Many veterinarians will encourage you, especially if you are keeping your dog as a pet and aren't breeding him, to choose the procedure for your animal. Perhaps the most noticeable benefit to neutering your dog is the effect it can have on his behavior. If you have him as a family pet, there is truly not a single reason to keep him intact.
And whether indoors or out, he'll mark less as he won't feel the need to tell the whole neighborhood he's around. There are physical health benefits, too. It also reduces the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia enlarged prostate that comes with age and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer, which is actually the second most common cancer to affect unneutered dogs. In general, dogs that are neutered live longer, which is always good news to pet owners.
Obviously—and perhaps most importantly—once your dog is neutered, he won't be able to sire any puppies. Pet overpopulation is a huge issue, with some 6. Neutering your dog is one way to do your part in making sure all dogs find the homes they need.
It's worth noting that there are some veterinarians who will perform a vasectomy rather than full castration if your primary goal is to prevent your dog from fathering puppies but you want a potentially less-invasive procedure that keeps the natural appearance of your dog i.
That said, most veterinarians do not routinely perform the procedure. And many are not in favor of it because it doesn't come with the other health benefits of castration—testicular cancer is still a very real threat.
There may be social stigmas as well: An intact male dog is not always welcome in social settings like public dog parks, whether he can impregnate others or not. The good news is that even though this is a surgical procedure, there is very low risk of any complications for your dog. As a routine operation, veterinarians are very familiar with the process and the overall risk of complications due to anesthesia is very low.
Older dogs and dogs in poor health are going to have a harder time handling the neutering surgery, but it can be done. Neutering your dog has many benefits beyond population control; it reduces the risk of certain cancers and diseases, and has positive behavioral benefits, such as reduced marking and aggression.
Neuter surgery is an extremely common surgery that rarely results in any issues. However, there is always some degree of risk when you put an animal under general anesthesia. These include issues with the liver and kidney or heart murmurs. The best time to neuter your dog will depend on several factors, including his breed and overall health.
The average age for neutering puppies is around six months. This is a discussion you should have with your veterinarian.
In general, neutering your dog at a young age will reduce the risk of his developing unwanted behavioral problems. Health can also play a factor in deciding when to neuter.
Males used for breeding, for instance, may be neutered if an undesirable genetic flaw is found in their line, or if they develop a reproductive disease, like testicular cancer. Trauma to the scrotal area can also lead to neutering if the damage is extensive.
In most cases, it is easy to tell if a dog has already been neutered: simply checking for testicles, which are easy to spot, will do the trick. Dogs with retained testes or cryptorchids dogs with only one testicle can pose a challenge.
However, your veterinarian will be able to determine if your dog is still intact during a physical examination. Even though neutering is usually not an invasive procedure, every surgery has its risks.
Knowing what to expect on the day of surgery will help you manage your concerns and prepare your dog for the procedure. The night prior to and morning of your surgery, ensure you adhere to any instructions your veterinarian has provided with regard to withholding food or water.
The surgery is relatively quick, so you should be able to take your dog home later the same day, following a period of observation to check that your dog is recovering well from the anesthesia. Veterinarians will typically recommend running some pre-surgical blood work and conducting a physical exam to ensure your dog is healthy and does not have any health conditions that would affect his ability to tolerate anesthesia and surgery.
For healthy dogs, laboratory testing will be minimal, but dogs with preexisting conditions may require more tests. Depending on the type of anesthesia used, your veterinarian will most likely instruct you to withhold food and sometimes water for a set period of time before the surgery.
If your dog takes a medication that requires food, talk to your veterinarian to see what they recommend. Males tend to wander and urine mark less, and aggression may be diminished in dogs who previously were. Activity levels may be reduced in both males and females after spaying and neutering, but this is by no means certain in all dogs.
This can take up to six weeks. Appetite may increase after spaying and neutering, and so can their weight. Owners should be counseled to expect this change and adjust feeding amounts accordingly. What to Expect the First Night After a Spay or Neuter Unless veterinarians have twenty four-hour care at their facility, most veterinarians prefer to send pets home for direct observation by their people. Here are a few strategies to help avoid these complications: Keep that cone on!
Watch out for rubbing of the incision on the floor or other surfaces. Dogs over three years of age may take a day or two longer to recover. Females rarely experience behavior changes, though many will take on a lazier disposition. Specially in the case of females where there is a higher chance for the stitches to open. Make sure you place your dog in a quiet place, in dim light, during the recovery process. The bed must be comfortable and the room temperature should be pleasant.
If you have other pets at home or children, keep them away from your dog. During the recovery period your dog may experience some disorientation and may become aggressive our stressed. The anaesthesia effect usually wears off completely after 24h. After this period, your dog should be behaving as usual.
Once your dog gets home from the vet, you can offer her a small amount of water. You should not allow your dog to drink too much as this can cause vomiting. When the dog is awake and alert you can offer her food. The amount should be small half than the usual. If your dog vomits or refuses to eat do not force it. You should wait until the next day to offer food again. Twenty four hours after surgery you may offer water and food in normal amounts.
However, if everything is not back to normal within the first 48h after surgery, you should call your vet. However, 24 to 36 hours after surgery, it is possible that the effect of this medication begins wearing off.
Therefore, it is normal for the vet to prescribe pain medication. If you have received medication for your dog , follow the instructions given by the vet. Many owners do not know, but over-the-counter medications routinely used in humans such as aspirin, paracetamol, or ibuprofen can be dangerous and even fatal to their animals.
Dogs do not metabolize these drugs in the same way as humans do. If you think your dog needs pain medication, contact your vet. He will prescribe an appropriate medicine. Contact the vet if your dog is not urinating or defecating regularly within 72 hours after surgery.
A small amount may be present in female dogs during the first 24 hours after surgery. If this continues or if your dog appears ill at any time, call the vet. Too much activity may lead to the opening or inflammations of the surgery site.
To help keep your pet quiet:. It will send you reminders so you never miss a treatment again. Click to download:. I am following the guidelines and hope my little boy Is on the mend and playing again soon.
So, I came here for an answer to a question I have. I can see that my dog is in pain. Why would they fail 2provide this? Would this not b ok? Thanks for the info. Have a shitstu puppy and plan on having her taken care of. Do not want to mess with puppies. Think you have provided great info for before and after. Than you. My dog appears pain free and full of beans 2nd day after surgery.
So hard to keep him quiet. How much can we let him do. Wandering around the yard himself ok? My Maltipoo is the same! Doesnt seem fazed at all 3 days post-op.
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