Spaying and Neutering Pets.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

The long held belief is that spaying and neutering pets is good. I believe this, I think most do. However, breeders have come roaring back since the Purdue experiment which showed early neutering in Rotts increased their chances of osteosarcoma by about 2 fold. Now, breeders claim that dogs no longer need to be neutered, provided the dog owner is responsible.

I would argue that a male sensing a female in heat, well...there's really no stopping him if he really wants to get out. Further, there are definite health benefits, such as less chance of hernia, testicular tumor and prostate enlargement.

What say you?

This is the thread that started this. But you can also go on Google and just type it in and a bunch of breeders' sites arguing that neutering/spaying is unethical will turn up. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=2554386&mesg_id=2554540&page=

[justiceischeap]

1. My viewpoint is this

Yes it's great for health reasons but it's better for population control. There are an overabundance of animals in shelters that need homes. This is all because of overbreeding. Too many animals, not enough loving homes.

Of course I also believe it's more humane to put an animal down than place it in a no-kill shelter (but that is a whole other conversation).

[Maru Kitteh]

2. A small limited study that showed unreinforced results for one breed only

The variables that make this study irrelevant are mind blowing. I might as well run a study on "munchkins" indigestion based on the wizard of oz.

Nazi like "superior genes" breeding mentality is what keeps the AKC and the sick bastages that support it going. Including companies like Iams that kill lost cats and dogs in slow tortuous manners in the name of "research". Iams also accepts roadkill, killed dogs and cats, downer cows, downer pigs, and dead poultry into it's rendering plant for dog and cat food. That's right. Cats and dogs are routinely fed to cats and dogs.

Grotesque, at least.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. There are just too many homeless animals

I think that this is the ultimate argument for spay-neutering. Until we solve this, and I have many friends in animal rescue and all my pets are from rescue, and know countless sad stories, many from my own pets, so, with me, there is no other choice and no argument.:-(

[flvegan]

4. Neutering also cuts back on aggression and "marking"

And breeders who make an argument against neutering are idiots, IMO. 2 reasons...1. They look like they're shrugging off guilt; 2. They're creating their own competition.

Finally, we can also blame the increasing issues with major animal health concerns with bone, joint, muscular and internal problems with bad/over breeding.