any advice after neutering?
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| I am sure you have discussed the issue with your vet and he/she has a reason to neuter your dog at such a young age. there are several threads on the forum about the health risks for early spay/neuter. For this breed it is best to wait until at least a year before neutering.
But tyically they bounce back quickly from a neuter (at least that's been my experience with older dogs) |
| No actually I simply called them and asked when he should be neutered. the girls in the front office said after 6 months. I wanted to wait till after the holidays and she waid it would be fine in jan. I had no idea you should wait. Guess I'll go look for those threads. Thanks....Geez I'm so glad I thought to ask this!! |
| As Kerry mentioned, I would wait a bit. Is he exibiting "bad" behaviors, or is it just the vet's recommendation to do it now?
Mentally and structurally, it is now becoming a better thought to wait and let the dog develop more before doing the neuter or spay. Those hormones do a lot of beneficial things too, things not just related to "the dog is humping my leg" type stuff! As a trainer, I see all kinds of dogs, intact and "fixed" in my classes. Some are a walking advertisement for needing the surgery (mostly young males, and many if they had a more with-it owner, the behaviors still could have been managed  ), and others I take one look and know they were surgically altered too young.
Granted, many can routinely be done as pups, and have the desired outcomes - nice pets that listen and aren't ruled by hormones. But understand that there always is some negative brought on as well. It can affect them behaviorally in a negative way, it can make them structurally look all leggy and actually spindly. Just thoughts, so you don't make the neuter appt without having all the facts. 
I am for "fixing" dogs - don't get me wrong. I just don't want it to be done blindly, and taken as the only choice. We have a lab pup now who is 7 months. He will be neutered later. Right now he is healthy, growing and not having any issues that neutering would cure. So for him, losing those parts and the hormones that go with would be a bad thing. There is plenty of time, and no hurry. PS - I see you replied while I was slowly posting... Also, Chewie is intact, and he shows no "bad" traits either. I find it kind of fun too - we compete in many performance venues and he is in the minority for some, but in with many intact dogs for others. In obedience/rally, he definitely is in the minority being an intact male. I kid my competitors, saying I didn't cop out and neuter him (the intactness can be a huge mental distraction for the dog - they are interested in everything out there!) and proves we actually are better than them!  |
| Leggy like Murphy
Georgie was spayed at 17weeks and she is also very leggy BUT, our foster that is not neutered yet at about 9 months is ALL legs.... 
Sorry, couldn't help it  |
| priceless |
| I still think the name Yo-Yo fits
This is what the little guy looked like shortly after arriving from animal control and being shaved down to treat his boo-boo skin- http://www.oesusa.com/CarolinasOESRescu ... veDown.jpg He is looking SO good, Kathy!! You've done a remarkable job with little Ripple.  |
Quote: This is what the little guy looked like shortly after arriving from animal control and being shaved down to treat his boo-boo skin- Awwwwww I'm so glad he is healed. How lucky he is to have such a good momma. Quote: Leggy like Murphy ha ha ha are his legs srapped around him??? |
Cathy227 wrote: Quote: This is what the little guy looked like shortly after arriving from animal control and being shaved down to treat his boo-boo skin- Awwwwww I'm so glad he is healed. How lucky he is to have such a good momma. Quote: Leggy like Murphy ha ha ha are his legs srapped around him???Thank you, I am only his foster Mommy! I am not sure what he was doing....my other dog Murphy has alot more leg than Ripple Boy! |
| If your not having any issues with him why neuter him ?
Here is a link to read to make an informative choice. http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTerm ... InDogs.pdf If you are going ahead with it, then wait till he is well over 12 months old. Most vets will push for de-sexing between 4-6 months old, due to it being easier for them but detrimental to the young dog, especially larger breeds, the longer you wait till they mature a bit the better it is for them as far as the growth plates have closed and they are a bit more developed before de-sexing them. Your choice, my first oes was a male, just a pet, never neutered, had no issues with him at all, lived till nearly 13 and no reason to de-knack him in his lifetime.
