Quote: cindy easton rhodes

I hate the ploy vets use about preventing cancer as a reason to spay or neuter.... maybe we should neuter men because it will eliminate their risk of testicular or prostate cancer? Maybe all women should have hysterectomies and mastectomies to prevent breast cancer, uterine and ovarian cancer?? There's a pattern with modern medicine to remove body parts as a preventative for the possibility of disease!! If you really think about it, it's absurd!

No offense to you personally Angela, but I think spaying because you don't want to deal with heat cycles is not a good reason. If I didn't want to deal with heat cycles I would have only male dogs.

Since there are so many unwanted puppies, I can't say I am against spaying for the average pet owner but I will never spay or neuter one of my own dogs just because.

Well a tublar ligation is reversable, and is a method less likely to cause complications, unless you consider of the effects of estrogen on the body which pertain to carcinogenesis. Note, there is not just 1 type of chemical which makes estrogen.

Even in labs you can induce cancer, its a common test in labs all the time. However I really don't believe the "statistics" which are published by many saying 25% by first heat, 45% by second heat, etc.. A good diet, exercise, and good environment will help with preventing cancer. You don't see many wolves out there dying from cancer. The numbers for the stats are pure bs as they dont' list what trash dog food the dogs were fed, the area, etc, well you know,. the facts which matter.

Far as diet goes, I live in a area where I can get all natural food and all the fresh salmon I need. You can feed dogs raw salmon with the bones if they're big enough and if the fish has been frozen for at least a couple weeks(kills the parasites).

Exercise, check.. malamute
good environment, check.

Heh, I actually think the same way for people not wanting responsibility. I don't mind the heat, I don't have carpet, only tire. I don't have to worry about heat smelling carpet, I adjust my life for the animals I care for and will care in the future.

Heck, I've had all types of animals, unspayed/unneutered. They all lived just fine and died of natural causes, so I'm pretty much with you and the don't spay/neuter unless needed. Unless the dog is a breed known to get cancer, I don't hear it. One of the other "facts" they forget to include in those "statistics". Breeds like bullmastiff's are severely vulnerable to cancers, others are not as vulnerable.

 Quote: Angela Burrell

Is the reason you don't want to spay because of the incontinence? Is there a medical reason like a bladder infection for why she could be incontinent? Has she been seen by a vet?

Just curious, not tryig to start a flame war, I am just wondering why you would want to keep a female intact when you are not planning to breed her. I went through one heat with my female I have now and it was such a pain that I can't see living with it when I didn't want puppies from her. So I was just curious why you want to keep her intact?

if the problem was UTI, I'd be giving her Fish Cycline(tetracyline) already. I'm sure the problem isn't UTI.

Heh. I actually kept her inside last heat, and I seriously didn't mind. some discharge splashed on the walls, but I cleaned it off, I mop(all natural cleaner) regularly anyway so it doesn't matter. I don't mind her intact, I wouldn't mind her spayed, I would feel kinda odd spaying before two years. I did try to spay her, she has an appointment this week. I'll probably ask to see if one is experienced in TL and probably wait until after the new years for emergency sakes. Even though I can't see the stitch coming out so much I couldn't get it closed again using americaine and silk.

Prepared! up to a certain point anyway.

I decided for now I'll have no operation. For one the vet doesn't like to perform tubal ligations, and I'm not gonna push him to do so. He is a really good vet his staff are the same way. Very few people can be around me and not think I'm being mean. I look scary in person. heh..

He is still skeptical about performing the non permanent procedures, I'll have to get to know him better.