Over-generalizing Spay/Neuter?
Research on aging using Rottweilers as subjects suggests that how long females keep their ovaries influences how long they live. The study published in the December 2009 issue of the journal, Aging Cell, found that Rottweilers that were spayed after they were 6 years old had a life span four years longer than those spayed at a younger age. But, and most important — the researcher suggests that it is important not to over-generalize from these findings, saying that much more research is necessary. This is important to stress because IN THE SPAY/NEUTER AREA WE TEND TO OVERGENERALIZE . It has become a knee-jerk process–for both pet owners and veterinarians. We have even come to equate spay/neuter with the belief that if you love your dog/cat you will spay/neuter him/her as a puppy/kitten. If you neglect to elect this surgery for your pet, it can only mean that you are irresponsible as well as unloving.
Another recent study comparing the strength of the human-animal bond between Hispanic and non-Hispanic pet owners found that although both groups scored high on an attachment test (a test that scores how much you care about your dog), compared to non-Hispanic owners, Hispanic owners were significantly less likely to spay/neuter their pets. In an effort to explain these unpredicted and unexpected results the researchers concluded that the Hispanic owners did not understand the importance of spay/neuter. They further concluded that this was due to a lack of understanding. It did not occur to the researchers that one could love a pet and be responsible and still not elect spay/neuter surgery. Another example of the dangers of overgeneralizing the importance and meaning of spay/neuter.
There are even those who feel we should have mandatory spay/neuter legislation. They forget that this would endanger all dogs and cats so that eventually we would have no dogs and cats. This would mean not only no pets–but no dogs to detect explosives, to guide the blind, to work in search and rescue, to help our soldiers as well as children heal in countless hospitals and help us in our individual goals to be better men and women and live better lives.
Further, they forget the landmark study that spotlighted the celebration of dogs and the beginning of pet therapy–the famed “heart attack study” authored by Drs. Alan Beck, Aaron Katcher and Erika Friedman. Male heart attack patients were studied exhaustively and it was found that those victims who owned dogs significantly out-lived those who were not dog owners. No one thought about whether the dogs were intact or not. The importance was owner longevity. Many of our most talented, versatile, brightest and best canines have not had this surgery– that is why we still have generations of best friends.
JUSTICE. The husband and wife responsible for Chemnutra’s import of melamine from China which resulted in the recall of more than 150 pet food brands and many deaths of beloved pets received a three-year probation and a $5000 fine!!
COMMUNICATION AND GENETICS. Although many researchers believe dogs became domesticated due to an attraction to the first garbage piles compiled by prehistoric men, David Paxton believes better communication abilities resulted in the co-evolution of humans and dogs. He compared both wolves and dogs and found that even if both were raised apart from man, only dogs possess the ability to react to non-verbal human communication cues such as pointing and facial expressions. Thus, Paxton believes this ability is an hereditary trait. Dog trainers care to comment?
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 3/2010; Between Pets and People, Beck and Katcher; American Kennel Club Gazette, 3/2009.
Mar 17, 2010 | | Uncategorized