Another boy here now and all intact, no reason with him either to loose his knacks. Gentle & sweet, well socialised and a big soft marshmellow in nature.  |
| Gosh I am so glad I decided to put this neutering question out here. I had NO idea that it was really an option. I always assumed it should be done becasue that is what the vets always said. OK well thank you all so much for the feedback. I definitely plan to do a lot more research before making this decision. There is a lot more involved than I thought. I just scolded my brother for not getting his dog (Cotton de Taleur...sp?) neutered thinking it was mean not to |
| I had my guy neutered at about 7 months. I know there is much controversy about when to neuter and when to spay. My Vet, and personal friend, recommended it earluer than later. The surgery is less, the recovery is less. We did it at about 7 months. It was a piece of cake! A little tough the first night but no problems since.
No legginess, no lack of maturing ( although in this breed how does one know there is a lack of maturing!),no gaining weight. He is now three and he is fine. If you do not plan to show, I say neuter sooner than later. Its a much easier procedure when things are "small"  |
My boy is already "leggy" ha ha ha
Oh and I love love love his long legs no matter what they are "supposed" to look like |
Ashley wrote: I had my guy neutered at about 7 months. I know there is much controversy about when to neuter and when to spay. My Vet, and personal friend, recommended it earluer than later. The surgery is less, the recovery is less. We did it at about 7 months. It was a piece of cake! A little tough the first night but no problems since.
No legginess, no lack of maturing ( although in this breed how does one know there is a lack of maturing!),no gaining weight. He is now three and he is fine. Sorry it may have been easier for the vet, but it leaves your dog open to many more health issues. If there is no reason to neuter him it is safer to wait. |
| I'm curious as to why it is safer to wait? |
| I believe Lisa posted the link to all the increased risks from early spay neuter. as well if you dog's is still growing there are risks of ortho issues.
Dogs do need their hormones - like all of us. |
| You know, when to neuter/spay is as controversial an issue as whether to feed raw! I think there are many arguments as to why to neuter early as opposed to later. Very controversial issue. People need to consult with their Vet and make their own decisions.
And as far as vets giving advice that is only good for them, well, if you cannot trust your Vet, get another Vet. Your Vet shoudl be someone you can trust... I think the discussion on early neutering/spaying can take up an entire subject matter and has no real "right" answr for everyone. |
| well have you seen a reason to spy/neuter early - I haven't. |
| This is my first OES, but my Bichon was neutered early and he is 12 years old and perfectly healthy. He is the most calm, mellow easy going dog ever. Not sure if the same applies to OES's, but that is my only experience with neutering. |
| yes larger dogs have different requirements - but that said, of course not every dog that is neutered early will develop cancer or other issues. |
Ashley wrote: You know, when to neuter/spay is as controversial an issue as whether to feed raw! I think there are many arguments as to why to neuter early as opposed to later. Very controversial issue. People need to consult with their Vet and make their own decisions.
And as far as vets giving advice that is only good for them, well, if you cannot trust your Vet, get another Vet. Your Vet shoudl be someone you can trust... I think the discussion on early neutering/spaying can take up an entire subject matter and has no real "right" answr for everyone. I know there are some vets that may say to wait to neuter a large breed (I have worked for one) BUT, typically vets are taught population control. (I am certainly not saying all vets...) That may/may not be in the pets best interest. Not arguing that point but, as pointed out with diet too, vets spend limited amount of school in nutrition courses. Only if they are interested in it and expand on their own. I was told by the vet to neuter Finn at 6 months, I chose to wait until he was about 16 months. We have to neuter our rescue dogs to place them in new homes, that was the first time I had a puppy of my own to choose. It is very controversial and I would put more research into it myself if ever I have another pup of my own. Around here I feel it would be way too much to have an unaltered dog. I have a 4y/o unspayed gal coming into rescue this week so, I am happy we only have one boy not altered yet and will have to keep an eye on!
