I work at a Veterinary Hospital where there are, I think, 19 doctors and over 100 employees. It’s a lot of fun to work there for the reason that I get to see so many different things and animals. I see the different types of surgeries from simple spay and neuters to c-sections which I get to help out with sometimes. I also get to see all types of animals from the typical dog and cat to great horned owls, fawns, snakes, ducks, squirrels, and even the occasional goat or two.

There are also those pets that come in for boarding or who are the “regulars”. One particular boarder who came in often was Rizza. She was a black lab mix who was in a car accident and nearly broke her back. Her owner was paralyzed and has a hard time taking care of Rizza so the hospital let him board her there whenever he needed to.

Rizza is a sweet girl and, like I do with all the animals, I fell in love with her. I came into work one day and noticed a sign on the board asking if anyone would be able to foster Rizza for a short time. I didn’t even hesitate. I went up to her doctor and told him that I would be more than happy to help. I wanted Rizza to be able to run around and stretch her legs and not stay in a cage.

The next day I took her home. She was so happy to be out of the hospital. I took her everywhere with me. I lived in an apartment that only had a small back yard so when I would go to the barn she would come with me. The barn has a large area for her to run around in and she loved it. She loved the horses and Charlie. I took her into work every day to keep an eye on her and everyone was so pleased to see how happy she was doing. She always had a smile on her face. Her owner would stop by every week to see how she was doing and it was amazing to see her reaction when she saw him. She would jump up on his lap and give him a million and one kisses.

I eventually moved to the place where my horses were. Rizza was so happy to have that big yard to run and play in. She was so wonderful. I made her a bed and she knew that it was hers. We had a great routine in the morning and at night when it was time to feed the horses. It was fantastic having her around and knowing that she was much happier being with me than staying at the hospital.

After a couple of months it was time for her to go back to her owner. He was so happy getting her back; they were a match made in heaven. It was hard to let her go but I knew I would be seeing her again.

Hello All! I hope you had a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July, enjoying family, friends, barbeques and of course, your pets.

I think it’s time to discuss spaying and/or neutering your pets. Animals may like to run and play and socialize with other animals, be very cautious of how much you let them out of your sight. Every year millions of animals are euthanized due to the speed of reproduction in our domestic pets; unfortunately not everyone can find homes for the little puppies and kittens. 

When spaying your female pet, or neutering your male pet, you will find they may become much calmer and not so hyper active. In a female it will eliminate the heat cycle, and will stop any discharge from staining anything in your house. Spaying will also reduce the risk of breast cancer, and the risk of uterine diseases as well as uterine cancer. Spaying your pet can also eliminate mastitis – breast inflammation, ovarian cysts, miscarriages, and delivery complications. 

When neutering your male it will remove the mating drive, so the younger you get them neutered the better off you are; when you get a male neutered young sometimes it will remove their urge to mark their territory all over your house and yard. The earlier you neuter your pet the less of a chance they’ll have of mounting everything they possibly can. Males also have a habit of roaming when they are not in tact, neutering them will help reduce that urge as well. As your male gets older if they are neutered the risk of developing enlarged prostate glands  and prostate cancer is reduced, as well as eliminating testicular cancer. 

Some Myths You May or May Not Have Known:

Spaying and neutering costs too much: 

Spaying and neutering your pet is cheaper in the long run than caring for unwanted litters and the medical problems that can occur when an animal is not spayed or neutered. 

She should have one litter first, to settle her down: 

Having a litter won’t improve her health or permanently change the animal’s personality. And she could be irritable and tired while caring for and nursing her puppies or kittens. 

I want my children to see the miracle of birth: 

But will they? Many pets hide when giving birth. Even if you find good homes for the entire litter, you may be denying homes to animals who’ve already been born. Visit your local animal shelter to see all the stray and abandoned animals. 

If I neuter my dog he will stop being protective:

False. Neutering an animal does not change or alter his instinct to defend his turf. In fact, he will be less likely to wander away. 

Only females need to be fixed, since the litters are their owner’s responsibility: 

But how do those pets get pregnant? A male pet can easily father 750 offspring in his lifetime. 

Keeping animals from having litters is interfering with nature: 

We have already interfered. Domesticated dogs and cats mate more often and have larger litters than their wild ancestors, but cannot survive on their own. 

Spaying or neutering makes pets fat and lazy: 

No, that’s caused by overfeeding and lack of exercise. Spayed or neutered pets require less calories. Cut down on the meals and make time for a walk or play.