Spaying and neutering dogs and cats has become routine in the pet world—but should it be? 

This isn’t about early spay and neuter; it’s about whether we should do it at all. In some breeding circles, removing reproductive organs is treated like tossing out old furniture. Contracts force puppy buyers to spay or neuter, retired females are sterilized “to avoid pyometra,” and males are neutered to prevent marking or aggression (though that often doesn’t work). My parent club strongly recommends enforcing spay/neuter contracts to prevent unintentional breeding, but I don’t necessarily agree.  Especially when those puppies grow up in responsible and loving homes such as most breeders place them into.

Instead, I ask my buyers to be responsible. Puppies are sold on Limited AKC Registration. This restriction means that they can’t have registered offspring, which discourages accidental litters. I realize that there is an overpopulation of unwanted dogs in the world. 

This article is focused on dogs who are wanted, live in loving homes, and pet parents struggling with this decision. 

Every body part serves a purpose.

As an animal naturopath, I was taught that every organ has a function—the body works as a whole, interconnected system. Veterinary schools often treat the endocrine system as if some parts are disposable, but removing reproductive organs disrupts a delicate communication network between the thyroid, pineal gland, hypothalamus, pituitary, pancreas, adrenals, and more. These organs don’t just make babies—they regulate metabolism, stress response, immune function, blood pressure, and more.

Organs are not disposable.

I hope this makes you reconsider the idea that reproductive organs are only for reproduction. The body operates as a sophisticated system, and those organs play critical roles beyond breeding. While more people are waking up to the dangers of early spay and neuter, the "organs are disposable" mindset needs a rethink.

Avoiding Pregnancy

I have kept intact males and females in my home for many decades without ever having an unwanted breeding. However, I do realize that this takes experience. Males can be altered with a vasectomy just as in human males. Females can have ovary-sparing spays. But that means that they no longer have a uterus. Parsemus Foundation lets you find a veterinarian trained in these procedures.

Pet adopters and shelters should definitely be consulting Parsemus Foundation to maximize health of adopted pets.

Support for animals already spayed or neutered

When you are living with an animal who is altered, many naturopathic practitioners will recommend using "organ therapy" protocols to keep them in homeostasis with the lack of those organs. This basically means feeding organs that are dysfunctional or missing. Finding organs to feed such as uterus, ovaries and testicles can be challenging--though I have found uterus at local ethnic markets. You should have seen me at the checkout counter at H-Mart with a basket loaded to the brim with pig uteruses! (For the pedants: Uteri.) I bought them to put into food for my breeding dogs. Not because they are altered, but because those nutrients help to support my girls throughout their breeding careers. Along those lines, those same organs can support an animal who is missing those organs. I have also found reproductive organs at places such as Raw Feeding Miami online.

For convenience, you can also obtain desiccated reproductive organs from our store. They contain male or female endocrine organs, and those can easily be added into daily food.  

Some animals benefit from hormone replacement therapy. You can find more information on this on Dr. Peter Dobias' website.