This is all of course just my opinion! |
| It's really a shame. People shouldn't have to risk being shunned for altering before 1 year. In my case, it was because my boy had a retained testicle and there wasn't any documentation on how long we could safely wait before torsion or cancer became a threat. The breeder's vet couldn't share any helpful information either. He told the breeder he had felt the testicle "right there" the day before he flew to us... not sure how he felt it near his kidney. The breeder said it should be fine to neuter between 8-10 months. All of this together formed my opinion and I hope I won't regret it. If I do, I'll have to come to terms with it knowing that I did the best I could at that time. I was also dealing with my husband's cancer at the time so cancer was in the forefront of my concerns. This was earlier this year but I have to say that I was hurt I didn't receive support from some especially at such an uncertain time.
I've had unaltered males as a kid and we didn't have problems except for the beagle-mix that was prone to wondering and being cantankerous. But I can see that trying to "unring that bell" after a behavior problem begins could be very difficult. And IF hormones played a role, it's going to take time for those hormones to leave the system so the family has to find ways to work around the issue until then. Informed families will seek help from a professional trainer who uses a kind hand... others may choose to dump the dog after they've ruined him. Most homes are "pet" homes seeking only a furry companion to share their home... many are not truly dog experienced. I would think it's fair to say that many of these families are not educated enough to responsibly handle an unaltered bitch to prevent an unwanted litter with the neighbor's beagle or bully breed. And some pet owners may not have the authoritative personality needed to handle a full-of-himself male pushing the envelope due to hormones. Provide information, coax people to your view with good facts but please ... don't shun, shame or condemn people for making the choice to alter earlier than you think is right. |
| If important, you should ask your vet about cost involved with neutering at a later age. Price will increase with weight. |
Very well said Jaci 
Linda...no, it's not the cost. I just assumed you should have your dog neutered and called the vet. they set the appointment so I figured it must be ok. When I asked this question, I was just wondering if anyone had any situations like the dog being in pain, or to keep him quiet, etc...just looking for shared stories of their own experience with their dogs. I had no idea it was something that had such different views....honestly. |
| De-sexing will always be controversial subject, you do, you dont, only thing I like to point out is be informed of all the pro's and con's on both sides of the argument so you, yourself can make a full informative decision as to "If" and "when"
Most vets say for instance with bitches, oh early to lessen the risk of Mammary Tumours, OK, It brings the statistics down for that problem but does not guarantee 100% they will not develope it in later life, most vets use this with the girls and no mention of any benefits or other negatives from spaying especially if a larger breed and done early. Same with the boys a vet will push Testicular cancer, possible prostrate problems leaving them entire, but never any mention of what are the negatives or postives for both sides of the coin. Of course if a boy has undecended testies then no brainer there, they have to have them removed. It will always be a controversial view on this, as vets do not supply people with all the facts that are coming out, bit like vaccinations now. They depend on the bread and butter side of the business with people who they probably never usually see coming in each year for there dogs Jabs, no mention of the newer protocols of core puppy jabs, followed by annual core vacs booster then as just been passed here, every three years after that. (Which IMO is still too much) So no arguments with wether you do or do not de-sex your dog, just want to point out information for you,an informative link on both the fors and againsts. Larger/giant breeds done early seem to have more problems after de-sexing, a toy breed or small breed, really does not matter as when you look at these breeds there fully mature anywhere from 9-12 months of age. Larger and Giant breeds later maturing so all the info on this that is available say after 12 months old now just for a better benefit for them. Again your choice just be well aware of both sides of the great to do or not to do debate so you can make the best possible choice for your dog . |
6Girls wrote: Most homes are "pet" homes seeking only a furry companion to share their home... many are not truly dog experienced. I would think it's fair to say that many of these families are not educated enough to responsibly handle an unaltered bitch to prevent an unwanted litter with the neighbor's beagle or bully breed. And some pet owners may not have the authoritative personality needed to handle a full-of-himself male pushing the envelope due to hormones. Provide information, coax people to your view with good facts but please ... don't shun, shame or condemn people for making the choice to alter earlier than you think is right. of course there are reasons to alter a dog but please don't assume other people aren't " educated enough to responsibly handle " a leash. And no one inended to " shun, shame or condemn people for making the choice to alter earlier than you think is right", but rather to help point out that the politically correct early spay/neuter campaign is based on fear and not facts. |
6Girls wrote: Provide information, coax people to your view with good facts but please ... don't shun, shame or condemn people for making the choice to alter earlier than you think is right.
