Myth Busters

MYTH: Dogs become fat and lazy after being spayed or neutered.

FACT: Fat animals are usually overfed and under – exercised. While some dogs put on weight after the operation, adjusting their diet and increasing their exercise will take care of it.

MYTH: A pet’s behavior changes dramatically after surgery.

FACT: Neutered male dogs fight less and wander less since they aren’t interested in pursuing females in heat. Studies show spayed or neutered animals live longer, healthier lives.

MYTH: My dog should come into heat at least once and have a litter of puppies before being spayed.

FACT: The best time to spay your female dog is before her first heat cycle. It prevents uterine infections, such as pyometra, which can be fatal, and reduces the incidence of breast cancer. It also keeps unwanted males from harassing your pet.

MYTH: Preventing dogs from having litters is unnatural.

FACT: Dogs were never “naturally” pets in the first place. They were domesticated 15,000 years ago. It is more unnatural, one could argue, to kill so many dogs in shelters each year.

MYTH: Neutering a male dog will make him feel like less of a dog.

FACT: Neutering will not change a pet’s basic personality. He doesn’t suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.

MYTH: Hair inside the ear canal should be plucked regularly.

FACT: In the normal ear, hair should not cause infection. Infections can be just as serious for dogs with no hair in their ears. If there is no redness, odor, or discharge leave it alone. Plucking ear hair can initiate redness and inflammation and predispose the ear to a yeast infection.

MYTH: Bones are good for dogs.

FACT: Bones, especially small ones, can cause life-threatening conditions such as constipation, choking and laceration of the intestine not to mention fractured teeth.

MYTH: Periodontal disease is not painful.

FACT: Animals have an uncanny ability to deal with their discomfort. That doesn’t mean they don’t experience it. Many times owners will report back to us that their pet acts more like a youngster after a teeth cleaning.

MYTH: My dog and cat are only 3 years old. They don’t need dental care.

FACT: 85% of dogs and 70% of cats 3 yrs old have periodontal disease.