photo by Tom Grotta
Spaying is not only the responsible choice for pet owners as it prevents unwanted litters and the cost if caring for homeless pets. As it turns out, neutering may extend your dog’s life, too, according to a recent study from the University of Georgia, reported by Smithsonian Magazine http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/2013/04/
dogs-may-live-longer-if-they-are-fixed/#ixzz2R7dfeJr2. Researchers in Georgia looked at more than 40,000 dog death records from 1984 to 2004 stored in a national veterinary database. The scientists discovered that the average age of death for dogs who had not been fixed was 7.9 years, while those that had been spayed or neutered lived to 9.4 years.The researchers discovered that spayed and neutered dogs were more likely to die from cancer or autoimmune diseases than their gonad-carrying counterparts while non-neutered dogs typically died from trauma or an infectious disease. Dr. Kate Creevy, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine, concludes, “At the level of the individual dog owner, our study tells pet owners that, overall, sterilized dogs will live longer, which is good to know. Also, if you are going to sterilize your dog, you should be aware of possible risks of immune-mediated diseases and cancer; and if you are going to keep him or her intact, you need to keep your eye out for trauma and infection.”
I was spayed last month and I took it in stride. My only complaint was a week of no jumping or running. I probably should have taken it easy for 10 days, but I would have none of that. My motto: You can’t keep a good dog down!
photo by Tom Grotta
