What are the benefits of sterilization?

The chance of breast tumors is reduced

The animal medicine community has found that female dogs that have not been neutered or have been in heat more than twice before neutering are more likely to develop breast lumps.

During estrus, some hormones (hormones) in the animal's body surge. The more such hormone surges are experienced, the more likely breast tumors will appear.

Dogs

The risk of mammary tumors in dogs is not that high. According to surveys, the mortality rate of dog mammary tumors is only 6%*. The prevalence rates in dogs aged 6, 8, and 10 years were 1%, 6%, and 13% respectively. It is easier to understand by comparing it with humans. The probability of cardiovascular disease in 45-year-old women is as high as 55.6%.

Cats

Mammary tumors are much less common in female cats than in dogs; like dogs, neutering can reduce the risk of these diseases. *But one thing is different from dogs, that is, the risk of breast tumors in cats is much higher. If an unneutered middle-aged female cat develops strange breast lumps, it needs to be sent to the doctor immediately for investigation.

Put an end to pyometra

The occurrence of pyometra comes from the excessive stimulation of hormones in animals, which results in the accumulation of pus in the reproductive system. This disease occurs in older female cats and dogs that have not been neutered. The incidence of disease in elderly female dogs is about 1-15%, and that in cats is about 7%. This disease can be treated surgically, and the risk is low if detected early.

No longer in heat

Dog

It is difficult to find an appropriate word to describe a female dog in heat. Maybe "mess" can be used? The estrus period of a female dog lasts 6-11 days, with an interval of 5-10 months. During this period, the female dog will be very jealous (eager for attention), urinate frequently, and ooze blood. The smell emitted during estrus will also attract surrounding male dogs to your home.

Cats

Cats are more troublesome than dogs. Female cats are in estrus much more frequently. If you don’t observe carefully, you won’t even notice the telogen period. Rolling and howling at night all the time. Unlike dogs, cats do not bleed during estrus. The entire estrus cycle lasts from 4 to 10 days.

The chance of accidents outside is reduced

Neutered cats and dogs will try their best to move around the home even if they go out. On the contrary, unneutered cats and dogs are easy to run away, and the chance of accidents increases significantly, such as fights, car accidents, Predators are deadly. But having said that, it is irresponsible to let pets run around alone, regardless of whether they are neutered or not.

No more urine marking behavior

Male cats will spray strong-smelling urine during estrus (vertical spray on the wall, not on the ground), and some female cats will also! When neutered, most male cats will no longer spray urine.

 

Testicular cancer

Cat

It is very rare for male cats to get testicular cancer, and the chance is extremely low.

Dogs

Unneutered male dogs are at risk for testicular cancer, with a prevalence rate of approximately 7%. In other words, 7 out of every 100 unneutered male dogs will develop testicular tumors later in life. These tumors can be removed surgically.

It should be reminded that dogs with non-drooping testicles have a particularly high chance of developing testicular cancer* It is best for such dogs to be neutered as soon as they reach adulthood.

Reduce aggressive behavior

Dogs with aggressive tendencies, or cats with extremely poor relationships with their "housemates", tend to be calmer and docile after neutering. However, there are many reasons for aggressive behavior in cats and dogs. Don’t think that neutering is a one-time solution. Sometimes neutering still cannot solve the problem.

Prostate Disease

Prostate cancer is very rare in dogs and cats, but like humans, older, unneutered male dogs often develop enlarged prostate.

Male dogs

Dogs with prostatic hypertrophy usually have difficulty defecating (humans have difficulty urinating, but dogs rarely have this). If prostatic hypertrophy occurs, surgical removal of the testicles is enough immediately, and the symptoms will disappear quickly. In addition, in addition to surgery, there are also good medicines that can control prostatic hypertrophy in dogs

Male cats

Prostatic hypertrophy is almost rare in unneutered male cats

Reduce the prevalence of anal tumors

This type of tumor is called perianal adenoma. Old male dogs that have not been neutered often suffer from this disease. Fortunately, most of these tumors are benign, about 80%. This is one of the TOP3 most common tumors in elderly male dogs, and it also occurs occasionally in female dogs. The researchers found that the benign version of the tumor was less common in neutered male dogs, and neutering generally prevented the benign version of the paraanal adenoma. However, for the remaining 20%, there is no difference in the incidence of potentially fatal malignant paraanal adenomas whether sterilized or not. *

Cats

Cats do not have such problems

Control the number of stray cats and dogs?

This is absolutely true if you are an irresponsible owner. If cats and dogs are running around and breeding and mating indiscriminately, then direct sterilization is indeed a good idea. We will discuss this in detail below.

Longer life?

