Naples Pet Vet Blog

Congratulations on prompting your in-laws to vaccinate their puppy.  I also commend you for encouraging them to spay the dog in a timely manner.  Let me offer you some facts that may help persuade them to heed your advice:  First, there are a number of reasons "for the general good of all" ; each year between 3 and 4 milllion dogs and cats are euthanized in animal shelters.  There are more animals surrendered than families willing to adopt.  Spay/neuter is the only 100% effective way to insure that your pet won't contribute to this growing number. Even if you were to find homes for the puppies,  that would mean less room for the already homeless.   Many pets have already been abandoned and become problematic by getting into garbage, spreading disease, and urinating and defecating on property.  Many suffer and become ill or injured.  

Secondly, I 'd like to offer some specific reasons for your inlaws; 

 1.  An unspayed animal will go through heats about twice a year.  During this time , unneutered males will be attracted to your property and can become destructive or aggressive.  It is very difficult to keep dogs separated and only takes one "connection" to produce puppies.  This may be especially important in the country, as many more dogs are uncontained.

2.  Female dogs in heat are messy. Do you really want to change diapers?

3.  Pregnancies can be expensive - complications in childbirth, prenatal care, postnatal care, puppy food, etc often is a financial burden.  A single litter of puppies can produce alot of poop when weaning.

4.  Spayed females are healthier.  - Females spayed before their first heat have a much smaller risk of developing breast cancer - that benefit decreases with each heat experienced.  Of course, females who have had an ovariohysterectomy will not get uterine or ovarian cancer.

You also want to encourage good parasite control - deworming and flea and tick control - Parasites can spread disease to people.