How to know if spaying/neutering is good for your dog

If you have a dog at home, you can either decide to mate him/her or decide not to. Is spaying/neutering good for your dog? Here are some reasons why it is.

Reasons why you should spay or neuter

To prevent unplanned pregnancies.

If your female dog remains unspayed, she will continue to experience heat cycles. And every time she goes into heat, male dogs will be attracted since they can smell the scent of your female dog even from far away.

With many unwanted visitors in your yard and your female dog possibly on the loose, your female dog might get pregnant. Dog pregnancy and having a litter of pups is quite expensive. Delivery can be difficult especially when your dog experiences some complications while in labor.

Having a litter, too, can be expensive - veterinary care, updated vaccinations and the right environment needed for the pups to grow up well and healthy.

Rehoming your pups when they're at the right age can also be very tiring and time-consuming. Finding good homes where they can provide everything needed by your pups can be a tough one and can create stress for you as you want to be ensured you are handing those precious pups off to a loving home.

To reduce risk of certain diseases.

A mix and match of unwanted breedings can destroy the preservation of a breed's standards and qualities. So if ever your dog gets to mate a dog from another dog breed he/she is not compatible with, certain health risks may be present in their litter.

Furthermore, unspayed females can develop life-threatening diseases like pyometra (infection of the uterus) and mammary tumors. While males who aren't neutered may develop prostate illnesses and testicular cancer.

To correct behavioral issues.

Spaying and neutering can also reduce certain behavioral issues in dogs like lessening their aggressive behavior, decreases their desire to escape and roam around to find a mate, helps eliminate leg-lifting & marking.

When should you spay/neuter?

This depends on you and the behavior of your dog. Some pet parents are spaying/neutering their dogs after they've produced a litter, some spay/neuter their dogs whenever they start establishing behaviors of incontinence, others also decide to spay/neuter their pups at around 6 months.

To know the right time of spaying/neutering your dog, always consult your veterinarian. They know best.

Managing your dog after a spay/neuter operation

Be on top of your dog's hygiene. Since your dog can't move properly, you have to keep the pee/poop away from your dog's skin immediately to avoid scalding and rashes. You can use a clean cloth and water or a saline solution to clean the area. Never use baby wipes on your dog since it can cause irritation.

Use dog diapers and pee pads. Going back to what's stated above, to avoid your dog from bathing in his pee and poop, dog diapers and pee pads are such great help to keep your dog comfortable and your home clean. Change diapers and pee pads when necessary.

Instead of using an e-collar, you can use dog diapers as a post-operation cover up to keep your dog from licking the wound.