# Dr. Becker: The Truth About Spaying and Neutering



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

It's interesting how all the IRRESPONSIBLE dog owners in the USA have led to the medical issues in our dogs from doing the 'normal' spay/neuters we've been told about for years. Be nice if vet schools would change their de-sexing procedures/instruction but that will only come from us (I guess?). 





 
*Published on Sep 29, 2013*
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/... Dr. Karen Becker, a proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian, discusses all about neutering or spaying in pets.


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## Harbud (Aug 27, 2013)

I was fortunate that my dog trainer keeps up to date on the latest information/studies and educated me on the pluses of keeping a dog intact. My vet however was not as open minded and that seems to be the repeated complaint I hear from people who actually choose not to desex their dogs. When I approached the subject of sterilization I thought they would evict me from their office...crazy. In the end I wont sterilize due to cost and the difficulty in finding a vet to perform the procedure and my guy will be neutered... but not until after his second birthday and maybe even longer than that.
I agree that its up to the public to encourage practicing vets and veterinary schools to explore these alternatives.

On the other hand, if an owner feels they cant keep their dog from reproducing then by all means.. spay/neuter or sterilize because the world certainly does not need more unplanned litters.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Thanks for posting this!
Dr. B is great!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Ted Kerasote has been making the rounds, sharing this opinion too. His book Pukka's Promise contains information on the desexing option. I hope the trend changes with the vet schools.


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## Mr. D (Oct 4, 2013)

Thanks for this post. I've been struggling with whether to get Franklin fixed. We are due for a vet visit and I'm sure this subject will come up soon.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

People should show this to their vets.


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## gsdlover91 (Jul 21, 2012)

Hopefully as more young vets become more knowledgable of information like this, spaying and neutering won't be pushed so much. I know that when I finally graduate and become a vet I am not gonna be one to push it, and am actually gonna try to inform my patients of the pros and cons.. 

On a different note, I am very glad my vet has not said a single word about Berlin being intact and my choice to not neuter. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

The vet schools are not teaching the de-sexing procedures so very few vets even consider the option. Until the schools are on board and teaching the vas/tubal ligations, there will just be spay/neuters available.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Sunflowers said:


> People should show this to their vets.


My vet has a fb page, I shared it there.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Mr. D: here are 2 articles on early spay/neuter that might help give you some ammunition for the vet visit!:laugh:

Early Spay-Neuter Considerations For The Canine Athlete One Veterinarian's Opinion By Chris Zink DVM,PhD, DACVP: http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/spay_neuter_considerations_2013.pdf 


Neuter Medical Facts by Barbara Andrews: SPAY & NEUTER MEDICAL FACTS, HEALTH RISKS 


Moms


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

I wish more cities and politicians would see this. They forced me to neuter my gsd at 9 months. Holding a 1,000 fine over my head.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I could only watch through 9:53 before my flash player crashed. I think that it takes a lot of courage to face the possibility that we may have damaged a huge number of pets. The vet schools, current veterinarians, and on down the line do not want to consider the possibility. 

I do blame myself for fixing Cujo so young, and I know that Kosar was also fixed as soon as the possible, and he died of prostate cancer at age 6. Cujo of some horrible cancer with tumors in his brain and spine at age 7. Cujo was healthy until I got him fixed and gave him to my parents. within a few months he started having skin issues. We changed foods and changed foods, added a humidifier and supplements. We did skin srapings and bloodwork, and on down the line, but I don't know if they looked for an adrenal gland or hormonal imbalance. 

Maybe later I can read the rest of this. I stopped fixing my dogs. It's ok, they cannot breed -- they are not left together, even if I had a dog. 

There is a danger in thinking that this will solve all our dogs problems. It won't. I think there are environmental and genetic components to many diseases that our dogs get. Our area is high for cancer. So maybe Cujo and Kosar would have had cancer anyway. Maybe it would have hit them at age 10 or 12. So many what ifs.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Thank you so much for sharing this, will be sharing with my clients and blog readers on K9 Instinct!

She really is a phenomenal veterinarian, I love watching her videos.


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## Mr. D (Oct 4, 2013)

Momto2GSDs said:


> Mr. D: here are 2 articles on early spay/neuter that might help give you some ammunition for the vet visit!:laugh:
> 
> Early Spay-Neuter Considerations For The Canine Athlete One Veterinarian's Opinion By Chris Zink DVM,PhD, DACVP: http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/spay_neuter_considerations_2013.pdf
> 
> ...


