Why You Should Spay Your Dogs

My family has had a small pomeranian for about eight years. I sometimes joke that my mother loves her more than she loves me. In all seriousness, she might as well be my sister. She travels with us everywhere, she has such a distinct personality. We had never concerned ourselves with spaying her mostly because I don't think we really knew the benefits and also because it is an invasive, not to mention costly, operation for female dogs.

Recently, our dog was in heat. My mom started getting worried about her because she wasn't eating and was acting a bit off color. She took her to the vet and who told us that she was probably just under the weather. A lot of dogs become depressed after being in heat but it goes away in a week or so. Two weeks later, my dog had completely stopped eating and barely even drank water. We rushed her to the vet again who diagnosed her with pyometra.

Pyometra is a dangerous condition that affects dogs that have not been spayed, because if the uterus has been removed there is no chance of this developing. It is basically when pus collects in the uterus. This is extremely dangerous if left untreated because if the pus formation ruptures, the dog will likely die from the toxins. My dog had to undergo emergency surgery to remove her uterus and be put on antibiotics to prevent infection.

This scare has taught me that dogs should always be spayed. We were so worried and we could have lost her because of something that could be so easily prevented. Thankfully, we didn't learn a more painful lesson. Spaying can also help prevent ovarian and uterine cancer, along with infection which is likely to increase your pet's life.

There are other practical reasons for spaying your pet. If your dog is spayed, she will not go into heat, thus preventing the messes in your house from your dog menstruating. No more dealing with pet diapers and messy clean-ups. You also won't have all the dogs in the neighborhood hanging out around your house. You're doing yourself a favor while keeping your dog healthy and happy.

If your dog happens to get pregnant while she's in heat, you could end up with a litter of puppies that you don't want or can't take care of. This is why so many dogs end up on the streets and eventually in the pound. Taking care of dog while she is pregnant is something you might also not be prepared for.

Learn from my family's mistake and spay your animals. A healthy dog is a happy dog!