Myth: A female cat or dog should have a litter before
she is spayed.
Fact: The sooner you spay your female, the better her health will be in
the future. As long as a kitten or puppy weighs more than 2 pounds and
is 2 months old, he or she can be neutered or spayed. Many veterinarians
are practicing perfectly safe early sterilization. The likelihood of
developing mammary tumors or uterine infections increases the longer a
female goes unspayed. In fact, a female spayed before sexual maturity
(6-9 months of age) has one-seventh the risk of an intact female
developing mammary cancer.
Myth: Spaying or neutering (sterilization) will alter my
pet's personality.
Fact: Any slight changes will be positive. Regardless of the age when
spayed or neutered, your pet will remain a caring, loving and protecting
companion. Neutering will reduce the need to breed, and that has a
calming affect on many animals. Both neutered male canines and felines
tend to stop roaming and fighting and lose the desire to mark their
territory with urine.
Myth: Companion animals will become fat and lazy if they
are neutered.
Fact: Absolutely not! Lack of exercise and overfeeding make pets fat and
lazy -- not neutering. Your pet will not gain weight if you provide
exercise and monitor food intake. Neutering is good for your pet, since
sterilized pets tend to live an average of two to three years longer
than unsterilized pets.
Myth: Sterilization is a dangerous and painful surgery
for my pet.
Fact: Spaying and neutering are the most common surgeries performed on
animals. With a minimal amount of home care, your pet will resume normal
behavior in a couple of days.
Myth: Children should witness the miracle of birth.
Fact: Countless books and videos are available to teach your children
about birth in a responsible manner. Letting your pet produce offspring
you have no intention of keeping is teaching your children
irresponsibility. Anyone who has seen an animal euthanized in a shelter
for lack of a home knows the truth behind this dangerous myth.
Go on to Animals
Don't Belong in Circuses Because... - Essay Contest
~ United Animal Nations
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