There is no detailed scientific research proving that neutered cats and dogs will live longer than those that have not been neutered. Some statistical results show that sterilized cats and dogs live longer*. This may be because owners who pay attention to sterilization are more attentive to medical treatment and care, or because sterilized cats, the dog's range of activities becomes smaller, and the chance of accidents drops significantly; to put it bluntly, it is an illusion caused by statistics.

With a cautious attitude, we cannot directly conclude: "Sterilization will definitely lead to a longer life than no sterilization."

(There is contrary evidence, please see the following article)

Disadvantages of sterilization

Maybe no one will tell you, but I will tell you

Okay, so what are the problems that scientific studies have found with sterilization? Controlling the Population of Stray Cats and Dogs: Wrong Inference

Yes, sterilized cats and dogs cannot reproduce. However, responsible owners are the most important line of defense against overpopulation of stray cats and dogs. An owner who accepts the concept of "neutering or neutering" will not let his pet run around regardless of whether it is neutered or not. If a dog bites, should you pull out all the dog's teeth or keep the dog on a leash? Complete education for cat and dog owners and strict laws and regulations are the most important measures to stop the overpopulation of stray cats and dogs - rather than expecting a scalpel to do the job for you.

Taking the example of Sweden, controlling the number of stray cats and dogs does not matter whether they are sterilized or not. In Sweden, the sterilization rate of female dogs is only 7%, and the number of stray dogs in the country is close to none; why? Just because their owners are more responsible than us.

Abnormal bone structure

Premature neutering of pets can cause a series of problems, one of which is bone. As animals grow, hormones secreted by the reproductive system help determine the length and shape of bones. When sterilization is performed too early, the body's sudden loss of these hormones will cause bone growth to become out of control, resulting in a longer growth cycle and imbalanced proportions. In turn, the pet becomes abnormally taller and the shape of its bones becomes abnormal.

Doesn’t it sound serious? This abnormal development causes bones and ligaments to deviate from nature's blueprint, making movements more abnormal and making falls easier.

This puts the dog's knees at serious risk. This phenomenon in dogs has not attracted academic attention, but the opposite is true in livestock.

Cats

Needless to say, the same applies to cats. Neutering a cat too early can cause abnormal bone development.

Bone cancer

First of all, the good news is that cats do not have this problem; at least there is no reliable data to suggest that it exists.

Osteosarcoma is more common in large dogs whose bones have overgrown, making them more susceptible to osteosarcoma. Spaying before one year of age significantly increases the chance of developing osteosarcoma.

Diabetes

There is a clear trend of obesity in animals after sterilization. In cats, obesity greatly increases the risk of diabetes.

We don’t know yet whether the same thing affects dogs in the same way.road. We know these affect people, and there are many studies showing links between sex hormone deficiency and diabetes, obesity, and bone strength*. We have reason to believe that this connection exists in cats and dogs as well.

Hypothyroidism

Cough cough, please note that it is hypothyroidism and not hyperthyroidism. Dogs are more likely to have this problem than cats. Neutered dogs are more likely to develop hypothyroidism than unneutered dogs.

Obesity

There is no doubt that neutered pets are more likely to gain weight. Especially spaying before the first heat can increase the chance of obesity after neutering.

Yes, that’s right, limiting caloric intake can prevent and curb this situation, but if you think about it seriously, isn’t this just sitting and talking without pain in the back? In practice, it is much more difficult than in words.

How many owners know how to use a measuring cup when pouring dry food?

Ligament and bone diseases and concurrent arthritis

Which of the two causes cruciate ligament tears and hip problems in pets: obesity caused by sterilization, or weakened joint strength and structural abnormalities caused by sterilization? and arthritis we can’t draw a conclusion. Maybe it has something to do with the sudden decrease in activity of many neutered pets? Regardless, the veterinary medical community has found that these problems are most common in pets that have been neutered.

Urinary incontinence

Neutered female dogs are more likely to suffer from urinary incontinence. Cats do not seem to have this problem, at least rarely. Neutered female dogs with urinary incontinence will improve with female hormone therapy. This hormone is the missing link after sterilization.

Urinary tract problems

Dogs

Neutered female dogs are more likely to develop urinary tract infections. Whether the reason is due to obesity caused by sterilization or the sterilization itself still needs to be considered

Cats

There is an argument that prematurely neutered male cats are more likely to have urinary tract problems. This argument has been increasing in recent years. But having said that: male cats are born with small urethras that are easily blocked due to lack of water and incorrect diet. In addition, male cats have a tendency to be in heat, so almost all male cats are neutered. Considering these two points, you It is difficult to conclude that neutering will definitely increase the chance of urinary tract obstruction in male cats. Not to mention, there aren’t any scientific studies to support this, so let’s stop at urban legend.

Hemangioma/carcinoma

This type of cancer is more common in dogs. Statistics show that neutered dogs are more likely to suffer from this disease.