Thanks! 
.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

onyx'girl said:


> The vet schools are not teaching the de-sexing procedures so very few vets even consider the option. Until the schools are on board and teaching the vas/tubal ligations, there will just be spay/neuters available.


Think this is key for ALL of us to communicate to our vets and any contacts in vet schools....

:apple:


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

Why de-sex? I don't understand the point. If you neuter, neuter. If keep intact, keep intact. Management of a de-sexed male would be similar to that of an intact male. You'd still have the bossy male behavior and he'd still tie and go crazy for a standing female. I haven't read up on de-sexing a female but I don't understand that either. You could tie her tubes but if you still have to deal with heat cycles and male dogs being attracted to her and behavioral changes and increased risk of mammary cancer and risk of pyometra- why bother?

Keep intact or neuter. Halfway just sounds like pointless surgery to me.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Muskeg said:


> Why de-sex? I don't understand the point. If you neuter, neuter. If keep intact, keep intact. Management of a de-sexed male would be similar to that of an intact male. You'd still have the bossy male behavior and he'd still tie and go crazy for a standing female. I haven't read up on de-sexing a female but I don't understand that either. You could tie her tubes but if you still have to deal with heat cycles and male dogs being attracted to her and behavioral changes and increased risk of mammary cancer and risk of pyometra- why bother?
> 
> Keep intact or neuter. Halfway just sounds like pointless surgery to me.


Did you watch any of the posted video that this thread is about?


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## kbella999 (Jan 6, 2012)

I so wish I had done more research on this instead of listening to my vet and getting Jerry Lee neutered at 7.5 months old.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I think if more of you understood what vets see/deal with every day there would be a different opinion on spaying/neutering and why vets push it. After speaking with my vet about neutering it was clear that the intact animals he deals with aren't owned by the most responsible owners and therefore he generally pushes a spay/neuter. My vet was pretty much shocked at how my intact male behaved at his visit last time.

I know that my vet sees a lot of dogs and a lot of irresponsible owners. He's a large city vet and therefore he'll get all sorts of people. I'm sure the small town vets are also tired of all the intact animals running around and producing litters as well. I've read enough stories on this forum to know that in the country many people don't contain their animals and just let nature take its course. At least in the city the majority of people are worried about their dogs getting killed so they don't let them run, but I'm sure that some don't care and their dogs get out plenty.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I also wonder how much of it comes down to building trust with your vet - if once they get to know you then they'll be more inclined to let their true feelings show? My boy is almost 2, and my vet has never even mentioned neutering him. But he knows this is my 4th GSD, I have no plans to breed him, and presumably I can be trusted to know how to avoid said breeding, lol.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Yeah...I switched vets to a holistic one a few months ago, and I'm pretty sure in our initial meeting once I mentioned that I train/trial AKC obedience, show in UKC, to agility, she didn't even think about mentioning anything about neutering. She seems to be the type that would recommend doing it after 2 anyways, but she knew my boy was almost 3 and still didn't say anything.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Blanketback said:


> I also wonder how much of it comes down to building trust with your vet - if once they get to know you then they'll be more inclined to let their true feelings show? My boy is almost 2, and my vet has never even mentioned neutering him. But he knows this is my 4th GSD, I have no plans to breed him, and presumably I can be trusted to know how to avoid said breeding, lol.


My vet never pushes the subject either.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I went to a vet who takes care of all the K9s for police in this area. 
He said he does not recommend it, and his choice would be to leave the dog intact unless there are prostate problems. 

It actually is an invasive procedure, even though many talk about it as if it were equivalent to a haircut or something. 
Just use Mr. Google and see what is really done. Not pretty.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Hopefully many forum members are clicking on this and watching the video to learn. Certainly had new information for me. I knew to wait until over a year old for their physical growth (bonewise?) but didn't realize about the glandular situation and problems.

And while certainly (and the video says this) for the irresponsible pet owners out there, they need to spay/neuter early or there will be issues with more unwanted puppies. But there are MANY responsible owners who can be trusted to watch and manage their dogs to an older age. 

Am I the only one that is a bit pissed off that Vet Colleges aren't teaching the less invasive vasectomy/tubal ligations that would take care of the unwanted pregnancies and be MUCH healthier for our pets?


