Neutering Dogs - Males

Neutering dogs is often the best thing to do for the animals as well as the owner but the timings can vary. It is important to consider all the factors, including whether you would like to breed from your pet and what would be involved in this.

Male Dogs

There are advantages and disadvantage to castrating dogs,

The advantages of castration are;

• Reduces the risk of prostatic disease in older age.
• Can reduce aggression.
• Less likely to wander to find bitches in season.

The disadvantages are;

• Minor risk of the operation.
• Can affect the coat of some dogs.
• More prone to weight gain.

Female Dogs

We usually recommend that bitches are spayed either before their first season or 3 to 4 month after a season to ensure that there are no signs of false pregnancy.

Again there are advantages and disadvantages of spaying bitches,

The advantages of spaying your bitch are; -

• Prevent seasons occurring, so no bleeding and no unwanted attention from male dogs.
• Prevent unwanted pregnancies.
• Reduce the chance of mammary cancer if spayed early.
• Prevent infections of the uterus which usually have to be treated by spaying your bitch when she is ill.
• Stop false pregnancy signs occurring,
• Prevent vaginal polyps.
• Reduce the risk of Diabetes.
• Helps with the management of epilepsy.
• Prevent cancer of the ovaries or uterus.

The disadvantages are; -

• Can predispose to urinary incontinence in later life, though this is usually easily treated.
• Can be more prone to weight gain.
• Post-operative risks.
• Can cause changes to the hair coat.