Should You Spay Or Neuter Your Pet?
Spaying And Neutering Decisions — Not A Slam Dunk
Spaying and neutering pets is often a good idea, but you should remember that you are making a big health decision for your pet. Spaying, especially, is major surgery. It is a hysterectomy. Complications are always possible. No one should ever choose surgery without being aware of the risks involved. Likewise, it’s clear that sometimes spaying and neutering are urged and their benefits are exaggerated — and their future health risks are understated. These are usually routine operations, but you should make an informed decision. Spaying and neutering is often done because an altered pet is more convenient for a human to live with, not because it’s the best health decision for the pet.
Laura Sanborn has undertaken an extensive study of the health benefits and risks of spaying and neutering pets, based on the available research. If you are considering spaying and neutering your pet, I would urge you to read her entire study first and consider all of the health risks and benefits. There is no decisive answer about whether spaying and neutering is good or bad for your pet’s health, but you should be aware of the risks which are possible.
One finding, for instance, is that spaying and neutering at very young ages, as is sometimes urged, is NOT good for your pet.
