Concerns About Neutering
“This information is being posted for your review and your own
investigation. The merit of it will be at your discretion. Just
wanted you to be aware of the other side of the coin." Connie.
Don’t Neuter Your Dog YET – Read This Life-Saving Information First!
A very legitimate concern, pet overpopulation, has been the primary
driving force behind 30 years of national and local spay/neuter
campaigns.
When it comes to deciding at what age a companion animal should be
sterilized, the standard for most spay/neuter campaigns has been
sooner rather than later. This is especially true in the case of
adoptable abandoned and rescued pets that wind up in shelters and
foster care.
Recently, however, some animal health care experts have begun to
question whether early sterilization is a good idea for every pet.
Dr. Alice Villalobos, a well-known pioneer in the field of cancer
care for companion animals, asks the question:
"But what if large-scale studies found that early neutering
jeopardizes the health of our pets?"
"What if we found enough epidemiological evidence that early
neutering of pet dogs may open them to orthopedic, behavioral,
immunologic and oncologic issues?"
Back in 1977, Dr. Villalobos founded a rescue organization called
the Peter Zippi Fund for Animals, which has to date rescued and
re-homed nearly 12,000 pets. Her organization was one of thousands
that looked at the tragic situation in U.S. shelters and determined
early spay/neuter was the best way to lessen the suffering and
ultimate euthanasia of so many feral and abandoned animals.
As a veterinary oncologist and founder of the pet hospice program
Pawspice, Dr. Villalobos concedes, "It is earth shattering to
consider that some of the cancers we have been battling may have
been enhanced by early neutering instead of the reverse."
A summary of problems that may be exacerbated by s/n prior to
physical maturity is included in the full article at
http://tinyurl.com/4opnwgs.