their animals (which I understand is not what you're doing).
Keeping an intact dog is something only extremely responsible and educated people should ever do and the rest should be actively encouraged to spay/neuter their dogs for the sake of the dogs and the dog overpopulation problem.

Cass.

Agreed!

[oc_spirit]

Rivsky, depends on WHY they have that crossbreed If its simply the result of an ""oops"" litter and they obtained said mix as a pet then yes I believe it should get neutered, BUT if the pup is a mix breed to try and get the better of something (ex. the Alaskan Husky being a better sled dog, or some of the Bandog projects out there) and the pup was bought with intentions of it being a worker then no.

[Cassiepeia]

Cassiepeia, very good point which is why I did make sure to specify that my post was simply my own reasons, I didnt want the average joe thinking I''m trying to pursuade him to not neuter his pet That is not my intentions at all, all I wanted to do was show that there is another side to the story which often gets left out.

Oh absolutely, I know you weren't trying to persuade anyone, just wanted to make sure it was clear that this is not something your average person should do.
I'd hate for someone (who should spay/neuter) to read this and then use it as an excuse not to be responsible.

Cass.

[roman]

great post it was really informational! i think that working dogs who are going to be used for working like germanshepherds who do hearding shold be intact but a normal all around house dog should be neutered

again great post

[TinyAlbinoDancer]

That was one of my thoughts (Roman's). It seems like most of your reasons apply primarily to working or purebred dogs. Also, do you have a source for altered dogs retaining water?

A second thought. I've been immersed in the world of Greyhounds for awhile now and am hearing many incidences of bone cancer in them. Greyhounds aren't spayed or nuetered until 2 years of age at the VERY minimum because of their careers. I didn't read the article on the study done on Rotts and bone cancer, but in one other breed that's how I've seen it. Just an anecdotal thought.