The Stitches are Off

The stitches are off! Dog Neutering Vet Bill Cost edition.

Not the vetties again. I know the vets are real pretty, but I've been put to shame more than enough.

Yes, after one week of feeling down and lonely for having lost his balls, Puppy Brown is now a bonafide offspring-less bachelor.

Warning: Do not try this at home. Dr. M is a licensed vet with a few years of experience under her belt.

Dr. M snipped the stitches as quickly as possible. No more E-collars for us! Of course, he still had to deal with a few hands restraining him on the vet's metal table during the process.

Not all hands were there to restrain him. One was just keeping him distracted. Puppy Brown is a sucker for chin scratches.

Castration Costs:

Procedure: 2,500 php (roughly $70)
Antibiotics: 4.50 php x 2 capsules/day  x 7 days= 63 php (less than $2)
E-colllar: Free (but if you need one, shih tzu sized e-collars cost around 200-350 php)
Betadine (for wound application): 100 php ($2.5)
Cotton: 15 php (less than $0.50)
Transportation: Location dependent.

Approximately, $75. Not bad. We're so lucky Dr. M didn't charge us for having the stitches removed.

Some things to consider:

Bloodworks: 900 php (roughly $23)
Additional Medication and Recovery food: 500-1000 php ($12 - $24)
Additional Vet Check-ups: 250 php/visit ($7/check-up)

How much was your vet bill when you got your dog neutered?

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Puppy Brown's Castration: Our Experience, Our Understanding, and Our Decision

The Funny...

I finally took the time to contact Dr. M for our neutering schedule. Officially, the medical term used for the surgical procedure of removing the dog's testicles is castration.

Puppy Brown resting at the vetties...Ready to go home.

Poor Puppy Brown must have felt the heavy loss of his balls because he came home like this.

"You stole my balls," says Puppy Brown with a vengeful glare.

This is probably the after-effect of the anesthesia given to him while his little boy part was incised to remove the you-know-what. The poor little guy hung his head like an injured soldier.

In this procedure, Dr. M did three tiny stitches to close the exit point.

Our next visit is due on the 21st to have the stitches removed. Hopefully, within that said period, the antibiotics and Betadine will do its charm on keeping him infection-free.

The Serious...

First of all, it's not as bad as it sounds. I know there are still dog lovers out there who don't understand why my purebred dogs don't get bred.

My answer is simple: I don't believe it's necessary. I used to think it was a great money-making scheme. Then, I got myself educated and realized that I'd be a hypocrite if I said I would be a good breeder and dog-lover if my purpose was to mainly earn from it.

Even though we've been bringing him to the vet constantly, changing his diet to our best capacity, and providing him with all his physical needs, we still lost him to a condition we still don't understand.

Also, given Buchi's history, I'd be damned if I allowed his hereditary issues to transfer from one generation to another.

A lot of people are saying, "Sayang" which means "It's such a waste."

I beg to differ. Puppy Brown lives with Asti. All our female dogs are intact and I want to keep them that way for now. Perhaps my main reason for choosing to have him castrated was convenience, but I would rather be safe than sorry.  Raising puppies to dogs--ensuring they're well taken care of--is  a big responsibility. I don't want to end up with puppies whose futures aren't secure. 

To Neuter or not to Neuter...

Victoria Stilwell discusses facts about spaying and neutering...

In contradiction to neutering and spaying, I also want to share this video from Dr. Karen Becker to keep people informed of both sides...

Bottom line, whatever you choose, don't just choose for yourself--for your convenience, but also for the betterment of your dog. Research on neutering, spaying, and castration.

As for this pack, those balls have to go.

"But I love every part of me," says my cute little Shih Tzu boy.

You'll be better off without them, sweety.

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What Puppies Do...

That's simple... puppies play, feed, look cute and walk clumsily. I forgot to mention they poop and still look cute.

Update: I haven't done much blogging due to the busy schedule. I would like to thank everyone who have left me messages. I am hoping to have everyone vaccinated this month. Having 10 dogs to tend to is no easy business. Both adult and youngins are due for their vaccination except for Chooey.

Good news!I have found a cheap neutering and spaying program in our locality. I also asked permission from the real dog owners (my sister and BIL) if it were okay to have Whitey and the pups neutered (and Chooey and Rin spayed) and they said yes ^___^. But I  can't risk doing it along with the vaccination. I also read that spaying/ neutering should take place just before the 5th-6th month. I plan to finish the vaccination first... then we go Coney Island ^___^.

Puppies... wow, they're cute. They're clumsy and cute. I just had to share our puppy adventures.

WHAT DO PUPPIES DO....

1. Puppies eat.

Puppies eat... in some of the laziest positions.

More often than not, they exhibit "dog pack"sharing behaviors while eating... or maybe the other one has fallen asleep.

2. Puppies play.

Puppies play with toys you let them play with. Sometimes, you catch a glimpse of serenity amidst the puppy chaos. As you could see, Timothy the Turtle is still alive!

Other times, puppies play with something they're not suppose to play with. *Cough... whose slippers are those?!?

3. Puppies are innately curious.

Cherish the days a dog looks at your camera innocently because someday, you'll never get opportunities like these.

4. Puppies are smart!

Beneath that puppy facade is a cunning, sleuthing, super genius canine. So beware the days following their first "sit" trick!

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5 Importance of Neutering and Spaying

The term "altering your dog" is widely used as a general term for spaying and neutering. I've previously added sterilization as a tip to lessen the aggression in your pooch. Here are additional pros to it:

1. No risk of bringing unwanted puppies into this harsh world. Awhile ago, I found a controversial news regarding the PETA and ASPCA regarding the number of dogs and cats they euthanize yearly. The author made it a point that approximately 90% of the dogs rescued are put to sleep. I'm not sure if this is real, but hearing how many of these innocent doggies are being put to such an ordeal is heart breaking.

Be a responsible owner. If you don't plan on taking care of puppies, neuter or spay your pet to prevent overpopulation.

2. Lessens aggression. According to some books, altered dogs are calmer and less agitated. This also means that the males are less likely to pick a fight with other dogs.

3. Surprisingly, you'll no longer need to worry about the mess your female dog's monthly period will cause.

4. Lessens the risk of dog cancers. This includes female breast, ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer. For the male dogs, prostate infection and testicular cancer.

5. Female mood swings. Don't forget that dogs have hormones, too. And they can act the same way as your daughter or wife, with mood swings. Spaying your dog will lessen the tendencies of mood swings.

There are some speculations saying that spaying an aggressive female can even worsen her aggression, I suggest to consult a dog trainer or a canine behavior consultant to see if her aggression should be worked on before spaying.

Altering your dog doesn't change his character. Spaying and neutering only takes away the innate desperate instinct of your dog's breed.

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