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Sterilizing an animal
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<blockquote data-quote="Lucky_P" data-source="post: 1649837" data-attributes="member: 12607"><p>Veterinarian here. </p><p>There is no 'down-side' to spaying/neutering any dog or cat, with the one caveat that male cats *may* be better left intact until they reach most of their mature size, just to allow full-bore development of urethral diameter - but even that may be falling out of favor as we learn more about feline urinary tract disease (it's primarily a stress-related condition, not infectious, and most commercial cat foods do not promote urinary sediment formation, anymore).</p><p>I guess if you're raising pit bulls for the dog-fighting ring, maybe you'd want to leave the males intact to foster more aggression, but for a pet or working dog not intended for breeding purposes, neutering diminishes a host of health issues, ranging from fewer injuries/death associated with roaming, being shot, or hit by vehicles, fight wounds, infections, to virtual elimination of mammary, prostate, uterine, and ovarian cancer, as well as pyometra.</p><p>We've had nothing but spayed females and neutered males here for 35 years... all run, play, work, defend the homestead, etc., as well or better than an intact dog would, and they tend to 'stay home', so they're usually here when we need them. No issues with obesity... if that happens, it's on the owner - you're not controlling activity or dietary intake, and the same thing would likely happen with an intact dog. </p><p></p><p>No doubt, testosterone plays some role in the difference between a bull and steer...Cowgal's steer probably doesn't spend the day chasing cows, or tearing stuff up, like the bull. He's focused on one thing... eating. </p><p>Oxen (which are steers over 4 yrs of age) are plenty strong - for millenia, humans have used them as beasts of burden... they're less dangerous and intractible than bulls, but certainly muscular enough to drag logs, pull carts, plow fields, etc.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lucky_P, post: 1649837, member: 12607"] Veterinarian here. There is no 'down-side' to spaying/neutering any dog or cat, with the one caveat that male cats *may* be better left intact until they reach most of their mature size, just to allow full-bore development of urethral diameter - but even that may be falling out of favor as we learn more about feline urinary tract disease (it's primarily a stress-related condition, not infectious, and most commercial cat foods do not promote urinary sediment formation, anymore). I guess if you're raising pit bulls for the dog-fighting ring, maybe you'd want to leave the males intact to foster more aggression, but for a pet or working dog not intended for breeding purposes, neutering diminishes a host of health issues, ranging from fewer injuries/death associated with roaming, being shot, or hit by vehicles, fight wounds, infections, to virtual elimination of mammary, prostate, uterine, and ovarian cancer, as well as pyometra. We've had nothing but spayed females and neutered males here for 35 years... all run, play, work, defend the homestead, etc., as well or better than an intact dog would, and they tend to 'stay home', so they're usually here when we need them. No issues with obesity... if that happens, it's on the owner - you're not controlling activity or dietary intake, and the same thing would likely happen with an intact dog. No doubt, testosterone plays some role in the difference between a bull and steer...Cowgal's steer probably doesn't spend the day chasing cows, or tearing stuff up, like the bull. He's focused on one thing... eating. Oxen (which are steers over 4 yrs of age) are plenty strong - for millenia, humans have used them as beasts of burden... they're less dangerous and intractible than bulls, but certainly muscular enough to drag logs, pull carts, plow fields, etc. [/QUOTE]
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