Let the soap boxing begin!

I wrote the next few posts already, but realized I was soap boxing about the importance of spay/neuter without really linking them to the last post- the birds and the bees.

So I thought I might elaborate a little on the pet peeve issue.

5.  If you want your kids to see the "miracle of life" (and let's be honest, it's pretty gross!), there are videos, TV shows, books- heck, you can probably find all sorts of birthing videos on you-tube. Adding to the pet population and putting your pets at risk is NOT needed. Also, not a good way to teach kids responsibility- who do you think will really be the person cleaning up after a dozen 12 pound puppies?Or even a few kittens? Your 6 and 8 year olds? Good luck with that.





4.  "I want to get my money out of her." You never will. I know the ads in the paper for puppies for $500 and up look appealing, and the pet stores sell for hundreds or thousands. I know. But you are the person with the bitch, say. You are responsible for her vet care until she is old enough to breed. Then you might have a stud fee. If you do it right, you will have at least one pre-natal exam at the vet for an ultrasound or radiographs to count puppies (not always accurate, but can be very helpful, nonetheless).

   If she has a normal delivery, awesome. But if she doesn't you may have a trip to the emergency vet, possibly emergency surgery. I tell my clients they need a couple thousand dollars put aside in case of this type of emergency. Then you have puppies, yay!

  Mom generally takes care of the feeding and cleaning for the first couple of weeks. But after that, you will have more mouths to feed and more poop and pee to wipe up. Again, if you do it right you will be house training and socializing these pups. You will have company over. You will vacuum around them.

  Then they need deworming. And vaccines. Vet behaviorists tell us that pups should stay in the litter and with mom for at least 6-8 weeks, and likely would benefit from staying until 10-12 weeks old. See where this is going?

  And finally, you have to find them homes. You can hope that people will pay what you think your investment of time and money is worth. And then hope their new people are happy and don't want to return one for a refund.

  Not all roses, is it?                                         

3. Money. Yes, excellent veterinary care is expensive. But spay or neutering now will likely save significantly on expenses down the road.






2. Let me tell you a story....When I met my husband, his American Bulldog named Sabo was intact. He was concerned about neutering causing a behavior change in Sabo. Plus, I think it was a guy thing- they just like those testicles being there. Then we got a female black Labrador named Bella. Bella was spayed right away.

   When I discussed neutering Sabo, Jeff said to me, "You don't understand how I feel about it. You don't have testicles." Actually, I think he put it a bit more crudely, but oh, well.

   My reply: "True, but I do have ovaries and a uterus, and I had no problem spaying Bella!"

  Silence.  I still don't understand the connection between a man's reproductive organs and his dog's. Jeff did let me neuter Sabo. The rest of the story is included in a post yet to come.

1. Anesthesia. There is always a risk of complications, including death, with any anesthetic procedure. But here's the thing- that risk is much higher if we are forced to perform the surgery when your pet is ill. So have the procedure done while it is still "elective" rather than "emergency."

Enjoy your pets!