[FEL-L] Re: Felines-L Digest, Vol 9, Issue 7

[Kristin Filseth]

Hi,

About 85% of pet cats and 70% of pet dogs in the US are spayed or neutered
according to a recent survey, in the US it is considered the socially
responsible thing to do unless the animal will be bred on purpose.

In Sweden a study of the cause of death in dogs was done. Interestingly in
Sweden it is not culturally ingrained to spay and neuter and the data from
the late 90s suggests that most (like 90%) of dogs were not spayed or
neutered. Look at the death rate by hit by car. And look at the percent of
dogs that died of pyometra. 2-3 out of every hundred female dogs died of
pyometra. 13 out of every hundred dogs died being hit by a car or other
vehicle.... that's a huge number!! Quite a few dogs just disappear. Intact
dogs really do roam whenever they can get a chance and females really can
get serious reproductive problems. And its not like Sweden is some third
world country where packs of dogs sit like ducks on the roads.

I'm not saying spay/neuter is the right choice for every dog. Yes spay and
neuter has its own risks.  Personally I feel it should be left up to the
individual owner except perhaps in urban areas where people do already in
general sacrifice many of their wishes for the public benefit (having loud
parties without a permit, owning roosters, keeping bee-hives, smoking most
places, etc). However, to cite something like urine scald (which I'm trying
to recall but I'm thinking is only at increased risk in Early-spayed dogs ie
under 10 weeks or so, so a reference would be very nice here) as a reason to
not spay, when the same dogs might actually die from pyometra or mammary
cancer, well that just seems preposterous to me personally.

Swedish dog deaths:

Death, hit by vehicle: 13.5%
Tumors/cancer: 16%
Joint disease or other locomotor, put to sleep for: 10%
Lost: 3%
Death from pyometra: 2.5 %
No diagnosis: 8%
other: the rest
Reference: Bonnet, BN. Vet Rec. (1997) 141, 40-44

Thanks,

Kristin