Page 31 - Chow Life - 2025 01 Spring

the Washington Post, CBS, and The (New York) the occurrence of many disorders including those
Daily News helped the advocates for more associated with joint disease, cancer and cognitive
gun control to launch a campaign to limit gun decline which is accelerated in aging dogs that
ownership, shape legislation and influence school have been neutered [10]. There is also a greater
safety programs. It was not long before other prevalence for immune disorders. Since the public
media outlets quickly followed with similar fake does not read the literature, they are unaware
stories of their own. of the life time risk to dogs or the potential for
long term veterinary expenses their owners will
My third effort took me in yet another direction incur. Here are other findings taken from several
and this time it was closer to home. This scenario veterinary reports. The first comes from a 15- year
uncovered several strategies that parallel those just study reported by a university teaching hospital
mentioned. It led me into the dog world and those that studied and evaluated the prevalence and
whose purpose is to attack new owners. It was no risk of genetic diseases, both early and late onset
surprise that many of the same tactics, methods and the effect on intact and neutered male and
and strategies just mentioned were used. female dogs [1]. Their report stated that "breeds

This effort focused on a simple strategy used by making up the Herding, Non-Sporting, Sporting,
Animal Right Activity’s when they speak to new and Working groups were more likely to display
puppy owners. Their message is "it is better to an association with neutering for risk of certain
neuter". The unsuspecting new puppy owner is not conditions". A summary of their findings showed
told that while it may be a convenience, spay or that neutering was significantly associated with an
neuter must be weighed against the many possible increased risk for males and females for cancers
health risks associated with the procedure. For (hemangiosarcoma, hyperadrenocorticism,
now, let’s call their strategy the intentional lack lymphoma, mast cell tumor, and osteosarcoma),
of full disclosure. The rationale used to support ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and epilepsy
this surgical procedure usually focuses on the
"positive effects" on the behavior, health and
longevity of the dog [4,8,9]. The ASPCA also
supports this approach by reporting that
as many as 83% of all males and females
are neutered. Their statistic gives the
impression that everyone does it,
so it must be the right thing to do.
Many Activist Groups embrace
this recommendation knowing
that the unsuspecting public
can easily be led to believe
there are benefits to spay/
neuter. And once again, the
devil is in the detail. A little
research shows that while
this surgical procedure may
have some benefits, in many
instances it is not in the best
interests of the dog. There are
a large number of veterinary
research studies that show that
there are some, small gains for a few,
but this procedure must be weighed
against its many health risks for others
[1, 4]. For example, this procedure increases
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