Our Thoughts On Neutering

My Two Pugs

Credit: Personal Photograph of my pugs, I own the rights.

Before I go into why we chose to neuter both our pug dogs, I want to explain that both animals are pug rescue dogs.  In the case of my black pug, Carmina, she was needing a home, as the owners had moved to an apartment that did not allow dogs.  Festus, the fawn, had an owner who was in the middle of a divorce.  My wife was insistent that she wanted to breed them.

The Problem With Breeding

For sometime I was reluctant, but finally gave in.  Over a period of three months, nature took its course, and finally one day we realized that Carmina was pregnant and its seems just a few weeks later, the event occurred.  One little pug puppy squirming on the couch.  We waited.

Dalmation

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

This dog was given into adoption at Monterrey in March 2012. Lost in Guaymas, Sonora same month, same week; while going on holidays with his new family. Found on August 2012, by his rescuer (who lived at Monterrey). Never, ever give up on your dog and NEUTER him. ARGOS is a NEUTERED dalmatian.

The Problem With Birth

We waited and waited, still no more pug puppies.  I called the vet.  The vet told to bring her in immediately as this could be a very bad sign.

How Much Is Your Pet Worth?

We waited in the vet's office for a longtime while they attempted to get Carmina restarted in her birthing.  When a pug stops birthing, and pups are still inside (and the x-rays showed 5 more), they can die inside her, and basically really bad things happen in the interior of the mother, and she dies.

After a couple of hours, the Veterinarian came out and told us that she could not get Carmina to begin the process again, and that to save the dog's life she recommended a Cesarean.  The surgical removal should take care of the problem, the pups would still be alive.

The cost would be around 1,300 dollars.  My wife and I look at our two dogs as if they are part of the family, and we wanted to keep her alive, and so we put a little dent into our small savings.  The money would also cover her being neutered so this would not happen again.

What To Do Next

With Carmina recovering from the surgery, and 6 live pups to take care of for six weeks while trying to find good homes for them, we spent even more money on advertising, and hours on cleaning up and making sure they all got fed.  When the last pup was gone, it was a wonderful feeling!

Living with Kids and Dogs . . . Without Losing Your Mind: A Parent's Guide to Controlling the Chaos (Volume 2)
Amazon Price: $16.95 $10.32 Buy Now
(price as of Mar 6, 2016)

The Moral Of This Story

Needless to say while Carmina was having her Cesarean, we had her neutered, and took Festus in the next week and had him neutered, a small cost compared to the above trials and expenses. I found out that neutering lessened the males need to mark his territory; and, in both their cases, neutering helps prevent some very common cancers among them. 

By spending a little for neutering, we could have saved a lot of money, trouble, and concern about the health of our female dog, and still have helped them with possible future veterinarian health issues like cancer.  All in all, I would always recommend neutering your pets.

Thoughtful And Funny Video On Neutering Dogs

Video Of My Pug That Was Neutered