Don’t Neuter Your Dog YET – Read This Life-Saving Information First!
 

Some news:

Don't Make This Mistake When Scheduling Your Dog's Neutering Procedure

Putting this as a thread topic concerns me greatly, especially given the following information about Dr. Mercola, who, by the way is not even a vet. Are you aware or did you just read his site and believe it?

To anyone wanting more information, all you need to do is google:

quackwatch mercola

Here are a few links:

FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims

Joseph Mercola D.O. - The Skeptic's Dictionary - Skepdic.com


Joseph Mercola - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

from that site:

Mercola has received two warning letters from the FDA for violations of marketing laws.[4][5] A 2006 BusinessWeek editorial criticized Mercola's marketing practices as "relying on slick promotion, clever use of information, and scare tactics."[6]

There is SO much out there about this person and I simply do not have the time to post it all; but I wanted people to be aware.

I personally believe that part of responsible pet ownership is altering pets. I have had NO issues with any pup that I have spayed or neutered and I have had plenty in my home over the years.

I have always got my cats spay and neutered at 4 months and all of them lived to ripe old ages without health problems so I would have to see more decisive studies on many subjects before I would believe. I believe in responsible pet ownership and that means you spay and neuter your pets

I agree with your concerns. Responsible pet owners spay/neuter their pets. I had two cats, spayed young, lived to 18yrs and 17yrs respectfully. Our Black Lab is 11 and going strong.

The benefits outweigh the risks greatly.

Here are the warning letters from the FDA:

Warning Letter to Optimal Wellness Center / Joseph Mercola

and another:

Second FDA Warning Letter to Joseph Mercola (2006)

He also believes you should not use a microwave and they are toxic :eek: :rolleyes:

while this guy does sound like one of those nutso all organic sell you a million herbal and NATURAL meds. i do agree with his information reguaring overvaccination in children. i do think that it's possible that having too many vaccines too early may be the cause of ADD and Autism. i have no proof, but research is being done about this and i think it's defin. a possability.

No comments on the website, but yes, there is some evidence to indicate that a family pet who can be kept away from an unaltered dog of the opposite sex (of course accidents happen) should not be altered as early as some vets are doing it now. I would not alter my dog at four months. I would hesitate to do a large breed before a year, although probably would.

S/N is being done way too early all across the country. It started for shelters to be able to place the pups faster, but for whatever reason the idea that this is a great practice seems to be everywhere now. Not really true.

I agree 100%! I put my first yorkie thru surgery before she was 7 months old....because I followed the majority...and their views are spay EARLY before first heat.

However because my second yorkie was so small I was hesitant...therefore I did a LOT of research! I came across this information..

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longt...uterindogs.pdf


Although some situations it is in the best interests of the pet to be s/n at an earlier age... research is proving that dogs should be allowed to mature...early s/n removes vital hormones necessary for their growth and development, and significantly increases risks for bone cancers, hypothyroidism, increases risk of urinary incontinence in females, increases risk of chronic urinary infections....and the list just goes on.

I don't know anything about the person in the O.P.s first post...but opinions are shifting on this subject.

Many people may have done s/n at an early age and had pets that lived to a ripe old age....but does that mean that the lifespan and health of yorkies as a whole has been improved with early s/n?

Research is showing just the opposite.

I only wish I knew then what I've learned now. I would have waited to have Daizy's surgery until she was fully mature.

We recently added an AmStaff to our gang. I know we are going to neuter him, and initially I was ready to have this done at 4-5 months. However, my husband actually started reasearching and found studies that contradict what I believe to be true: S/N the sooner the better.

I am still reading information and am not sure if the studies for large breeds would have the same result in small breed dogs...???

I found your link interesting but then I checked the referenced studies to the data that went back as far as 1970 :confused: With medical research changing and evolving almost daily I cannot understand why an article would be written with references dating back 41 years :confused: The most current reference I believe was 2005. To me that indicated the author was looking to site references no matter how old to support his article and that skewed and deceptive.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Large breeds you should actually wait later. I know of a respectable Rottweiler breeder that does not allow her males to be neutered until 18 months (in her contract). It messes with their growth plates or something and sometimes makes them grow weird, which can cause issues later on with hips and joints, etc.

I am ALL for spay/neuter. I think the general public is NOT responsible enough to be keeping unaltered pets away from other unaltered pets. However I do think 4 months is too young. I waited until Jackson was 7 months old. I did not want to wait longer than 8 months because I did not want marking to start or anything.

This is one of the authorities on the subject and it's my favorite site to link to. I would definitely spay and almost certainly neuter. I would, however, do a lot of considering on the right timing:

American College of Theriogenologists

I agree with this 100% even the most careful people can have accidents. I would also like to have Ernie neutered before he gets too comfy with all those typical male behaviors. But I will just have to keep researching and decide what is best for us.

I have not found any actual studies to read. I find other people's opinions, and articles written by common people (not vets), and then Wikipedia. There is just so much to wade through on the net.

Thank you.:)

I agree with this.

******************
My opinion about S/N has evolved over the last couple years after reading more about it. It's definitely unpopular to question whether to S/N...but it's a good discussion nonetheless.

My sister added a dog to her family (large dog) a couple years ago. She is a physician, and it reallllly bothered her to remove such important hormones from the body by neutering her dog. Her dog never has marked in the house, so I guess they were lucky. For her, neutering was the wrong decision.

I'm not saying don't S/N, but after reading a lot of articles etcetera, I can't say the statement that "S/N is better for the pet" is really a fact...I think it's more complicated than that. I too think it's often done too early.