This is so ironic. For years people have been shunned, shamed and condemned for NOT altering their dogs by some endlessly parroted politically correct age even when they knew science was on their side and the coercion they were experiencing was ignorant at best, outright deception at worst. If some people feel very strongly that others should have access to all of the information out there, that may be why. Shucks, on the OES rescue list you still can't point out that many of the medical claims people are regurgitating aren't remotely scientifically valid without risk of censure, which is a shame. Open sharing of information. It's important. What people do with it is their business, but they should have access to all of the information. My premise is that people who are concientious enough to ask about appropriate age of spay/neuter are probably concientious enough to be trusted (also ) with the information that doesn't support early gonadectomy, and then they have to decide what's best for them.
As for recovering, Che would like to point out that removing his ability to check out what he's missing by sticking a cone on his head, NOT FUNNY! I think they have a softer cone now that does less damage to your legs and your other dogs. Speaking as one who ended up black and blue post surgery - his
Otherwise, some nice pain meds and they usually bounce back very quickly. Just keep an eye on the surgical site for any swelling, redness etc. Generally a low complication surgery regardless of age. Kristine |
Quote: but please don't assume other people aren't " educated enough to responsibly handle " a leash.
If even responsible breeders have had unplanned litters, you don't think pet owners are even more at risk? They don't have the same knowledge base and experience that professional breeders have with intact canines. A breeder told me about her breeder friend who had a way too young bitch that screamed in fear/pain when having her unplanned litter. You don't think situations like this will increase if everyone keeps an unaltered bitch through the first cycle? Another thing that might come into play in the outcome of some unaltered dogs... many of the success stories about intact dogs/bitches come from people who's dogs came from sound breeding stock. More importantly, they worked very hard to socialize their dogs well, train them well, the dog respects their owner and they got them around bitches in heat and trained them to react with manners. Will a less sound, much less well trained, less socialized intact dog respond this same way or will the inexperienced owner now have their hands full? We can all start with the same paint and paper... some will create a masterpiece with their skill and others will create a mess with their inexperience. I look at Puppyfind and there are 130 puppies for sale... can we assume all of these breeders are responsible in educating their buyers about keeping an intact dog or a bitch through her first cycle? That their breeding stock is sound... that buyers will all pursue the same level of training/socializing that others here have done to produce their well adjusted dogs? Or might some of these people have problems keeping and living with that unaltered dog? Have you noticed how few people now share when this topic pops up? The tone gets sharp/abrupt when someone says they are going to or have already altered early. The humane trainer in my area was adamant about neutering at 6 months... he's one of the local authorities on teaching people to handle their aggressive dogs but also puppy training. You can have irrational fear both ways... fear that if you alter your dog at less than 1 year of age that if it developes cancer or a health problem that it's soley because of that early spay/neuter. On the flip side, fear that if you don't alter early, you'll have an aggressive, sex-crazed dog that no one can live with and it will have to be euthanized. It's safe to assume that neither statement is always accurate. |
| OMG - I want to meet your intact sex crazed dogs! We have an intact male and an intact female and when she goes into heat the only problem is with my husband who says B is too hard to walk past her without him stopping. Of course B is 160 pounds. we go to agiltiy classes with unaltered males and never have an issue.
