A Guide to Dog Neutering

Dog neutering is what we refer to when we remove a dog’s ability to reproduce. In male dogs, the procedure involves removing the testicles which stops them from being able to breed and produce young. You still have to be vigilant after their procedure as male dogs can have what is known as dormant sperm. Dormant sperm is just sperm that is stored elsewhere along the reproductive tract and can remain viable for several days. To be safe it’s advised that dogs can still produce young for up to a month after their surgery but beyond that period, there is no risk.

Female neutering involves a vet removing a dog’s ovaries. Depending on your vet, they may also remove the womb during the procedure as well. A female neuter or a spay as it’s often called is a little more invasive than a male neuter as the sexual organs that need to be removed are internal. Male dogs are often easier as their testicles are outside of the body unless they are retained.

The biggest reason to neuter your pooch is population control. The cost of living crisis has caused even more dogs than ever to find themselves in the UK’s rehoming centre. Charities are at capacity and struggling with long waiting lists. Preventing accidental litters by neutering your dog means that you never have to be worried when out walking that your pooch might pick up the smell of a dog in heat and go off looking to fulfil their hormonal needs.

Male dogs are more likely to stray when they remain unneutered and females can attract a lot of unwanted attention when out and about during their season. By not bringing more pups into the world, those already sat in kennels waiting for new families have a better chance of finding them.

There are health benefits too when it comes to neutering. By removing certain organs, the risks to their health are minimised. Female dogs are not able to develop ovarian cancer when they’re removed. They have also been found to be at lower risk of developing mammary tumours when neutered. For males, they benefit from not being able to suffer from testicular cancers or prostatic diseases. Neutering does impact their diet, and weight gain can be one of the drawbacks so neutered dogs will need their diets to be monitored a little more closely.

Neutering was once sold as a “fix all issues” kind of procedure where dogs would instantly calm down after their surgery. While neutering does reduce the sex hormones present in both male and female dogs, it won’t completely alter their behaviour. A dog that is humping because its testosterone levels are particularly high may benefit from neutering. However, this is ignoring the impact of learning.

Dogs are always learning so if they start to hump because they’re flooded with hormones as an adolescent dog, they can at the same time learn that this behaviour gets them a lot of attention. Having them neutered won’t instantly stop the behaviour if they have learnt that it benefits them.

There has been an increasing number of studies into dog behaviour, especially concerning unwanted behaviour and the effects of neutering. A study in 2020 looked into neutering as a means of reducing human-directed aggression in dogs and found there to be no change. Neutering as a means of stopping sexual behaviours like humping can help, however when it comes to behaviour like aggression towards dogs or people, it may not be helpful.

Aggressive behaviour will usually come from a place of fear and anxiety. When considering the neutering of male dogs, you are in effect removing a lot of their testosterone which can actually cause their anxiety to become worse. Every dog is an individual and relying on neutering to calm them down isn’t a proven method.

More vets are moving towards neutering dogs at a slightly later age than was previously normal to do so. Most vets will now recommend waiting until your dog has fully matured before neutering them. This will differ from breed to breed as smaller breeds can be fully grown by six months while larger breeds may fully mature between one and two years old.

Discussing the age to neuter with your vet will help you get a better idea of when is best to do the procedure, especially if that are any health or behavioural concerns.

The cost of neutering can vary massively depending on the vet you use and will usually range between £100 and £300. There are many different variables including the sex of your pooch. It will cost more to spay a female than it will to castrate a male as the procedure is usually faster and simpler for male dogs.

The cost also heavily depends on the size of your dog. The amount of anaesthetic used on a Chihuahua will be very different from how much of the same drug it takes to keep a Newfoundland asleep. Neutering prices will usually include the anaesthetic, the surgery itself and post operation pain relief.

Recovery will usually take around one to two weeks for both male and female dogs depending on how quiet you can keep them at the start. Sometimes dogs will come home after surgery and instantly be their normal, “bouncy” selves which can lead to swellings and complications during their healing.

Male dogs will usually be able to start returning to their normal exercise gradually after seven days of restricted, lead-only walks while females will need ten to fourteen days as their surgery is a little more invasive. Vets will normally want to recheck the site of the operation to make sure it’s healing well and at that stage, they will be able to give you a more accurate idea of when it’s ok to start returning to normal. The first two days after their operation, they should be limited to toilet breaks in the garden.

Neutering a dog does slightly increase the risk of them developing osteosarcoma and hypothyroidism, however, the benefits will usually outweigh the risks. In some cases where dogs benefit from having extra sex hormones like in highly anxious individuals, vets may recommend holding off on neutering while you work with a behaviourist to get them to a comfortable place before causing such a big hormonal change.

If you are unsure about neutering your male dog, there is now the option for chemical castration which is an implant that works for around six months to a year. It can be helpful when owners are more sure if surgical castration is the right route for them. Your vet will be able to discuss your individual pooch and advise the best course of action.

For everything you need to treat your beloved pet after their operation and all of your other puppy and dog essentials, take a look in store and online.