[michellerobison]

All I can say is I didn't spay my first cocker until she developed a fast growing mamory tumour,she lived to be 9. I didn't spay because of my fear of aenesthesia,having had a dog who died from aenesthesia 3 years before.
Since that time,we've had all our dogs spayed and neutered and they've lived to be 15.5 and 16.5 (Dalmatian),except for my German Shepherd w/ the bad heart she lived to be 13.5.
So I don't know what to think...I just know what I've seen w/ my dogs and I've had dozens,so I have to wonder ...is it the after care,the proceedure? I'm not sure why the mortallity rates are different here vs there. Is it other factors,chemicals in the water or pesticides,not sure.
I too kept my dogs away from other dogs and felt no reason to spay other than health concerns,by not doing so.

I know I've seen that "nice neighbor down the street" who always takes care of their dogs...ooops little fluffy gets pregnant and we're seeing "puppies for sale" signs ,then it's "free puppies" signs in the neighborhood,then they end up going to that "free to good home",then they end up abandoned,neglected or abused....then in a shelter,then euthanized and in a landfill to rot under piles of garbage,repeatedly having their final resting place disturbed by bulldozers to make room for more trash...
Sorry to be graphic but that is what happens to many euthanized dogs all over this country,not all are incinerated after euthanizing...
If by any chance any of mine would have gotten pregnant,I would have had them adopted out through rescue if I couldn't keep them. I would keep them,spay/neuter and keep them since I feel I would owe it to them.
That's why I got mine "fixed" so they would be healthier,hoping to cut the risk or canvers and so on and any chance of unplanned for (I didn't say unwanted,to me there's no such thing as unwanted puppies in our house), puppies that could comprimise their mother's health...

One later spayed dog lived to be 9,all my other altered dogs lived to be almost 16,dozens lived that long,so for me I've seen how spay neuter can make a difference....

 

[michellerobison]

I don't think it has an influence of how long a dog will live unless in case of tumors with females. It has more to do with development. I am not against spaying/neutering but I would wait that the dog is fully grown to do it. Michelle the dachshund we had was spayed when she was 10 years old. She lived almost to 17. Before spaying she had every year a false pregnancy. She could have developed a tumor too but didn't.

Wow she had false pregnancies every year,poor thing.
I think there's exceptions to every thing. I do it to give my dogs the best chance I can.If I thought the odds were lower,I wouldn't do it. Dealing w/ heat cycles is such a minor inconvenience,it wouldn't be enough for me to spay just for that. It's only a once to twice per year occurance.
Seing that mamory tumour grow so quickly did scare me to spay after that,even though we'd lost a dog to spay 3 years earlier. But that's been almost 30 years ago,aenesthesia has come a long way and I'm lucky to have a vet that lets me stay w/ them,through the whole thing..

I think whether we alter or not is a personal choice,not altering doesn't make anyone an irresponsible pet owner. I think a responsible pet owner does what they feel is best fo rtheir pet based on research ,vet advise and their heart.
I think most of us do it based on what we hope is the best for our pets,not the inconvenience of a short time heat cycle.
Rylee isn't castrated yet,he has hard time w/ aenesthetic,he nearly didn't come out of it,after having his teeth pulled and cleaned and they don't put them under as deep for that,as they would castration.... So we have to watch him and hope he doesn't develope any cancers.

As a kid we had a male Boston Terrier who lived 17 years,unaltered.
I think females have more risk than males maybe....

I would never judge anyone for not having their pet altered,if they choose not too,it's because they love them...that's being responsible to me,doing what's best for their pet...

 

[michellerobison]

I wait until they're atleast a year or two,just to make sure they're fully developed. I hear you can spay/neuter as young as a couple months.....I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that...