Dog Health Tales Busted

You've heard of "old wive's tales', when it comes to our pets there are also "old dog health tales" too, as reported by InsideBayArea.com.

One tale centers around neutering male dogs and cats. With dogs, one of the mostcommon reasons given is "if I neuter him, he won't be tough or make a good guard dog."

I'm not exactly sure what people mean when they make this statement. Dogs are territorial by nature, and guarding is a natural instinct for them. Dogs will naturally guard their homes, yards, andhumans. Now the extent that they will guard can depend on a number offactors, such as breed characteristics, and training, but it doesn't depend on their testicles.

Neutering a male dog or cat can make life with one so much nicer. They aren't as apt to mark their territory, they don't tend to roam as much and it helps decrease their risk of developing prostatic disease and testicular cancer.

If you've heard the one about how "a cold, wet nose means a healthy dog," remember that the nose should not be used as a barometer of a dog's health. The same is true about the "warm ears mean a fever"myth. Warms ears are almost always a result of the pet's environment and are not indicative of health status. If you have noticed changes in your pet's behavior or appearance, you really should make an appointment to have it evaluated.

technorati tags:dog+health, myth