SmokinDVM

[Roham]

Question. Me and my Mom are having a discussion. She says that if I don't get my two year old female Shephard "fixed" her chances of Ovarian cancer go up, unless she has babies. If I find a proper boyfriend for her I would like puppies, but the chances aren't that great. I don't think I want her fixed either, unless it is beneficial to her health. I love her a lot after all So, if she doesn't end up having puppies, should I have her fixed? Thanks in advance.

[SmokinDVM]

If you have her fixed, her chances of ovarian cancer would be 0. Her ovaries are completely removed in a spay surgery (which is more accurately called an Ovariohysterectomy).

Actually, whether she has puppies or not, every time she goes into heat, her chances of mammary adenocarcinoma (breast cancer for dogs) goes up. If spayed when young, before their first heat cycle, the percentage that develop mammary cancer is right around 0%. It also prevents a multitude of other severe problems like pyometra (a uterus that fills with pus due to abnormal heat cycles common in older dogs).

I would have to say you should have her spayed. There will always be plenty of great puppies available whether you breed her or not. She will be MUCH healthier and happier if she doesn't have to go through the whole ordeal.

[basil]

ok, what about the male version of this answer, regarding neutering and whether it helps prevents prostrate cancer. And comments on a male's aggression level before and after.

[stjohnroe]

I recently had one of my hounds castrated and he has been having a few mood swings since, though I understand that he will calm down again after a while.

[SmokinDVM]

Sometimes it takes them a couple of months to adjust.

[mauied1101]

I have a question also if I could Doc.

I have three cats, all of whom like to play/fight, etc. I noticed that one of them (Simon) had more eye crusties than usual in the corner of one of his eyes. Eye itself looks ok (doesn't appear to have any scratches on the cornea) - but the duct area is more red than the other one. Can't tell if it got scratched, and I don't know if it warrants a visit to the vet, if it will go away on its own, or if I can give it something from the home med cabinet.

Thanks in advance!

[SmokinDVM]

ok, what about the male version of this answer, regarding neutering and whether it helps prevents prostrate cancer. And comments on a male's aggression level before and after.

A few days late, but you were on ignore then. I was scrolling down the page and spotted your post.

Anyway, I've only seen a couple of cases of prostate cancer in neutered dogs, and those were dogs that had been neutered at an older age. We see many more cases of prostate enlargement due to hyperplasia and/or infection than we see cancer. Hyperplasia is easily remedied by neutering.
Aggression is also something that tends to be less of a problem in neutered dogs. However, many factors play into aggression as a behavioral problem, and we see many aggressive neutered dogs and many submissive intact dogs.

Early spay and neuter, as well as proper training and socialization is the key.

[WhiteWidow]

Question. Me and my Mom are having a discussion. She says that if I don't get my two year old female Shephard "fixed" her chances of Ovarian cancer go up, unless she has babies. If I find a proper boyfriend for her I would like puppies, but the chances aren't that great. I don't think I want her fixed either, unless it is beneficial to her health. I love her a lot after all So, if she doesn't end up having puppies, should I have her fixed? Thanks in advance.

I might be late on this, but oh well. You should definately fix your dog. Your mom is right about the cancer thing, it will decrease their chances for not only ovarian but also for what I guess is the equivalent of breast cancer. The other thing is unless you're seriously considering breeding her, you need to have her fixed. Many people think they can just breed their dog and make money off the puppies, but it is actually a big pain in the ass. It's hard enough just to find a stud with papers, and then you have to time everything correctly. My other argument is if you fix her, then you don't have to deal with her being in heat 2-3 times a year, which we all know is a real blast.

[SmokinDVM]

Hey WW,

College Station huh?
I visited TX A&M's Vet School there quite a few years back. Went to a bar that all the Vet school students were hanging out at, the chicken something?. Anyway, I learned not to get too drunk before a test, but CAN'T get too drunk after the test.

[WhiteWidow]

Hey WW,

College Station huh?
I visited TX A&M's Vet School there quite a few years back. Went to a bar that all the Vet school students were hanging out at, the chicken something?. Anyway, I learned not to get too drunk before a test, but CAN'T get too drunk after the test.

That would be the Dixie Chicken, and that would also be the biggest dump in the state of Texas.

[SmokinDVM]

That would be the Dixie Chicken, and that would also be the biggest dump in the state of Texas.

It might be the biggest dump in TX, but that's usually where the poor college students hang out. They don't need fancy, just plenty of alcohol.

[WhiteWidow]

It might be the biggest dump in TX, but that's usually where the poor college students hang out. They don't need fancy, just plenty of alcohol.

My dream is to become a success so that I can come back here and completely bulldoze the strip of bars where the Chicken is located. I would replace it with nice, well-managed establishments that were not an eye sore directly across from the University.

[cigar no baka]

Hey WW,

College Station huh?
I visited TX A&M's Vet School there quite a few years back. Went to a bar that all the Vet school students were hanging out at, the chicken something?. Anyway, I learned not to get too drunk before a test, but CAN'T get too drunk after the test.

I bet that was the Dixie Chicken. Went to A&M for two semesters in the mid 80's and we were always going there. Don't know if it is still there or not but if it is, that's probably it.

[Drake]

I bet that was the Dixie Chicken. Went to A&M for two semesters in the mid 80's and we were always going there. Don't know if it is still there or not but if it is, that's probably it.

an aggie i work with was boo-hooing a few weeks ago because that was being closed down and all the crap on the walls on the inside was sold on ebay for a crapload.

[SmokinDVM]

That's the place.
Seems as though a lot of people visited that place, or have some kind of opinion on it.
I was there over 10 years ago, and it was explained to me to be a tradition of the Vet school students to visit there after a big test.
Oh well, so much for tradition.