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Sunflowers said:


> I went to a vet who takes care of all the K9s for police in this area.
> He said he does not recommend it, and his choice would be to leave the dog intact unless there are prostate problems.
> 
> It actually is an invasive procedure, even though many talk about it as if it were equivalent to a haircut or something.
> Just use Mr. Google and see what is really done. Not pretty.


I worked at a vet for years and I really didn't find a neutering of a dog/cat invasive at all, a female is a completely different story. Its just my opinion, but it is based on being present for numerous spays/neuters. I'm still on the fence on the neutering later versus earlier, but I do know that it will be done. Again I just witnessed in person way more problems with dogs that weren't fixed versus dogs that were. I don't see how a tubal will prevent cancer down the line? A regular spay is more of a prevention to some cancers, at least that is what I think. Tubals have failed in humans, can they fail in dogs(pregnancy wise)? I know more then one person that shouldn't be here because their mom's tubes were tied, one of them were even burnt(obviously not well) Then there is cancer, there is so much more to a dog getting cancer then being caused by spaying or neutering or not. Lots of cancers in humans are hereditary and if it wasn't the doctors wouldn't ask if we have any family that has had cancer. I don't think that its much different with dogs. It brings us now to the point of really thinking..do we breed a dog with good everything, but its parents and great grandparents had some kind of cancer?? I think that cancer will run in the lines, somewhere in the lines. Its just way to common in dogs, whether they are fixed or not. Its getting to the point where its more confusing then ever to do what is right by these dogs..I don't even have a clue anymore, but everything in me tells me to take away any of the probabilities that can cause cancer...testicles, ovaries, etc.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

The endrocine and adrenal issues are the 'new' ones I didn't know about 

http://rochesterhousecallsvet.com/canine_endocrine.php


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> The endrocine and adrenal issues are the 'new' ones I didn't know about
> 
> http://rochesterhousecallsvet.com/canine_endocrine.php


But all these seem to be curable or at the very least manageable without death versus cancer which is usually not curable and death occurs. I'll take my chances with the lesser of the two evils. There is a lot of people that have said over and over on here to go to a reputable breeder to stack the cards for health in the dog, I'm not understanding how so many people keep a dog intact and take a risk of cancer in either sex that can happen and is more likely to happen without being fixed. If we want to stack those cards in favor of our pets then we should stack them completely. Why take a chance with a dog getting prostrate cancer or cancer of any one of the female parts if that could be prevented? I at least know that down the road if something is going on with them what I can rule out immediately. We do everything else to help them...good food, not over vaccinating them, careful with flea/tick stuff, etc.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

llombardo said:


> I worked at a vet for years and I really didn't find a neutering of a dog/cat invasive at all, a female is a completely different story. Its just my opinion, but it is based on being present for numerous spays/neuters. I'm still on the fence on the neutering later versus earlier, but I do know that it will be done. Again I just witnessed in person way more problems with dogs that weren't fixed versus dogs that were. I don't see how a tubal will prevent cancer down the line? A regular spay is more of a prevention to some cancers, at least that is what I think. Tubals have failed in humans, can they fail in dogs(pregnancy wise)? I know more then one person that shouldn't be here because their mom's tubes were tied, one of them were even burnt(obviously not well) Then there is cancer, there is so much more to a dog getting cancer then being caused by spaying or neutering or not. Lots of cancers in humans are hereditary and if it wasn't the doctors wouldn't ask if we have any family that has had cancer. I don't think that its much different with dogs. It brings us now to the point of really thinking..do we breed a dog with good everything, but its parents and great grandparents had some kind of cancer?? I think that cancer will run in the lines, somewhere in the lines. Its just way to common in dogs, whether they are fixed or not. Its getting to the point where its more confusing then ever to do what is right by these dogs..I don't even have a clue anymore, but everything in me tells me to take away any of the probabilities that can cause cancer...testicles, ovaries, etc.


I think that vet schools and vets DO push getting rid of the whole works because that significantly reduces the incidents of mammary cancer, and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer. I cannot argue with that. However there have been studies that it increases the risk of hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and prostate cancer, and probably a lot of other cancers as well. 

Considering how we all have cancer cells in our bodies, those cells stay dormant or our immune system can keep them at a decent level, but when we go and take away the hormones that have functions we do not completely understand, we may put the whole system into an imbalance which can make those cancer cells more likely to increase. 

