Probably, every owner, starting a pet, thinks about whether to maintain his ability to reproduce offspring or to sterilize him. On the one hand, sterilization is not a very humane method, since you deprive the animal of the functions laid down by nature itself. On the other hand, this is a fairly simple operation, which rarely causes complications, but immediately solves a lot of issues. This is, first of all, a seasonal change in the behavior of the animal, its shoots from home, as well as pregnancy and feeding a puppy bitch. An important issue is the search for owners for puppies, as well as their maintenance and feeding. As you can see, sometimes itās much easier to once dare to have an operation, but to rid yourself of a lot of problems forever. However, today we would like to comprehensively consider such a problem as the sterilization of dogs, its pros and cons, as well as learn the opinion of veterinarians.
In what cases is it necessary to abandon the idea of āāsterilization
First of all, if you take a thoroughbred pedigree dog, which has every chance to win in the show rings. Such individuals are very expensive, and, of course, it makes sense to use them for breeding in order to get purebred offspring. If you need a friend, it is not so important whether he has a pedigree and what titles his relatives had. Therefore, long before the appearance of your pet, think about what plans you have associated with it, so that later there will be less disappointment.
What you need to know the future owner
Try to seek advice only from competent dog handlers or veterinarians. By asking your fellow walkers for advice, you run the risk of listening to various speculations that are not true. In particular, the opinion is often conveyed among dog lovers that a bitch for her health must necessarily get pregnant at least once in her life. In fact, this is a completely baseless statement. Moreover, if he was heard by the owner of an adult dog, which is more than six years old, and, frightened, decided not to hesitate anymore, such late births are fraught with much more serious complications than sterilization of dogs. The pros and cons of this procedure should only be told by a competent doctor, so do not trust the petās health to non-professionals.
The second common myth is familiar to male owners. You will definitely be advised to untie the dog as soon as possible, so that he acquires a heavier skeleton, begins to guard the house more strictly, that is, from a cheerful puppy he turns into a formidable and severe guard. In fact, mating will not help here, males usually mature after two years, and the backbone depends solely on genetic characteristics. But you definitely will have more problems. An unleashed male will look for a female his whole life, wearying the owner of the pursuit of any bitch. Therefore, if such individuals are not breeding animals, from which it is important to obtain offspring, then sterilization of dogs will be a good way out for you. We will consider the pros and cons in detail so that you are well aware of the consequences of your decision.
The main advantages of sterilization for the owner of a bitch
Of course, every loving owner is worried about his pet and wants to collect all the information about the upcoming operation. This is the right approach, because we alone are responsible for those we tamed.
So, dog sterilization , the pros and cons of surgery. Of course, in the first place, the decision should be made by the attending physician on the basis of an examination of the animal and a conclusion on his health condition. What are the advantages if a decision is made in favor of the operation?
First of all, problems associated with the pregnancy of the dog and subsequent childbirth disappear. And, most importantly, the owner will not have to think about what to do with unwanted offspring (in modern realities it is difficult to say what will be more humane - to destroy or āgive out in good handsā, condemning many to a homeless life). The financial aspect is also important. The operation is not free, but it saves the owner from caring for a pregnant and puppy female and puppies, which is much more expensive.
Animal behavior
Walking on the street becomes much calmer, males lose interest in the sterilized individual, as it stops estrus. The risk of developing breast tumors is several times reduced. This is not the only health problem that this operation allows to solve. In some cases, this reduces practically to zero the risk of various genital diseases, including malignant neoplasms. Veterinary clinics in Moscow perform this operation at the highest level, eliminating the likelihood of complications. It will be especially effective if you hold it before the first estrus.
An additional plus is always noted by urban residents. Breeding puppies in a cramped apartment is a very difficult task, and therefore many easily agree that it is much better to avoid such an experience, and the most effective way is to sterilize dogs. The price of this operation is not so high, everyone can afford it. In addition, this measure immediately solves the problem of cleaning for the bitch during estrus.
The main advantages of sterilization for the owner of the dog
In fact, only in relation to bitches can the term "operation" be used. Sterilization of dogs may not be abdominal when it comes to males. In this case, the whole procedure comes down to removing the testes. After the rehabilitation process is over, the animal becomes less susceptible to attacks of aggression, which means that it will be less likely to fight with relatives and get injured. You can no longer be afraid of a sexually transmitted sarcoma, which is transmitted sexually and leads to the formation of tumor growths.
A sterilized male will not run away from home, driven by instincts, and the owner will not have to search for him. There is no need to swear with neighbors, the dog becomes calm after sterilization, it does not howl and rush about in search of a partner, does not urinate in the wrong places, practically does not respond to relatives that are suitable during the walk.
A general plus for dogs of both sexes: sterilization increases your pet's lifespan by almost 20%. Moreover, in some cases, it is noted that almost to death the dog remains playful and mobile. If you do not want to engage in professional breeding, give your pet 3-4 extra years of life, because they donāt measure out so much time.
