what is causing your dog to vomit?

Spaying and neutering your dog is often "sold" by the inescapable and sad fact that there are more dogs being born each year than there are loving homes for them. While pet overpopulation is a great reason to have your dog fixed, it's not all that's at play for your dog. Even if your dog has no chance of producing offspring, you should still get them fixed. Why? There are numerous diseases and disorders associated with leaving your pet intact. What's more, dogs that are spayed and neutered live longer. Females live up to 23 percent longer while males dogs live up to 18 percent longer. Following are four reasons why you should fix your dog. 

Reproductive Organ Cancers

In tact animals have a greater chance of developing cancers of the reproductive organs. Organs that can be affected include the uterus, ovaries, cervix and testicles. Sex organs can become breeding grounds for several types of cancers, including stomach tumors, granulosa cell tumors and teratopas. The best way to prevent these cancers is to fix your pet. 

Breast Cancer

Mammary tumors are especially devastating for intact female dogs. At the time of diagnosis, up to 50 percent of mammary cancers have spread to other parts of the body. Many mammary tumors are caused by an influx of hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. Spaying reduces the amount of hormones that your dog's mammary gland cells are exposed to, thus reducing the risk of cancer. 

Prostate Problems

Intact male dogs can experience both cancer-related and non cancerous prostate problems. Prostate enlargement is the greatest problem facing intact dogs. An oversized prostate gland can obstruct the colon and urethra. Prostates are also prone to infection, abscesses, cysts and cancer. There is no cure for canine prostate cancer. 

Urinary Tract Diseases

Dogs that are not fixed are at greater risk for urinary tract infections, diseases and disorders, including cancerous tumors. Spaying and neutering reduces these risks but does not eliminate them altogether. The success depends a lot on the timing of the procedure. Most vets recommend fixing your dog before they reach sexual maturity for the best chance of disease prevention. 

As you can see, there are numerous diseases and disorders that your dog may develop simply because you did not have them spayed or neutered. If your dog isn't fixed, make an appointment with a veterinary clinic like Caring Hands Animal Hospital as soon as possible.