When you get a dog, you'll have a lot of things to do to care for them. You'll need to get them quality food, make sure they have all the supplies they need including chew toys, you'll want to train them and you'll also want to make sure they are kept healthy. Two of the biggest things that you can do to help keep your dog as healthy as they can be is to make sure they are always currently vaccinated and to have them fixed.
The only reason you wouldn't want to fix your dog is if you plan on breeding them or showing them. Other than that, fixing them is a great idea. You should take some time to learn why vaccinations and spaying or neutering can be so important to the overall health of your dog. Reading this article will prove to be helpful.
Vaccinating your dog prevents them from catching many illnesses
There are a lot of dog illnesses out there and if your dog isn't vaccinated against them then they will be at a much higher risk of contracting them. Some of the illnesses can be transferred through saliva, which means by eating or drinking after an infected dog and others can be picked up off the ground, such as when your dog walks over an affected area and some are airborne. Parvo is a very serious and potentially fatal illness that is very easy to track all over and the germ will remain alive for months.
Vaccinating a puppy must be done by getting them their first shots and then following up with the number of booster shots that your vet recommends. After this, you want to take your dog back in yearly for their annual vaccinations. They will also need rabies vaccinations, but the schedule for these depends on the manufacturer for the particular shot your dog was given. Some rabies vaccinations are good for a year, while others are good for three years. Your vet will let you know when your dog will be due again.
Fixing your dog can benefit them and you in many ways
If you don't have a reason for wanting your dog to procreate, then you should have them fixed. This is the best way for you to make sure that you aren't going to accidentally contribute to an already over populated world with more puppies.
Fixing a female is referred to as 'spaying' them and this process is done by completely removing the entire female reproductive tract which consists of the uterus, the uterine horns, the ovaries and the ovariducts. Once this is done, it will prevent your dog from ever ending up with uterine cancer; they simply won't have these parts and therefore they cannot get this type of cancer.
Your female dog will also no longer go in heat. When a dog is in heat they will have this overwhelming desire to breed which can lead to them destructively trying to escape, whining, and being miserable. They will also leave drops of blood throughout the house.
Fixing a male dog is referred to as 'neutering' and it involves the complete removal of the testicles through a small incision. Once your dog is neutered, they will no longer be at risk of ever developing testicular cancer.
Once neutered, your male dog will be calmer and they won't be as territorial with other males, especially when a female dog is nearby. Also, when a male dog senses a female dog in heat nearby, they too can become destructive as they try to escape. An unfixed male dog is also much more likely to lift their leg and mark their territory in your house, as well as just about everywhere else.
To learn more about vaccinating and fixing your pet, contact services like Norwin Veterinary Hospital.
Share8 November 2017
Having your pets spayed and neutered is more important than most people realize. Not only does it help manage the pet population, but it can help your pet's behavior and protect them from unwanted and unsafe pregnancies. Our blog is all about spaying and neutering pets. You will learn about the procedure, the benefits and even the potential risks of having it done. Hopefully, the information that we have included here will help you come to an educated decision about whether your pet should be spayed or neutered. Take your time to read through everything compiled here and you should have little question about the procedure.
