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Myth |
Truth |
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I love my pet so much, I want another one just like her. |
Chances are, your pet's offspring
won't be just like their mother or father. Even breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can't
guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances are even
slimmer. In fact, it is possible that the puppies or kittens will inherit their parents' worst traits
rather than the great ones you are trying to duplicate. Each animal is an individual with lovable
quirks and habits of its own. |
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A female cat or dog should have a litter before she is spayed. |
The
sooner you spay your female, the better her health will be in
the future. The likelihood of developing mammary
tumors or uterine infections increases the longer a female goes
unspayed. In fact, a female spayed before sexual maturity
(six to nine months of age) only has one-seventh the risk of developing mammary cancer, compared
to an intact female. |
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Neutering reduces a dog's ability as a watchdog. |
Don't confuse aggressiveness with protectiveness; a sterilized
dog protects his/her home and family just as well as an unneutered
dog, and many unwanted aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering. |
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My pet will become fat and lazy. |
A lack of exercise and overfeeding is what makes pets
fat and lazy - not neutering. It is true that altered animals require fewer
calories. There's an easy way to keep them fit and healthy: cut down on their meals and treats, provide
toys to keep them busy, and make time for walks or playtime every day. |
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My children will not have the chance to witness
"the miracle of birth." |
Countless books and videos
are available to teach your children about birth in a responsible
manner, without endangering your family pet's health (did you know that your cat or dog
may get sick and even die during pregnancy and birth? Also, it is not uncommon for one or several
of the babies to die within the first few weeks after birth).
Even if children are able to see a pet give
birth -- which is unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion -- the lesson they will
really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits us. Instead, explain to your
children that the real miracle is life and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives
of others.
Instead of showing your children the
"miracle of birth," why not foster a litter of kittens or puppies for a shelter or rescue group?
You will make a great difference for orphaned animals, your kids will love it just as much, and you will
be teaching them to treat animals responsibly. |
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It is not safe to spay a female before her first heat. Early spay or neuter is risky. |
As long as a kitten or puppy is healthy, weighs more than
two pounds, and is two months old, he or she can be neutered or
spayed. Male rabbits can be neutered as soon as their testicles become visible (at 3 to 4 months of age).
Female rabbits can be spayed at 4 to 5 months old. Veterinary medicine has made great strides in the
last years and many veterinarians now practise perfectly safe early sterilization. |
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Neutering is cruel and painful to the pet. |
Every surgery carries certain risks, but sterilization is the most common surgery performed
on animals today. Spays and neuters
are performed with the same general anesthesia used in human
medicine, and pain medication is available for animals.
The surgery usually requires minimal
hospitalization -- many pets can go
home the same day. And with a minimal amount of home care, your pet will resume normal
behavior in a couple of days. In fact, many males act perfectly normal the day after surgery so
don't be surprised if your dog tries to play ball with you the morning after his neuter (do restrict
your pet's activity for 7-14 days after surgery depending on your vet's recommendations). |
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Kittens and puppies are so adorable that it will be easy to find homes for them. |
In six years, one female dog and her offspring
can be the source of 67,000 puppies, and in seven years
one cat can be the source of 420,000 kittens! But even if your pet does have "just one
" litter, it won't be easy finding good homes for all of them. Every year hundreds of kittens
and puppies die in shelters right here in San Diego County. Most of them are perfectly healthy
and cute, but there simply aren't enough homes for them. It's not a question of age or cuteness...
it's pure math. |
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We don't need to neuter males because they aren't the ones having the litters. |
Every litter is sired by a male. A
single male can impregnate many females in just one day!
Also, neutering isn't just about preventing litters. Keep in mind that neutering your male animal
before sexual maturity dramatically reduces diseases of the prostate and testicles. It also reduces aggression and territorial
behaviors, making your male pet so much more pleasant to live with. |
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I don't want my male animal to feel like less of a male. |
Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Your dog, cat, or rabbit won't
suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.
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My animal is a purebred so breeding her won't
contribute to the problem. |
A large number of animals killed at shelters
and pounds are purebreds. Remember, pet overpopulation
is a problem of numbers, not "what kinds" of pets. |
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It's too expensive to get my pet(s) spayed or neutered. |
The cost of spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost; and, if we do say so ourselves, it's a
relatively small cost when compared to all the
benefits. It certainly is a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and
babies. Your pet's pregnancy and the time until the litter is weaned can add up to significant
veterinary bills and food costs if complications develop (which is not uncommon). Then there's the heartache
if things go wrong and you lose a baby or the mother.
Most importantly, SNAP is here to help you. Check out our Services to find out whether
you are eligible to have your pets spayed or neutered on our Neuter Scooter, for a very low fee. And if you don't
qualify, don't worry... many vets offer reduced spay/neuter fees, and several rebate programs are available
to help you with the cost of having your pets "fixed." Tell me More! |
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But... |
If you have a concern that isn't listed here, we invite you to contact us. Let's talk about it!
Email SNAP at canspay @ snap-sandiego.org (remove spaces). |
