If You Could Extend the Life of Your Pet, Would you Do It?? Here's How

The research is in, and what most every pet rescuer, vet tech, and veterinarian knows, has finally been backed up by numbers.

Pets Who are Spayed/Neutered Live Longer
 
Research from the University of Georgia which examined 40,139 death records from the Veterinary Medical Database from 1984–2004 found that unsterilized (NOT spayed/neutered) dogs lived only an average of  7.9 years vs. 9.4 years for sterilized dogs.

The reason for the difference is exactly what I covered in Secrets of a Vet Tech. Unsterilized dogs, particularly males, are more likely to die from trauma. They are more likely to get hit by a car as their hormones have them out looking for unspayed, in heat females. Females are more likely to die from reproductive related diseases such as infection of the uterus, death while giving birth, breast cancer, and more.

This is just the beginning. I go into great detail in the blog entry The #1 Way to Save Money as a Pet Parent

And if you think you don't have the money to get a pet spayed/neutered, there is financial aid available. At spay/neuter clinics, you can expect a dog spay to run only about $60 and a cat much cheaper. For financial aid information, see my blog Financial Aid for Vet Visits Options

There really are no excuses. Give your pet the one thing that can help extend his/her life. Show them as much love as they give you every day. Spay and Neuter.