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Theriogenology is animal reproduction taken from the Greek for study of the
birth of beasts.
If you have a dog your veterinarian probably has already spoken to you about
controlling reproduction in that dog most likely through a spay or
castration surgery.
Millions of dogs are euthanized in the United States every year because we have
more dogs than there are adoptive homes.
Some people suggest this means we should never purposefully breed dogs. Yet people
want to own purebred dogs because of the specific characteristics of those breeds
and to work with those dogs in showing, obedience or other activities.
Every dog owner should understand reproduction control to make the best
possible decision regarding whether or not to have their dogs spayed or
castrated and to know at what age surgery should be performed.
I'm Dr. Peggy Root, a small animal theriogenologist, or reproductive
specialist for dogs and cats.
In this course you, will learn about normal reproductive biology in dogs. We
will talk about dog breeding. Just as important are the conversations we will
have about current arguments regarding whether or not we should spay and
castrate dogs, and the best age at which to perform those surgeries.
Finally, you'll learn about diseases of the reproductive tract that can occur in any
dog, whether or not they've been spayed or castrated, to help you better understand
your dogs health and recommendations you may get from your veterinarian.