dog neutering

FEMALE DOGS - BITCHES - SPAYING YOUR DOG

Advantages

Behavioural Reasons
• The behavioural problems seen in intact bitches are associated with the bitch coming into season (being ‘on heat’). Wandering, blood spotting and increased attractiveness to male dogs are seen. Since a spayed bitch does not come into season these problems are not seen.

Medical Reasons
• The older intact bitch commonly develops medical problems that are either eliminated or greatly reduced by spaying
• Pyometra is a life threatening infection of the womb that requires surgical removal. The risks of the anaesthetic are much greater than that of a bitch which is under going a routine spay.
• False pregnancy is a condition seen in intact bitches about 2 months after they have been in season. It may take several weeks to resolve and is likely to recur after subsequent seasons. The bitch will often behave in a different way and may start to produce milk.
• Spaying eliminates the possibility of ovarian and uterine tumours
• The risk of mammary tumours (breast cancer) is reduced by up to 90% in spayed bitches. The younger the bitch is when she is spayed the greater the reduction. The effect is lost by about 5 years old.

Reproductive Reasons
• After spaying, a bitch cannot become pregnant. It is not uncommon for owners to ring us in a panic because another dog has just mated their bitch.

Disadvantages
• Reduced activity is occasionally seen
• There is the risk of the anaesthetic and surgery, but in young healthy animals this is negligible
• Obesity may be seen in spayed dogs- BUT it must be remembered that it is not the spaying that causes obesity, it is excessive food
• Urinary incontinence is occasionally seen as a complication of spaying

MALE DOGS - CASTRATION - CASTRATING YOUR DOG

Advantages

Behavioural Reasons
• Castration will often help to alleviate certain behavioural problems such as destruction, aggression, dominance, urine marking and wandering
• It must be remembered that not all such problems are hormonally driven. Castration is often most effective in reducing these types of behaviour if performed early in a dog’s life.

Medical Reasons
• The older ‘entire’ dog commonly has a number of medical conditions that are not seen in castrated dogs. These include prostatic problems (such as enlargement and cysts), testicular tumours and tumours around the anus. In older entire dogs with any of these problems, castration is often part of the treatment.

Reproductive Reasons
• After castration a dog is unable to contribute to the ever-expanding population of unwanted dogs

Disadvantages
• Reduced activity is occasionally seen
• There is the risk of the anaesthetic and surgery, but in young healthy animals this is negligible
• Obesity may be seen in castrated dogs – BUT it must be remembered that it is not the castration that causes the obesity, it is excessive food

WHEN TO HAVE YOUR ANIMAL NEUTERED
• The view of this clinic is that the advantages of neutering outweigh the disadvantages. As mentioned in some of the above points, the benefits are increased the earlier the surgery is performed.
• Our policy is to advise neutering for dogs and bitches at about 6 months of age. For bitches this will mean before their first season. Although there appears to be some confusion in the medical literature, it would appear that certain breeds are more prone to developing incontinence if they are spayed before their first season. These breeds are Dobermans, Boxers, Old English Sheep Dogs, Rottweilers, Weimerarners, Springer Spaniels, Irish Setters and Rough Collies. For these breeds, the clinic’s policy is to advise the owner of the increased risk and leave the final decision up to the owner.
• If a bitch has had a season, then spaying should not be performed until 2.5-3 months after the season has finished
• The clinic’s policy for spaying pregnant bitches is that it is not acceptable