Natural Birth Control for Dogs
There are some options to surgical spaying and neutering for dogs. Surgery carries inherent risks, as does disrupting natural hormone production to sterilize a dog. There are herbal birth control options for dogs, although they are not proven effective and can be dangerous. As is the case with humans, the most natural birth control method for dogs is abstinence.
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The Reproductive Cycle in Dogs
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Female dogs come into their first heat or estrus any time between 6 and 24 months of age, with larger dogs tending to come into heat later. Thereafter, she will cycle approximately every 6 months for life. Some wolf hybrids and sighthound breeds come into heat only once a year. On average, the heat lasts about 3 weeks. During this time, she will be receptive to mating for 4 to 14 days.
Intact males will be strongly attracted to the female for this entire time and will go to great lengths to get to her. Dogs have been known to scale high fences, chew their way through walls, and even mate through fences.
Herbal Contraceptives and Abortifacients
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"Natural" herbal birth control remedies are sold online but none are 100 percent effective and all carry risks, including risk of bleeding disorders due to spontaneous abortion. Herbs used for contraception include wild carrot seeds or tincture, astralagus extract, and willow bark. The effectiveness of herbal remedies is often dependent on administering a large dose at exactly the right time in the cycle, either before mating to prevent implantation of ova, or after mating to induce abortion. When using herbal birth control, be aware that the dog is still at risk for complications such as mammary cancer and pyometra (a potentially deadly uterine infection).
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Minimally Invasive Neutering
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Although it has not caught on with most veterinarians, canine vasectomies are an outpatient, minimally invasive surgical alternative to gonadectomy (neutering). Further long-term studies may be needed to determine whether a vasectomy confers long-term sterilization. A vasectomy will not affect hormone-influenced behaviors such as frequent marking, same-sex dog aggression, or interest in female dogs in heat.
Abstinence
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The most natural form of birth control is abstinence. A responsible, knowledgeable dog owner is capable of managing intact dogs of both sexes by carefully observing signs of estrus in the females, securely confining males or separating males and females, and by proper training to eliminate unwanted behavior like inappropriate marking and mounting.
Considerations
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Most municipalities with spay-neuter laws will accept only documentation of a surgical spay or neuter as proof the dog has been sterilized. For all intents and purposes, in the eyes of the law a dog who has had a vasectomy or is taking a medical or herbal contraceptive or abortifacient is still considered intact.
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References
- Photo Credit Stevie Macdonald. Irresponsible dog ownership is the proximate cause of overpopulation.