Personally, some of us weigh the odds. Mammary cancer is bad, so is pyometra. Most of the dogs that I have heard of that have had these have had them later on in life, 9, 10, 11, 12 years. The dogs with hemangio seem younger 6, 7, 8, 9. The dogs with osteo younger still 4, 6, 7, etc. I know a young dog who was six when he succumbed to prostate cancer. He was altered very young. They used to think that neutering decreased the risk of prostate cancer, but now they are finding it increases it. And I won't even worry at all about testicular cancer. It is not common, and it can generally be treated by altering the dog -- much better prognosis than Osteo or hemangio. 

I think there are other factors to cancer. Cancer rates in some areas are much higher than other area. Maybe we are all glowing from the nuke plant up here. Maybe there is crap in the food or in the water. But there seems to be some information that immune diseases, and cancers can be linked to early spay/neuter.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I think that cancer cells are always present and its the individual bodies immunity or lack of immunity that causes it to rear its ugly head. I'm sure more is known about it then us regular people will ever know. It's amazing that once air hits these cells, it travels faster, I can't believe that they still haven't figured a way around that one. I am starting to doubt that there is anything linked to the causes of cancer besides the fact it's hereditary and maybe some environmental things in there. The organs in a dogs body are pretty much the same ones in a humans body and sterilization in humans doesn't cause cancer, in fact hysterectomies can save lives and fix hormonal balances. It just can't be that different for dogs.


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## gsdlover91 (Jul 21, 2012)

llombardo said:


> I think that cancer cells are always present and its the individual bodies immunity or lack of immunity that causes it to rear its ugly head. I'm sure more is known about it then us regular people will ever know. It's amazing that once air hits these cells, it travels faster, I can't believe that they still haven't figured a way around that one. I am starting to doubt that there is anything linked to the causes of cancer besides the fact it's hereditary and maybe some environmental things in there. The organs in a dogs body are pretty much the same ones in a humans body and sterilization in humans doesn't cause cancer, in fact hysterectomies can save lives and fix hormonal balances. It just can't be that different for dogs.


But people aren't sterilized when they are 5 years old. They are sterilized way later in life, if ever.

Edit: also taking out someone's ovaries throws off the hormonal balance. My aunt had a hysterectomy and has been struggling to regulate her hormones with drugs. You need those hormones or life is going to be very unfun.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

gsdlover91 said:


> But people aren't sterilized when they are 5 years old. They are sterilized way later in life, if ever.


I think some probably should be, but that is a whole different thread


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

gsdlover91 said:


> But people aren't sterilized when they are 5 years old. They are sterilized way later in life, if ever.
> 
> Edit: also taking out someone's ovaries throws off the hormonal balance. My aunt had a hysterectomy and has been struggling to regulate her hormones with drugs. You need those hormones or life is going to be very unfun.


Right, but a person has a hysterectomy because something else is going on and that is the way to stop it. Regulating hormones is still something that can be done. I would much rather deal with the hormone thing then cancer any day. I can't say that dogs have hormonal issues once they are fixed but some would say they do before they are fixed. Young intact males aren't butt heads for no reason I can see a complete difference in my new puppy compared to my other dogs that were fixed by this age. Raging hormones they are and I have no problem with getting rid of those hormones


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## Carriesue (Aug 13, 2012)

Haven't studies shown that altering before one year actually increases the risk of other types of cancer, i.e Hemang/bone cancer?

Also I think the vet in that video mentioned(and correct me if I'm wrong) that there isn't a whole lot of truth backing supposed higher risks of mammary and testicular cancers. I think the risks would be fairly low considering all the other types of cancers GSD's usually get.

I do notice my intact male(14 months old) is harder to handle compared to my other altered dogs but I'd rather not risk his health just in case it makes him 'behave better'. I most likely will be neutering him but only because he is not breed worthy and not until he's older.


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## honeysdad (Oct 12, 2013)

What a load of rubbish! Neither the author, Becker, nor the article cited conducted any primary research. Ask your vet how many spayed females he/she has treated for mammary tumors. The likely answer will be none or a very low percentage.

Becker quotes Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a veterinary oncologist: "Clinical experience may suggest that early spaying decreases the risk of mammary tumors, but without additional well-designed trials, scientific evidence to support this is lacking."

