06-05-2018, 11:27 PM
Spay / neuter prevents cancer - NOT!
Spayed and neutered dogs, particularly if done early, are MORE likely to get certain cancers. Neutered males are more susceptible to a particular type of prostate cancer, (prostatic adenocarcinoma.) I personally knew 3 dogs who died from it. All neutered at various ages.
Early-altered dogs of either gender have a significantly higher incidence of hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive, untreatable cancer that attacks the blood vessels on the major organs. A sweet boy that I had died from it. He was neutered at 12 weeks, long before I got him. I lost him 9 days after diagnosis.
Another one is osteosarcoma, or bone cancer. That one is extremely painful. An online acquaintance lost a beautiful Aussie mix to that. They amputated a hind leg, but it was too late; he died 5 months later. He was neutered at about 3-4 months.
This is not just an anecdotal rant on the part of some frustrated old zoo guy. There is credible research all over the 'net.
All that aside, there is an alternative spay that I just can't figure out. The uterus-sparing spay. What's the point? Take out the ovaries (there go the hormones!) and leave behind probably the most troublesome part of the female anatomy. Strange.
I just tried to find it again, but Google turns up no reference to it. A couple of months back, it was everywhere. I'm guessing that it was an April Fools prank, maybe...
