04/05/2021
YES, this is the SAME DOG.
I’ve decided to offer a little insight into why my dogs are kept intact (not fixed) to a certain age with this informative little post. 🙂
If you get through it, enjoy. 🖤
The term “pediatric spay” refers to spaying (fixing) a female dog before she reaches maturity.
“Pediatric neuter” is the same, but for male dogs.
For most breeds, the age of maturity (when the growth plates close, and the dog is considered “full grown”) is 2 years old. Some larger breeds may continue to grow and mature past that. 🙂
Opting for a pediatric sterilization procedure may be the best decision for you & your pup, particularly if you have other intact dogs in the home or are struggling keeping your dog properly contained.
It is also commonplace for most rescues to spay or neuter an animal prior to placement, as this is often a mandate of the state the rescue is in to keep funding.
DISCLAIMER:
I 100% believe that “accidental litters” are a significantly greater health risk to a female dog than that of a pediatric spay & that “accidental litters” are a significantly greater harm to responsible dog ownership than early spay/neuter. 🙂
Okay, so.
Pediatric spay is linked to several studies that suggest an increase in a variety of health problems, particularly those influenced by s*x hormones, as well as growth-related issues such as hip & elbow dysplasia.
There is quite a lot of evidence that certain cancers, joint issues, and musculoskeletal conditions have increased prevalency in dogs that are altered prematurely.
Link:
https://www.akcchf.org/news-events/news/health-implications-in-early.html
Of course, there are arguably some health conditions prevented by altering.
Your dog can’t develop uterine cancer or pyo (a serious health condition affecting the uterus of female dogs), if it doesn’t have a uterus.
Your dog can’t develop testicular cancer if he doesn’t have testicles.
Female dogs are less likely to develop mammary cancer if altered prior to their first heat cycle.
It’s my opinion, however, that these “benefits” are trivial, as your dog is at no greater risk than it naturally would be, with its reproductive organs, whereas the alteration presents new potential health risks your dog would not otherwise have been prone to.
Furthermore, dogs, like most mammals, develop secondary s*x characteristics in maturity.
This growth and maturity is arrested when the dog’s s*x hormones are removed via sterilization procedures.
It is akin to a human’s physical development being stopped before the onset of puberty.
Essentially, pediatric sterilization alters a dog’s natural course of growth and arrests their secondary development at a “pre-pubescent” stage, meaning your dog never develops those secondary s*x traits.
Dogs have long been bred to perform specific tasks, and often, their physical form has been bred to the ideal for them to perform said tasks.
If your dog does not reach physical maturity related to pediatric alteration, it makes your dog less physically fit for said job.
Dogs altered prematurely often do not reach the size they otherwise would have, tend to have more lackluster coats, and remain lanky and “leggy”, not properly filling out to breed standard.
Below is Ari, pre and post her first heat, with a little diagram explaining some of her changes. 🙂
I doubt many people see this or care, but i felt like being educational today, & was also blown away by how different my Hellhound looks post first heat.
If you have any questions, comments are open. 😊