Should You Consider Early Spaying for Your Pet?

So what? Someone needs to do a scientific evaluation of something that vets already know. That was the purpose of the study cited by Becker - it was simply a study about earlier studies. A waste of time in my opinion.

Dr. Hohenhaus, later stated on her own website: "Spaying dogs before their first heat cycle decreases the risk of breast cancer." End of story!

Why Breast Cancer Isn't Just a Human Disease

Websites like mercola thrive on controversy. They have no other purpose as far as I can see.

I have had first-hand experience with canine breast cancer on two occasions. Fortunately, the odds are in favour of a good outcome from a surgical procedure.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

llombardo said:


> *I think that cancer cells are always present and its the individual bodies immunity or lack of immunity that causes it to rear its ugly head. *I'm sure more is known about it then us regular people will ever know. It's amazing that once air hits these cells, it travels faster, I can't believe that they still haven't figured a way around that one. I am starting to doubt that there is anything linked to the causes of cancer besides the fact it's hereditary and maybe some environmental things in there. The organs in a dogs body are pretty much the same ones in a humans body and sterilization in humans doesn't cause cancer, in fact hysterectomies can save lives and fix hormonal balances. It just can't be that different for dogs.


Exactly. 

And if early spay/neuter messes with the endocrine system, and those natural hormones are not present, if it screws with the immune system, than it stands to figure our dogs will succumb to cancers at an earlier age. 

Kosar was 6. Cujo was 7. 

I won't do another juvenile spay or neuter. I have raised a couple of males fully intact without either being hard to handle. The one was a little reactive, but I think that was largely due to my handling and by the time he was 3 it was no longer any issue whatsoever. I took him to the vet in a flat collar, no problems. The other boy was the stable one the instructor always put the nasty reactive dogs next to. Therapy dog. Great dog, who stayed by his owner's bed for 2 years while he was sick, never went out of the yard until the guy died, and let the 90 year old mother bend over him to give him hugs. Every dog is different. Saying this one is worse than the others who were neutered by this age, may be perfectly true, and it may also be perfectly true that it has nothing to do with whether or not his junk works.


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## crackem (Mar 29, 2006)

honeysdad said:


> Websites like mercola thrive on controversy. They have no other purpose as far as I can see.


I would disagree with you. There is good stuff in there among the bad, but it is absolutely no different than the direct to consumer marketing campaigns waged on citizens everyday by more "mainstream" health paradigms. 

Things are stretched, omissions are made, facts slanted, statments snipped and clipped to push their viewpoint. It doesn't mean it's all garbage, and it's certainly no worse than what many others consider "fact" from another angle.

As for other stuff, hysterectomies have saved some from somethings, they've also shortened the life span of quite a few others  Just like I'm sure it has in dogs or cats or whatever. Things are meant to work together and in balance within the body. It's not some mystical eastern medicine voodoo hocus pocus view point. It's a rather well established fact in ANY physiologic system, whether it be a rat, a snake, a dog or a human. Certain things can be missing, messed with, altered, etc only so much and catastrophic things can happen, or not. How do you know? We don't even know what animates our bodies, you think we've measured and know everything that controls everything else?

In the end, I think having all your organs is better than having only some of your organs. Keeping your body healthy and not doing things to tear it down and leave it susceptible to the pathogens and cancer cells that are inside of you every single day of your life, you'll have the best chance at a long and healthy life....or you could get hit by a ****ing bus walking to your car  Happy thought of the day.


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## gsdemack (Feb 19, 2013)

Can someone post the synopsis - I can't get the chance to watch the video :-(


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Health Issues Linked to Spaying and Neutering Dogs



gsdemack said:


> Can someone post the synopsis - I can't get the chance to watch the video :-(


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

gsdemack said:


> Can someone post the synopsis - I can't get the chance to watch the video :-(


Think you need to just take the time to watch it. Because that way you get all the info and can add that to your database of information. It's not really that long and you can break it into manageable chunks.

Nothing is cut and dried or absolute. But this vet makes a compelling argument that is different from what most vets are generally telling us when we go in with our new puppy.

If nothing else, the fact that if we were all more responsible and knew not to breed our dogs (or 'accidentally' give them the opportunity to be bred) some of the general vet practices in the USA would possibly be different. 

:apple:


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