This is related to increased orthopedic conditions in dogs neutered prior to puberty. But heres the thing: Plenty of dogs never show any signs of behavior problems that might be influenced by testosterone. Dr. Patty Khuly, VMD MBA. } ], Though vasectomies are out of favor in the veterinary community (not that they were ever popular), theres no reason why I wouldnt consent to snip a bit of tiny tubing through a small incision over taking out the testiclesas long as the owner understands that testosterone and all its effects will still be on hand to work their mysterious charms. Neither do they keep on looking for mates when they are not in heat. Since youve been taking Archie to the vet regularly, Im sure she would have alerted you to any problems. Since 2000, the dedicated and compassionate veterinary team at Veterinary Village have successfully performed neuter procedures on many male dogs of all breeds and ages. A dog that has been neutered will usually calm down within a few hours. As a result, the procedure only inhibits fertility and has no impact on the production of testosterone. Yet as science advances, as it inexorably does, what was laughed at by a gray-haired professor over a decade ago may just be the most responsible thing I might advocate ten years from now. "paymentAccepted": [ "credit card" ], If your male dog is intact and past 7 months, they may experience other dogs picking on them in parks, at daycares, during open play, or in social situations. As for the cons for neutering you mentioned, at 2 yrs, your dog is pretty much full grown (might fill out a little more still). Is it OK to leave your dog outside of supermarkets? My sense is that those growths are pretty common among older dogs and that almost all the are benign. If you opt to leave the gonads, the ovaries or testes, this can be done at any age. Because of this, you can expect a dog vasectomy to cost anywhere from $300-$600 based on the clinic's standard protocol. There are many reasons why dogs are considered the best pets. Your email address will not be published. According to this summary of long-term scientific studies (4) in The Association of Animal Behavior, there is no correlation between the age of neutering and behavioral benefits, so it will be as effective (or not) if neutering is done at a later and theoretically safer to the health age. But the jury has spokenfor now, anyway. At this time, there are no states with compulsory spay and neuter laws. High levels of testosterone are associated with all kinds of ailments. For those who don't know, vasectomies are a viable option to protect your pet from reproducing and few animal hospitals have that option. The dog vasectomy cost is going to be a little higher than the cost of neutering. Ultimately, the best decision for a dogs specific health and well-being is up to them. Note: Most of the articles deal with spaying as well as neutering. Your email address will not be published. Sure, neutering will typically rid you of the roaming, the pee-peeing over any available surface, freaky behavior around bitches in heat, and the triple terror of testicular tumors, perineal hernias and prostatic enlargement. Based on these musings, I decided to ask a few board-certified veterinary surgeons to weigh in: How hard is a vasectomy to perform? Yes, sometimes they are indicated. There are pros and cons to both vasectomies and neuters for male dogs. Vasectomy won't reduce testosterone and your male may still try to breed your female when she's in heat. I knew that we would be 'out and about' in the world and wanted the reassurance of no accidental breedings. Registration confirmation will be emailed to you, By joining the Forum, I agree that I am aged over 18 and that I will abide by the Community Guidelines and the Terms. This can prevent dogs from conceiving and can also make it difficult for them to conceive future children. Before we discuss the potential benefits of vasectomies in male dogs, we should first dive into the details of the procedure in itself. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. A vasectomy is less effective than a neuter, and it is also less likely to be successful. Thank you for your help. "streetAddress": "1311 N Westshore Blvd #217", Resource Articles 2023 GeniusVets. Anyways I was on the interwebs and I read about dog vasectomies and I was wondering, (#1) is that something vets do? Youre absolutely right. Everyone can agree that keeping dogs from reproducing at will makes the world a better place for both animals and people. This subreddit is a great starting point for a lot of information, but you should always verify and expand upon what you've read before putting it to use in your daily life. Decreased chance of canine obesity and conditions that occur due to excess weight in dogs, Decreased chance of cranial cruciate rupture, Reduced occurrence in hip dysplasia in large breed dogs, Decreased chance of developing certain cancers such as osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, and transitional cell carcinoma, Less of a chance of the dog developing some behavioral struggles such as phobias, reactivity, and general fearfulness, Risk of unwanted pregnancies if a dog is not kept away from other females in the 2 months following their surgery, Increased risk of developing testicular cancer, Increased risk of developing perineal or inguinal hernias, Increased chance of behavioral problems such as aggression, wandering to find females, marking in your home, and other behaviors driven by reproductive hormones. I have a female that was kinda spay at 6months and they missed an ovary. They can warn you of danger. By doing this, even if the male dog mates with a female, the mating will not be a fertile one. "@context": "http://schema.org", We had both Ty and Buster neutered Ty at 6 months and Buster at 12 months (when we rescued him). In a vasectomy, the vas deferens tube of your dog is cut and tied off. With dogs neutering is generally very safe, and while bit neutering also can be an option if the concern is eliminating the chance of accidental litters neutering is probably the