Have you actually read that entire website? It is a breeder site and they are against just about anything that would limit their money making activities. They have positions that to me are downright astounding.
I recently read their opinion that owner surrenders are not on the rise due to the economy. haha..whatEVER
Take a long look at everything they say.
I also find the "research" they use to be somewhat limited; and for the life of me I don't know what pediatric studies have to do with animals.
We don't neuter little boys. :confused:

To each his own....I am, sadly, a person who sees the consequences of too many pups in this world due to greed and also carelessness.
Our rescue does not spay a female before the age of six months; but I do know that some shelters will spay earlier. Why? Because they almost have to to try and keep numbers down of unwanted animals.
There is more research to indicate that a female should be spayed before her first heat than not. The research is very telling.
I don't buy what the breeder site (naiaonline.org) or the Mercola site espouses; and I won't until they point to some valid research that I can sink my teeth into. Period.

That is my dilemma. I read all these things that say studies show, but I can't find the studies. I am not comfortable with taking the word of Any O. Joe. A large breed may be in a different boat than a smaller on because of weight and size. I just haven't found the "study" that found that...yet.;)

Beware Animall Radicals: Endangered Species


Read that and tell me there is no agenda. :rolleyes:

After reading that, I find it difficult to buy anything else that they (NAIA) say and/or sponsor.

THANKS!!! Wow, I subscribed to "Dr. Mercola's" site and all I get is product pushing, cheap car salesman tactics. I get so busy, some times I forget to do the Google thing :thumbup:

I'm not solely basing my views on that single article alone.....I have just read a lot of arguments on both sides. And just because I referenced that article does NOT mean I agree with everything they are promoting.

The facts are that 98% of the population isn't nearly responsible enough to prevent their intact dogs from breeding. So because of that
the humane society has been preaching to s/n our pets, before the first heat, for as long as I can remember.

However for a responsible dog owner, there's no reason to spay/neuter, but definitely NOT until it has fully matured...sadly however that only leaves about 2% of the population that is responsible with their pets...so it's understandable why the preaching campaign is necessary for the majority of pet owners.

And I never said I don't agree with s/n.....I do...but done at the appropriate time.

One other point I meant to make was that S/N wasn't began to improve the health of our pets...the agenda was/is to "control the pet population".

That is the MAIN reason to s/n before the dog reaches maturity.

What do you think is the appropriate time?

Yes, the agenda IS to control the pet population. No one has ever hidden or denied that fact.

I understand what you are saying. I just think that it is important that we understand the motives of people who voice opposite opinions of real research. I have not seen all of the research that you have seen I suppose. I have seen the data about the risks of leaving a dog intact. Personally, I will have to go with that and I will continue to spay/neuter at the age of 6 - 7 months. Just like with anything else in life, I do my best to weigh the risks vs benefits. Supposedly that article you point to is to help people make those decisions....I happen to read it differently. Perhaps I am wrong in not being open to them but I honestly don't think any harm has come to my altered pups who were altered at 6 - 7 months. I read about the risks of waiting to spay females and have seen first hand the risks of not doing so....and came to the conclusion that those risks were greater. (mammary tumors and pyometria)

The question comes down to age for some....but honestly some people want to avoid altering altogether. The article you pointed to actually makes a comment against neutering some males altogether! What I think some fail to see is that when people have an agenda to make money then their information can often be skewed. As I said, I have not seen all of the information that you must have found to support Mercola and the NAIA. I just find them not to be sources I can take at face value.

From what I've read around 1-2 years old..It has also been suggested that as long as s/n is done before 3 it carries the SAME benefits.....as s/n before the first heat.....
However, clearly there are MORE benefits..because you eliminate all the risks of cancer, hypothyroidism etc...if you wait UNTIL the dog no longer needs hormones for development.

Obviously you haven't found a 'reputable' source in your opinion... to sway your mindset on s/n....

I happen to agree with the 'minority' on this subject...I use my 'own' thoughts and interpretations to come to the conclusion for MYSELF that I don't personally agree with s/n done before the dog has reached maturity.

Even in the dark ages ideas and concepts that were hailed as medically sound and completely accepted by the majority....are now viewed as barbaric.. times and science are always changing...and advancing.

This is for anyone considering s/n...Don't be afraid to QUESTION a practice that has been pushed for decades....simply because the majority hail it as medically beneficial......at least consider both sides...before you s/n too early.

And I don't have anything else to offer to this subject.....

Are you aware that the more heats a female has the more at risk she is for mammary tumors?
What I suggest you do is to find the actual research data and compare....I could be wrong, but I do believe there is more of a risk of that happening than the other cancers that were mentioned in that article.
I am never afraid to question....but I am afraid to just jump in line with articles that don't show me clear evidence to back their claims.
I have long questioned the frequency of DHPP and actually refused them before my vet changed her guidelines. BUT...there was already clear concise research on that topic.

Therein lies the problem~98% of the population would claim to be responsible pet owners and we all know what that would mean. :rolleyes: We we see it here all the time. I put a doggy diaper on Fufu and Woofie some how got past my "doggy condom" and the puppies will be here next week. Or better yet, there is a head coming out of Fluffy what do I do now? How about this one~the puppy is coming and I don't have money to take her to the vet. Heeeelp! :( Just spay/neuter and then there are now oopsies. ;)

Wow.:eek: I have NEVER read that opinion before. Thanks for sharing. Definitely sheds light on the ideas/practices of this organization.

So, do you think that the "appropriate time" to neuter is the same for all breeds?

I spayed Rylie at 5 months... was that too early? I wanted to do it while I was still on break from classes so that I could be home with her almost 24/7 monitoring her every breath. I did it so that she would be safer. My vet said that it wouldn't be a problem...

Should I have waited until 6-7 months? Will she have health problems now? :( I mean I would have waited another month if it would have made a difference, but my vet didn't seem worried at all and Rylie recovered really well.

I am certainly no expert :) , but I don't think that having it done at 5 months or 7 months would make a difference.