The growing debate over spaying and neutering dogs (2019)
washingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com
I’ve always just assumed de-sexing pets to be appropriate for pets but this piece suggests there are very real health consequences to messing with sex organs in pets. Reminds me of the very real effects that birth control has on women in my life. These products control hormones which influence how our bodies grow. Some people’s acne flair up, others have wild changes in their psyche, some gain a lot of fat, others gain a lot of muscle. I’ve even seen immune systems get much worse since starting birth control. Seeing the effects on dogs makes me wonder of birth control will have longer term effects on women around joints, tendons, bone, and muscle health even beyond what they experience day-by-day.
I don't think people understand what an absolutely huge issue this is, hormonal birth control literally changes people's personality. But we blindly tell millions of people all over the world to take it, the damage done is incalculable.
And with regards to the article, I mean 'duh' you stop any animal from fulfilling its natural function of course it's going to be detrimental, just like genital mutilation in humans.
Figure out a way to force people to be accountable for the unwanted puppies and I will be happy to support less sterilizations but I know that is never going to happen.
I elected to leave my dogs intact and every single time I visit the vet they try to convince me to spay. Vets seem to be brainwashed into it. They say it prevents some cancers. I tell them it’s linked to other cancers. They don’t have an argument, to be honest.
It’s an elective and unnecessary surgery.