Benefits of sterilizing my dog

Every year thousands of dogs are abandoned. Some of them were raised by private individuals who, after the birth of the puppies, did not know what to do and finally decided to get rid of them. Many are the people who ignore the possibility of sterilizing their pet, or who despite being aware of the possibility does not know its benefits. Sterilization is one of the most effective ways to avoid the pregnancy of the female and, in this way, to reduce the abandonment rate. However, the advantages of this process for the dog are many being a good way to ensure the health of our dog.

If you want to know all the benefits of sterilizing your dog, continue reading this article from .com in which we explain what this process consists of as well as the advantages that it entails.

What is sterilization?

Sterilization is a different process to castration, so first we will explain what are the differences between both interventions. Both have the objective of avoiding pregnancy and can be carried out in both males and females.

Castration

It is a surgical procedure by which the sexual organs are removed and, as a consequence, the hormonal processes of the animal are also supplemented. In addition to avoiding pregnancy, castration prevents the female from being jealous and certain behaviors disappear, such as territorial aggression or the need to mate. When carried out in males, this intervention is known as castration and through it the testicles are removed. On the other hand, in the females, two procedures can be performed: the removal of the ovaries known as ovariectomy, or the removal of both the ovaries and the uterus, known as ovariohysterectomy.

Sterilization

In this case, the sexual organs of the animal are not excised, but the possibility of pregnancy is interrupted by two procedures:

Vastectomy It is carried out in the males and consists of cutting the vas deferens, the way that transports the sperm from the testes expends the urethra.
Tubal ligation It is a surgical intervention performed on the female to close the fallopian tubes, which connect the ovaries with the uterus.

Through these procedures, the animal's hormonal levels are not altered, so no behavior is modified. In this way, the animal retains its instinct for mating and can also exhibit behaviors of dogs that have not been sterilized. Nowadays, all the kennels or centers where abandoned dogs are placed submit their animals to this intervention, and in case of delivering a puppy dog, it must be sterilized after a few months.

When should I sterilize my dog?

You may wonder what is the best age to spay or neuter your dog. In general, it is recommended to carry out any of the interventions from 6 months of age, although there are cases in which it is recommended to wait until the dog reaches full maturity. It is essential to consult with the veterinarian the possibility of carrying out this procedure to indicate the most appropriate time according to the needs of the pet.

Sterilization is a minimally invasive procedure through which the animal can recover after 24 or 48 hours and whose postoperative cures are minimal. The animal returns to normality in a short period.

Benefits of sterilizing my dog

A longer life for your pet . In males, one of the benefits of sterilization is the prevention of testicular cancer, in addition to the spread of diseases such as immunodeficiency and leukemia. In the case of females, this procedure prevents uterine infections, breast and uterine cancer, as well as avoiding heat and psychological pregnancies.
Improvement in behavior In females, heat can be a reason for fighting between males, in addition to increasing the risk of the female escaping to reproduce. By means of the sterilization we will eliminate the menstruation of the female and the aggressive behaviors that take place, sometimes, in the males.
Control of the population . The sterilization prevents the female from getting pregnant and the male can impregnate a female, which helps to reduce the number of dropouts . Some people do not want their dog to get pregnant, but any mistake can make a male mount it and get pregnant without the owner being aware.
It is more economical . Although we all must be aware that a dog requires some expenses for its maintenance, sterilization is a very low cost in relation to what it would mean to raise several puppies. In addition, you also reduce the chances that the dog escapes and may suffer some damage by running over or fighting with another dog.
Avoid overpopulation . Sterilization prevents the female from becoming pregnant or from the male provoking the pregnancy of the female and, therefore, we contribute to reducing the number of dropouts in the street and in reception centers. Sometimes, the latter are forced to sacrifice dogs by not having a greater capacity to accommodate more dogs.

Benefits of sterilizing a dog for the master

The benefits of sterilizing a dog are not only advantages for the pet, but also benefits for the master in some aspects, among which we find:

The sterilization will prevent the female from staining the soil when she has heat, that is, twice a year for several days.
The risk of your pet getting sick, especially cancer, is reduced . In this way, you will also save money on veterinarians. However, do not forget that the fact that a dog is sterilized does not mean that we should not go to the veterinarian to make periodic reviews. In this article we explain when you should take your dog to the vet.
You will avoid that your dog has aggressive behaviors because of the need to mate or by territorial instinct.
You will eliminate the risk of unwanted litters and avoid abandonment . Imagine that suddenly you realize that your dog is pregnant and you are not able to keep all the puppies, what would you do?

False myths about sterilization

It is common to hear about certain myths or beliefs about the spaying and neutering of pets. These are some of the ones we have collected and that are not true:

Sterilized animals are more prone to fattening . Sterilization does not pose a greater risk of your dog getting fat. It is important that your animal continues to exercise and that it be fed according to their physical needs, age and sex.
They change the behavior . The females stop having the heat, so they also stop presenting behaviors associated with it such as irritability, escape in search of males and aggressiveness. Some males improve aggressiveness problems after sterilization, since this behavior may be associated with high levels of testosterone.
The females must give birth once . The females do not need to breed once in a lifetime to guarantee good health. Dogs do not have the same sexual needs as humans, since that of pets is completely dictated by hormones. Therefore, a dog does not show frustration or the incessant desire to give birth in a conscious way.