Did you have your cat or dog 'done' and why?

Paradigm

I have never neutered a dog unless advised by a vet due to a medical condition.

To date:
1 case of Pyometra (resolved by hysterectomy)
0 cases of Mammary cancer
1 suspected case of testicular cancer (was benign after biopsy)
No unwanted puppies
No roaming dogs

Any behavioural problems have been sorted through training.

I currently have a 5 yo DDB male (full) & a 5 yo DDB female (neutered before I had her back) & have no problems with either, although she is more aggressive than he is.

I have yet to find a compelling reason to subject my pet to neutering, which is after all invasive surgery carrying it's own risks.

ETA: This applies to dogs only, I have no experience with cats or the problems of owning one.

penny_pincha

If you don't neuter cats in a boy. He will develop a VERY strong smelling urine. If he smells or hears a calling girl (one in season) he will spray it everywhere. He will seek out any calling girls he sees, hears or smells. He will think only of mating and so will not think of his own safety eg on the road. He will fight with other Tom cats and will get injured. This most likely will result in complications such as an abcess or other injury. Injuries are most likely be near the face and eyes too.

If you don't neuter a girl, she will wear herself out calling as frequently they don't eat when calling. I haven't come across any entire girl cat yet who follow the book, coming into call then knocking off for a few weeks, as they can come into call and remain in call for weeks. If she doesn't become pregnant then she can get pyrometra (infection of the uterus). She can produce kittens which you have to find homes for then come into call again soon after they are born, so wear herself down and open to disease.

Both genders can pick up infections through mating, of which there is no cure.

seven-day-weekend

Pollycat wrote: »

All my cats over the years (both male and female) were outdoor cats.

I had the male cats neutered because I didn't want them spraying in the house & fathering kittens throughout the neighbourhood willy-nilly and the female cats spayed as I didn't want litter after litter of kittens.

Same here.

faded_flowers

Both of our female cats were done as soon as possible. No unwanted litters there thank you very much!

Reading the arguements for and against spaying, we got our !!!!! done before her first season. The percentages we saw with regards to the cancers in later life were the most compelling reason, though also had no plans to ever breed. She's now 3 and has never shown any behavioural problems.

Bettyspag

Why spay dogs?
Prevention on mammary tumours - the more seasons that occur in the !!!!! the more at risk they are and increases hugely after 1st/2nd seasons
Prevention of uterine infections - which can lead to.....
Prevention of pyometra - which is when the uterus is full of pus and is fatal
Prevention of unwanted pups

Why get a dog castrated
Stop unwanted puppies
Prevention of spraying/territory marking
Prevention of testicular cancer - testicles not there cannot get
Prevention of prostate problems - with dogs living longer they are more prone to prostate problem which can get towards urinary and becoming faecal incontinent
However the common Mis conception is that it is for behavioural reasons ... This is not always the case if testosterone has already had an influence in dog then it will not calm them down. And I'm afraid humping is a learnt behaviour so if they have started they are not going to stop with castration

All in all have them neutered, get painkillers to take home to make them comfy, the 1st 24-48hrs they are going to feel rubbish because of the op and the anaesthetic wearing off. Some vets will give painkillers for you to go home with so ask if it is included!

lostinrates

Yes, cats all neutered, no problems, no changes in character, or health.

Dogs, has depended....my mother was a breeder so obviously they were entire BUT imo its easier by far and more settling for girl house dogs to be neutered. No change to routine for them when in season, no problems with others kept to them, fewer behaviour issues in multi dog households.

Atm i have two unneutered females, one because her breeder quite wants a little from her. I had just decided not to when she had an accident and had surgery and a lot of vet time. I decided to give her a break and it will be somethin we review for her next winter. The other is only not nuetered because she is prone to weight gain, and i am concerned about this. She is at the lower end of her life expectancy now, and i feel if we are going to do it it would be good to do both next winter ( we have building work and upheaval over summer).

We have had many, many dogs, male and female, neutered at vadious stages in life. It simply has never changed their charActer accept in OnE case, with a slightly nervous and defensive dog who became very unsettled with girls in season about (he came to us as an adult rescue through the breed society). Taking his hormones out of the equation significantly relaxed him and in time he became a very much more relaxed, playful and frankly mopre enjoyable to own.

There are health risks with either option. Neutering is the lesser of the two imo, and makes life for both animal and owner in the artificial domestic setting much better in generl imo.

elsien

Mutt came into season 2 days aftet I got her from the rescue centre. And was spayed as soon as practicable after that.

Reasons - I don't want the mess, I don't want the hassle of her howling the house down to get out, I don't want to be beating male dogs off with sticks when I walk her, I don't want pups, I don't want her stolen to be bred from. The vets recommendation was secondary tbh - all the other reasons seemed so blindingly obvious that it would have taken extremely strong reasons not to have it done. And there weren't any.
I did wonder (and hope!) that it might calm her down slightly. It had no effect at all - she was a hyperactive little git before she was done, and she was a hyperactive little git afterwards.

Bettyspag

Another common myth is they put on weight after being neutered. This is because people don't realise that there metabolism slows down. People feed the same amount of feed but they need less food after Neutering

Sagz_2

Unless you are going to breed from your pet then I really don't think it is kind to leave them un-neutered. They will have all the hormones that are driving them to breed, but you won't let them, so they will spend their lives sexually frustrated.

StudioBeau

Quinn came to me neutered. Pixie is not yet neutered but she is only 5 and a half months old, she will be speyed as soon as she is old enough. I do not want accidental puppies if anything happened, I do not want her being chased by whole males, I have seen how aggressive whole males can get when there is a lady dog (wrote the b word then remembered!) in heat around, they can tear chunks out of each other. I would never want that to happen to Quinn or Pixie. There is also various health benefits, incredibly low risk of ovarian (and other similar area) cancers especially in girls.

Plus, this get your dog done and it will gain weight thing - I wish it worked with my dog! He was a rake!!