most sure way to go. Apparently, its near impossible to find veterinarians willing to tackle this simple procedure. Stay tuned for Monday's post on spay choices. While the surgery is more complex than a dog, that's not exactly pocket change that people have jangling around. Looking for any redness, swelling or discharge at the surgery site. "Friday", Dogs that have been neutered well before puberty can frequently be identified by their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests, and narrow skulls. Which hormonally associated problems are vasectomised cats still at risk of developing? Gross topic, but would be useful for me, at least. Written by Indeed, the only issues that hold any of us back from performing vasectomies on a routine basis include the following: Castration alters a dogs behavior along with his ability to pass on his genetic material. Why do people who have no plans on showing their purebred still have their dogs ears and tails docked? If your male's aggressive nature is at least in part due to high testosterone levels, vasectomy won't help. Finding a vet to do a vasectomy can be difficult, the procedure isn't difficult but I am not sure what data there is for what rate they fail considering it's kind of a fringe procedure, so many don't want to take the risk. After a vasectomy the testes continue to produce testosterone, which means that he will continue to have the same behavior characteristics of an unaltered male dog. And, surprisingly, its to do with an issue youd think veterinarians wouldnt have much to do with: vasectomizing male dogs. Will my dogs personality change after being neutered? In cats, the procedure will not remove any hormonally fuelled behaviours, which increases their risk of contracting infectious diseases. As I mention later, the studies were either based on neutering before six months or didnt divide the sample by age. Neuter procedures ensure that you are not adding to this number and that no offspring your dog has ends up a fatal statistic. A vasectomy vs neutering? But with castration, the testosterone levels drop down to nil, which isnt ideal. Both of these diseases are spread through cat bites and are contagious and incurable. The tube leads from the testes of your dog to the end of the penis. A dog is no longer able to reproduce from the moment they wake up from surgery. Yes, Ill confess: I brought all these questions upon myself after I started thinking about vasectomies for dogs (about seven or eight years ago now). Vasectomy and tubal ligation procedures can cost a bit more because of the small additional surgical time required. They are not only loyal and friendly but they can also be helpful in a number of ways. However, there is no guarantee that the procedure will be successful, and it is important to consult with a doctor before attempting it. Our main reason for requiring dogs to be altered is to reduce the potential levels of aggression that testosterone can create. The article says that dogs and cats may retain aggression towards other entire males. Home All Posts Neutering Why dont we give dogs and cats vasectomies? Furthermore, the testosterone-fuelled desire to roam far and wide in search of a mate makes uncastrated cats more susceptible to road traffic accidents which can leave them with fatal injuries. These masses can ulcerate and become infected. Rates and discounts vary, are determined by many factors, and are subject to change. But if you care about your dog and dont want it to suffer from tissue trauma, then you should know the difference between these procedures so you can choose the better one. This means that the small c. As for a vasectomy, I really dont see a point to it. "closes": "17:00" "email": "office@emergencyvetsusa.com", Neutering should be considered if you are keeping any male dog as a pet. Have you done one? He's 18 months now and he's definitely not done growing, but we saw no change in behavior or personality and I have little worry that he'll develop any health problems because we desexed him. Since gonadectomy prior to puberty or sexual maturity may make the risks of some diseases higher in certain breeds or individuals, the option to leave your pet intact should be available to you. May we be throwing the baby out with the bath water? My thinking on this subject has changed a lot too over the years, so I sympathize. This abnormal growth frequently results in significant alterations in body proportions and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certain bones relative to others. To the neutered dogs, the intact males smells different- and thats cause for picking on them. There are a lot of pros and cons to neutering vs not as well. Because vasectomy is not widespread, no studies have been done on potential health problems with the procedure as have been done with neutering. Do what feels right for your dog, and speak with your vet about the best decision, it's what we did and we have no regrets. Our experienced veterinary staff is here to help answer any questions or quell any concerns you might have, as well as to help schedule a surgical appointment for your canine companion at our clinic. Love an update. By doing this, we remove the dog or cats ability to reproduce. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); EmergencyVetsUSA.com is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical advice and should not replace your familyveterinarians advice. Flank or midline? #2 is about the risks of early neutering more than anything else, while #3 fails to make a compelling argument, IMO. A neutered dog also wont suffer from prostate problems. This procedure is still extremely rare, and may only be found in specialty hospitals or larger cities. No, the personality of a dog will not change after being neutered. However, there are some potential explanations for why vasectomy may lead to dementia. As with men who undergo this common human procedure, dogs keep all their testicular tissue intact and consequently retain all their sex hormones. Why dont we just cut off their balls? 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