What You Need To Know About Spaying and Neutering

At one time or another in our lives, we've heard of one of our friends or neighbors neutering or spaying their dogs. What exactly is neutering and spaying, and what is the difference between the two? What purpose does this operation serve and is it safe for your dog? It is. In fact, the same operation (the removal of the reproductive organs) is as safe for dogs as it is humans. Spaying is the word used to describe this operation on female dogs, and neutering is the word used to describe it for male dogs. Spaying and neutering have a wide range of benefits for your dog, and can be a big step in your dog's life.

Spaying and neutering are often performed because a dog owner has a fear or some kind of reservation about their dog reproducing offspring. Most dog owners would rather not have to deal with a pregnant dog, much less dealing with that pregnant dog's puppies. This can be a big hassle for a lot of people and most of them would rather not have to go through with it. If you feel that your dog is having a lot of sex and could end up getting one of the neighborhood dogs pregnant (or getting pregnant itself), you may want to take spaying or neutering as a viable option seriously.

Spaying a female dog basically prevents it from going into heat. All of the ovaries and the uterus is removed in a spaying operation. Your female dog, if spayed, will never run the risk of getting pregnant again. It's common to find female dogs not even wanting to have sex ever again after being spayed (the same goes for male dogs when neutered). Spaying or neutering your dog completely alleviates the sexual tension harbored by your dog and makes sex an indifferent matter to your spayed or neutered mutt.

Your dog may seem depressed after a spaying or neutering operation at first, but that's just because he or she is experiencing a different type of hormonal balance within the system. Previously, estrogen in females and testosterone in males was continuously pumped throughout the dog's body and used for sexual stimulation. Think of these hormones as a type of drug that your dog is now doing without, and going through withdrawals. Your dog's body chemistry is completely different, and it would be wise to give your dog plenty of love and care, and show your dog that you care about him or her in the days right after the operation.

Spaying or neutering your dog can decrease the overall dog population within your community. This is a good thing since so many thousands of dogs throughout the world are considered strays and don't have a place to call home. Spaying and neutering would reduce this and many other problems within the dog population.