Yes, breeders do have unplanned litters - they have intact males and females living together and they get lax, or forgetful. It happens and the world goes on and they are more diligent the next time. The average pet owner has one dog and if they keep that dog on a leash and at home under their control how do we get puppies? The non-breeder people who are having unintentional litters will continue to do so no matter what, as will those who chose to breed against your wishes. And as far as confrontational - I didn't call the non koolaid drinking public too stupid to own an intact dog - all I did was question the accepted politically correct regurgitated rescue mantra. |
Quote: OMG - I want to meet your intact sex crazed dogs!
Kerry... um... you might want to take time to actually READ what I said. It says "You can have irrational fear both ways... " |
| Oh I read it all. that just seemed to jump out at the end - sort of like it was planned that way.
Yes I agree there are fears on both sides but people hear only the early spay/neuter on a regular basis - one vet in our area has it playing on their "on hold" messsage. Being me I had to ask them why and they couldn't defend it. They aren't actually my vet. I have seen my vet on some days ranting about how it could solve some issues he sees, when he is calmer, he doesn't recommend an early spay/neuter. You have to assume everyone who is asking the question here is thoughtful enough to hear a reasoned answer though. |
Quote: Oh I read it all. that just seemed to jump out at the end - sort of like it was planned that way. Are you kidding? I'm a pretty straight forward person. I'm not trying to sneak tricky phrases into my posts just to trip you up or **** you off. Quote: You have to assume everyone who is asking the question here is thoughtful enough to hear a reasoned answer though. Agreed. Though these spay/neuter threads come up in searches and much less informed/thoughtful people will pull just one piece of information, even if incomplete, and run with it. I suppose that's always going to be a problem. Quote: Yes I agree there are fears on both sides but people hear only the early spay/neuter on a regular basis
I do agree with this... people need the pros and cons to both options before deciding. I honestly believe I would have kept Bumble intact had both jolly ranchers been in proper alignment with the moon. |
Cathy227 wrote: Is there anything I should know or prepare for?
It's safe to say that both testicles are down... yes? If yes, it's a much easier, less expensive surgery. If not, the incision can look like this because they may have to search for it- http://oesusa.com/index.723.jpg. If he comes home the day of surgery, he could be sleepy unless he's had time to recover completely from the anesthetic. He may also have some pain. I always make sure we have a pain med on hand just in case. If they keep him overnight, he'll probably be ready to play. Ask the vet how long he needs to be kept calm... maybe up to 7 days for a standard neuter. Bumble was 10 days due to the invasive abdominal surgery required.
A soft cone is good as Kristine mentions... plastic if you can't get one. Bumble didn't bother the incissions so he got to wear a dress
http://oesusa.com/index.721.jpg Best wishes to you and your boy... whenever you decide to do it. |
This thread appears to becoming combative  . I hope no one mentions docking |
Quote: Bumble didn't bother the incissions so he got to wear a dress |
| Jaci, that's such a flattering color on Bumbles |
| I will just add my further 2 cents...I understand people's concern that vets are in cahoots with the food companies and don't know much about nitrition...I can understand that people research their computer and find all kinds of info about neutering/spaying, what is early and waht is not, etc. BUT...Vets have an extensive education...more than we will get on the internet...I am not saying they know everyhting. But what makes the average person think they know more than their Vet who has at least seven years in education plus internship, etc? If you can't trust your Vet, if you don't have faith in his knowledge and education, if you think he makes decisions that are not best for your dog, get another vet...