Sterilization as a social need
Today, the problem of abandoned and homeless animals is particularly acute. Shelters, organized by donations from citizens, cannot accept all four-legged animals that need help. Therefore, animal advocates conduct actions of a district scale, catching stray dogs, sterilizing and treating them, and then let them go back. Kiosks are set up in some courtyards, and local residents feed their inhabitants together. Is dog sterilization humane in this case? The pros and cons are obvious. Of course, this does not solve the problem, the animal remains on the street, but it will not bring puppies twice a year, which means that the population of homeless animals will become smaller, not larger.
Contraindications to sterilization
Despite the apparent lightness, this procedure is a surgical procedure that leads to irreversible consequences. Veterinary clinics in Moscow offer you a full range of services, ranging from primary diagnostics and examinations to postoperative rehabilitation. If you turn to professionals, the recovery process after the intervention will be fast enough, but the doctor will definitely warn you about a number of contraindications.
Because of the structural features of the body, there are breeds for which this operation can turn into serious complications. Usually they include pugs and bulldogs. Carefully choose an experienced surgeon, he will be able to tell you in detail what is the sterilization of dogs. The price in this case is not a guarantee that you will be able to avoid complications. The doctor will have to evaluate medical contraindications, take into account cardiovascular failure and impaired renal function, therefore, animals in the risk zone are primarily older than 5 years.
It is highly recommended that this operation during pregnancy and estrus be given to lactating bitches. There must be serious indications for the doctor to take up sterilization in the described conditions.
The main disadvantages that a loving owner should know about
Like all surgical interventions, it has its drawbacks and dog sterilization. Reviews from many owners suggest that urinary incontinence is the most unpleasant consequence. Indeed, this happens quite often, and this complication develops some time after the operation, so that, at first glance, it is not associated with it. In fact, everything is easy to explain if we turn to physiology. The uterus and ovaries are removed from the abdominal cavity, which forms the cavity into which the bladder is displaced. As a result, diseases of the urinary system of varying severity develop. In addition, the development of this complication and hormonal changes. But for the most part this is true for dogs of large breeds weighing more than 30 kg. Hormonal restructuring, in turn, leads to the development of obesity, so now you will need to especially carefully monitor your petās diet.
Surgery itself is a risk factor. The seam in the dog after sterilization can suppurate or disperse, there is a risk of bleeding and infection, inflammatory processes, as well as the formation of a hernia. We must not forget that sterilization is carried out under general anesthesia, which puts a strain on the pet's body. The heart is especially at risk. Finally, there is evidence from dog handlers that conditioned reflexes in sterilized dogs are produced slightly worse, which means you need to think about when to sterilize a dog.
Surgical sterilization of bitches most often has a minimal health risk and does not carry additional complications. But for a male, this operation always leads to violations in the dogās health status, regardless of the age at which the operation was performed.
Optimal age
For medical reasons, this operation can be done throughout the life of the pet. However, if we talk about the prevention of diseases and pregnancy, as well as the correction of behavior, it becomes clear that exposing it to young dogs is better. And here opinions differ. They veterinarians believe that it is optimal for puppies to do it at 2 months of age. Others argue that in this case, the development of the pet is slowed down, growth retardation, as well as difficulties with learning, are possible. Therefore, it is believed that it is best to prepare for surgery an animal that is 12 months old. It is at this age that dogs are best sterilized. The age of one year is usually marked by the first estrus, just after its completion you can go to the veterinarian.
After operation
We have already touched on the subject of transaction costs. In Moscow clinics you will give from 1000 to 2000 rubles for it, which is not so expensive if you take into account all the advantages that sterilization of dogs gives. Caring for a pet after surgery is quite troublesome, you will have to be patient. You have to do dressings every day, monitor the condition of the animal. If you notice suppuration or an unpleasant smell under the bandage, this is an occasion to immediately go to the doctor. The animal may be lethargic for the first few days, but if the pet has completely refused food, this is also an alarming sign.
As the condition of the dog normalizes, the time comes to return life to its usual course. So, again you need to walk a lot and be sure to eat right. It is best to make rice, white meat and fish the basis of nutrition after surgery. Sutures are usually removed 10-12 days after surgery. By this time, minor physical activity has already been resolved. Further, life smoothly enters into its usual course.
What you need to pay attention to
Even a professional doctor can not always foresee all the nuances, therefore it is quite rare, but complications still occur. What should alert you after the sterilization of dogs has been performed? The estrus is nonsense for a sterile bitch, but such phenomena occur. This suggests that the operation was carried out with some violations. An abdominal ultrasound is necessary so that conclusions can be drawn about the condition of the pet and the necessary further treatment. Sometimes there is another phenomenon: a sterile bitch continues to mate. This also indicates the lack of professionalism of the doctor who performed the operation. Therefore, before entrusting the life and health of your pet to doctors, collect feedback about doctors and clinics, weigh the pros and cons, and only then draw conclusions.