Can I neuter/spay/desex my dogs as a vegan?

Question

We have 2 male dogs and one younger female dog at home and all of them are intact.

The problem is that our male dogs are aggressive and sometimes fight really hard over our female dog.

My vet told me that neutering them makes them less aggressive as it reduces their testosterone levels.

But I think I don't have the right to just cut his balls (neuter him). Maybe they miss sexing with each other, right?

PS: there are alternative pregnancy prevention ways without cutting their balls and I will do the alternatives to prevent pregnancy.

But my problem is not pregnancy prevention: my problem is their aggressive behaviour and dangerous fighting.

What should I do? I'm so frustrated.

Answer 1

Disclaimer: I am not a veterinary doctor. I dropped out of college before I could graduate.

Consider that if you are not going to let your dogs breed, then spaying or neutering them will most likely allow them to have longer and healthier lives.

Females that are not spayed and which do not have sex are at much higher risk of pyometria. Males that are not neutered and which do not mate are at much higher risk of prostrate hernias, as well as prostrate and testicular cancer, as well as urinary tract infections.

Many people think that neutering their pets is causing them harm, but any veterinarian worth their salt will tell you that the opposite is true. If your pets are not breeding, the buildup of sex hormones in their bodies greatly increases the chances that they will develop life-threatening conditions. I have seen the consequences of this time and again, and it is always heart breaking.

I have many vegan friends that have neutered pets and none of them have a problem with that. They all understand that this is done to prevent great suffering for their pets, not to get them to behave.

The fact that neutered male dogs have reduced aggression is indeed a benefit from neutering, but in my opinion it should not be the main one. I would recommend neutering even if it did not decrease aggression.

Answer 2

Are you asking whether it is physically possible? Obviously not.

Are you asking whether it is legal? I guess not.

So you are asking in some other sense and hence it is just going to be opinion. I know vegetarians and vegans who agree with the other answer but I don't. Vegans do not even regard milking a cow as acceptable so I find it hard to see how mutilating a creature just to make it a nicer pet is acceptable. You cannot ask the pet for consent. So ask yourself and your friends. How many humans would consent to this? So, if you would not accept it yourself, why do you consider imposing it on a creature who is not able to consent?

I would say that if you don't like the behaviour of an unmutilated pet then don't have a pet.

I even have one meat eating friend who agrees with me and has not had her cat neutered. She accepts his behaviour.

As I said above, this is just my opinion but I think that opinion is the only possible and I wanted to indicate that not all agree.