I think many show people have a reason they wait to spay/neuter their dogs. You can't show a "fixed" animal. Of course if you are thinking of showing, you need to wait to spay/neuter. But if you are the average pet owner, with no intentions of showing, I would follow my Vets recommendation...and if you can't, or disagree, get another Vet. You will be dealing with your vet a long time...No offense to anyone, but I would put more weight on my Vet's opinion than what you read on the internet... |
| I think most of the folks in this conversation
have more backing to their opinions other than "google". |
Ashley wrote: I will just add my further 2 cents...I understand people's concern that vets are in cahoots with the food companies and don't know much about nitrition...I can understand that people research their computer and find all kinds of info about neutering/spaying, what is early and waht is not, etc. BUT...Vets have an extensive education...more than we will get on the internet...I am not saying they know everyhting. But what makes the average person think they know more than their Vet who has at least seven years in education plus internship, etc? If you can't trust your Vet, if you don't have faith in his knowledge and education, if you think he makes decisions that are not best for your dog, get another vet...
I think many show people have a reason they wait to spay/neuter their dogs. You can't show a "fixed" animal. Of course if you are thinking of showing, you need to wait to spay/neuter. But if you are the average pet owner, with no intentions of showing, I would follow my Vets recommendation...and if you can't, or disagree, get another Vet. You will be dealing with your vet a long time...No offense to anyone, but I would put more weight on my Vet's opinion than what you read on the internet... I would (and do) question why my vet makes the recommendation. And I think we have all learned that even medical doctor's expect us to do our own research and be informed consumers. And I never believe anything I hear or see on the internet. I do however read and believe research studies that are posted on the Internet. I believ ein becoming the informed person in whatever I undertake, and as a research analyst I think I can spot phoney research and Internet hype. |
| Well anyway...it seems this topic is going a bit off track. I just wanted to know how the dogs did after the surgery and the experience the owners had when their dogs got home. Like is it ok if your dog doesn't eat for a while and if so , how long is ok. If I should have anything on hand like peroxide, cotton balls, or anything that would help if a problem arose that I wasn't prepared for that maybe some of you experienced. It wasn't supposed to be a debate on when to neuter your dog or to cause anyone to feel that they should have done things differently.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences, but perhaps we should put this thread to rest now  |
Quote: and as a research analyst I think I can spot phoney research and Internet hype.
And as a rescue person who actually deals with the problem, it my opinion that advising pet people NOT to alter their pets when thier vets recommend it is just a bad idea....and bad advice. I can attest to the fact that the male dogs that I have fostered that have come into my house intact have caused the most problems with thier leg-lifting that got them surrendered in the first place. When I have to take in an intact male, I roll my eyes and get my cleaners and belly bands ready. And I am speaking from experience.....not reseach, but my own experiences. More dogs lose their homes due to unwanted behaviors than because they are too leggy. I have had intact females die of pyemetry due to not being spayed in time by th owner...and by the time the dog got to me, it was too late. Twice. I haven't lost any to cancer because of an early spay/neuter...and I do pediatrics amy chance I can...Yes, at 8 weeks old if possible. When I was breeding (in a prior life) one of my intact bitches almost killed one of my spayed ones. Every time she went into heat she hated the other one being around. So good for you, if you want to take the chance, or delay things, or deal with the problems, but most people have no desire to, or need to. Why take the chance, if you don't have to? I have yet to say to myself "I wish I hadn't done that altering that early". It is just not worth the wait, for me and most people. |
Cathy227 wrote: Well anyway...it seems this topic is going a bit off track. I just wanted to know how the dogs did after the surgery and the experience the owners had when their dogs got home. Like is it ok if your dog doesn't eat for a while and if so , how long is ok. If I should have anything on hand like peroxide, cotton balls, or anything that would help if a problem arose that I wasn't prepared for that maybe some of you experienced. It wasn't supposed to be a debate on when to neuter your dog or to cause anyone to feel that they should have done things differently.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences, but perhaps we should put this thread to rest now Out of respect, I will not comment BUT, answer your question.... Neutering is really a pretty easy procedure, pain meds are sometimes given afterwards but, in my experience you do not want them to feel too good! Keep an eye on the incision site, redness swelling oozing... Limited excercise for 7-10 days.(leash only) Obviously no food or water the night before and following surgery feed about 1/4 of the food and water. Watch the water intake to prevent vomiting. Don't be alarmed if he has some mild coughing from the trachea tube! Most of all he will be fine and please feel free to ask any questions!! |
