Why Do Dogs Get Spay Tattoos or Neutered Tattoos?
What is that green tattoo on dogs? Vets typically tattoo the dog with either a blue or green colored line. The line is located near the scar from surgery. It’s not always easy to know if a dog has been neutered. A scar is a tell tale sign of a surgery but the scar will fade over time. This is why the green tattoo is used. Before a dog is neutered, their testicles aren’t always visible. Testicles are only visible on some dogs. And for females you can’t see from the exterior whether or not they have their ovaries and uterus. You should know whether a dog has been spayed or neutered. It is important for the future health of your dog. Vets should always know the history of your dog before performing surgery or providing a medical diagnosis.
Suppose, now, that the new owner observes problems with the pet and his new veterinarian suspects that those problems may be related to the reproductive tract. Do you want your pet to have to undergo a surgical exploration of the abdomen for organs that aren’t there? A little tattoo, a couple of millimeters wide and a couple of centimeters long answers that question as soon as it is asked.
Cryptorchidism occurs when testicles fail to enter the scrotum and instead are retained in the abdomen. If neither the left nor the right testicle leaves the abdomen a scrotum will never be formed and a veterinarian is left to wonder whether the pet was neutered very early in life or has testicles in the abdomen.
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Tattoos are used as an indicator that an animal has been spayed or neutered, and this video shows a standardized method of application.
Included is information on placement and appearance of the tattoo for both males and females.
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Spay/Neuter Surgery: Tattoo Application
TEXAS (CBS MIAMI) A man from Texas says he doesn’t have any regrets after getting a tattoo as a symbol of solidarity between him and his dog.
Awkwardly, Chris Mendiola’s new ink, which matches a tattoo on his dog Bear, is actually the symbol for being neutered.
In a Facebook post, the Texas native announced that he was upset that a previous owner had decided to tattoo Bear before the rescue dog was adopted by him in 2010.
“It sickens me to know that people actually tattoo their pets. So tonight I got his tattoo,” Bear’s owner wrote.
According to reports however, the symbol likely came from a doctor because it’s meant to let other vets know an animal’s been neutered to prevent unneeded surgery. Tattoos like that are also required by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians.
To Mendiola’s chagrin, the moment of solidarity with his pet went viral on social media as many people made fun of the apparent gaffe.
Although Mendiola’s tattoo has been widely mocked, he says he actually knew it was the neutered symbol when he got it.
“We talked to our vet about the tattoo. I knew what it meant,” the 26-year-old said.
“I knew I was going to get a lot of backlash from it. I did. I got some from my coworkers. I got some from people I thought were my close friends,” Mendiola added during an interview with Gizmodo. “It’s not for them. It wasn’t for them. It wasn’t to humor or please them. It’s for my dog.”