| And for a more balanced assessment of the medical risks and benefits of spay neuter, from the article Lisa cited:
Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs Laura J. Sanborn, M.S. May 14, 2007 SUMMARY An objective reading of the veterinary medical literature reveals a complex situation with respect to the longterm health risks and benefits associated with spay/neuter in dogs. The evidence shows that spay/neuter correlates with both positive AND adverse health effects in dogs. It also suggests how much we really do not yet understand about this subject. On balance, it appears that no compelling case can be made for neutering most male dogs, especially immature male dogs, in order to prevent future health problems. The number of health problems associated with neutering may exceed the associated health benefits in most cases. On the positive side, neutering male dogs • eliminates the small risk (probably <1%) of dying from testicular cancer • reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders • reduces the risk of perianal fistulas • may possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive) On the negative side, neutering male dogs • if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis. • increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6 • triples the risk of hypothyroidism • increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment • triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems • quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer • doubles the small risk (<1>5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds • triples the risk of hypothyroidism • increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems • causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs • increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4 • increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs spayed before puberty • doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors • increases the risk of orthopedic disorders • increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations One thing is clear – much of the spay/neuter information that is available to the public is unbalanced and contains claims that are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence. Rather than helping to educate pet owners, much of it has contributed to common misunderstandings about the health risks and benefits associated of spay/neuter in dogs. The traditional spay/neuter age of six months as well as the modern practice of pediatric spay/neuter appear to predispose dogs to health risks that could otherwise be avoided by waiting until the dog is physically mature, or perhaps in the case of many male dogs, foregoing it altogether unless medically necessary. The balance of long-term health risks and benefits of spay/neuter will vary from one dog to the next. Breed, age, and gender are variables that must be taken into consideration in conjunction with non-medical factors for each individual dog. Across-the-board recommendations for all pet dogs do not appear to be supportable from findings in the veterinary medical literature. These are relative HEALTH risks and doesn't address behavioral affects such as more noise sensitivities and phobias in spayed vrs intact bitches for instance. There is a another study which addresses this topic specifically, and, again, the results are not necessarily what we've been lead to expect. Now, let's be clear that a major reason dogs are surrendered to rescue is lack of training, not lack - or not - of hormones. I wish someone would put a fraction of this level of passion and effort into convincing people to train their dogs. As someone who fosters for rescue and has to spend too much time doing remedial work in this area. Surgery does nothing to improve poor genetics nor make up for lack of training and socialization. All surgery can do is make sure those poor genetics are not carried forward. For people who cannot or do not want to concern themselves with making sure their dogs do not procreate, castration is indeed the answer. But it should be their choice, as should the timing. As for post surgery, it's really pretty minimal for males. The anasthesia may leave them kind of sick to their stomach and woozy. If not eating within 12 hours, I'd be concerned. There should be no need for peroxide (in fact, please don't use that as it impedes healing) or cotton balls. If there is, the stiches are not holding (rare in males) Please bring the dog back in. There is a small risk of infection. Look for excessive swelling - there may be some swelling post surgery - ask you vet what would be considered excessive - or heat near the incision site. Take the dog's temp if in doubt. Like I mentioned, in the grand scheme of things this is pretty low risk surgery. You'd have to be pretty unlucky to experience complications. I'm sure he'll be fine. Now, do you want to talk about what obedience classes you'll be taking him to? Start another thread on that topic and I'm sure you'll get a dozen opinions on that topic too
(sorry, Kathy - I'm not as respectful as you But we both know how important training is. One word: DAPHNE!!!  Look for an update on her in the brags section.)
Kristine |
bestdogs wrote: Jaci, that's such a flattering color on Bumbles
It looked better on him than it did on me |
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