That's why I sought advice for this article from veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic. I also talked to dog owners whose male dogs have been neutered.
The decision for or against neutering is very important and should be well considered
What is castration?
Castration is a surgical procedure under anesthesia in which a dog's gonads are removed. In males, this is the testicles, in females the ovaries. Sterilization, on the other hand, involves cutting the fallopian tubes in a female dog and the vas deferens in a male dog. Both procedures stop fertility.
In most countries, animal welfare laws prohibit unnecessary surgical procedures on animals. Castration without a valid medical or behavioral reason may be considered an unjustified intervention.
This means that a dog owner must not decide to have their dog neutered purely out of convenience. There must be a valid reason for neutering that could possibly improve your dog's quality of life.
Only your veterinarian may decide this. The procedure itself may also only be performed by a veterinarian.
Some dog owners decide to neuter their male dog because the male dog's behavior is causing problems. These behavioral problems are mostly the following:
- Aggressiveness towards other dogs or even people
- Hyperactivity
- Anxiety
- Sexual behavior of the male dog (straying, yowling, restlessness, loss of appetite, urinating, jumping up)
- Disobedience
Unfortunately, neutering is not a secret remedy for such behavioral disorders. There is a good chance that such behavioral disorders will subside or disappear completely. However, this also depends heavily on the upbringing.
Misbehavior learned in the meantime will most likely not subside even after neutering. The operation promises only a possible improvement of misbehavior controlled by sexual hormones.
Some male dogs have extreme sexual behavior. If there is a bitch in heat in the close vicinity of the male dog, he becomes particularly sensitive.
He could be Refuse food, constantly howl and thus disturb the neighborhood or run away. Here, neutering can actually be helpful by decreasing the sex drive.
Whether a castration could be helpful at the unwanted behavior of your dog, you can try this first - after consultation with your veterinarian - with a so-called "castration chip".
This chip is implanted. It simulates, with certain hormones, a castration, so to speak. This gives you the opportunity to follow whether your dog actually changes his behavior for the better. Afterwards you can decide whether a castration is useful or not.
2. Reproductive control
In regions with large stray dog populations, reproductive control is the primary reason for castration. In countries with fewer strays, behavioral or health reasons tend to be the main motivation.
Should you also have a female dog in your household, it is better to ask your veterinarian here for advice on how to avoid this without immediately thinking about spaying.
3. Medical causes
Various medical reasons can make neutering essential. Neutering can even save your male dog's life. Neutering is an essential procedure, especially for the following diseases:
Hormone-related hypersexuality or hormone imbalances. Male hormone imbalances or even hypersexuality can be a huge burden for your male dog and can greatly affect his quality of life. Some male dogs refuse their food during heat season, howl and are very restless. They can also be very aggressive towards other male dogs at such times. Some hormonal disorders in male dogs such as hyperestrogenism can even lead to tumors. In hyperestrogenism, there is an overproduction of female hormones. Other males may even find the neutered male attractive at one time.
- Cryptorchidism Cryptorchidism is an abnormality in the position of the testicles. The testicle is temporarily or permanently outside the scrotum. This means that it can be located in the abdominal cavity or in the inguinal canal. The cause is incomplete descent of the testicles. These testicles may be prone to tumorous degeneration.
- Prostate diseases Prostate diseases generally occur in older male dogs. This is usually a benign enlargement of the prostate. If the prostate is enlarged, defecation may be more difficult and painful. A bloody fluid may also come out of the urethra or the urine itself may be bloody. Castration generally reduces the size of the prostate gland quickly, as the effect of male sex hormones is removed.
- Testicular tumors are of various types and usually occur in older male dogs. Not all testicular tumors are malignant. Whether malignant or not, castration is usually recommended.
You must not forget that neutering is a surgical procedure that your vet performs under anesthesia. Every surgical procedure in which a living being is under anesthesia involves risks. Especially if the animal is advanced in age.
Castration itself can also have undesirable consequences. Post-operative bleeding in the scrotum can occur after the operation. Coagulation disorders can lead to increased bleeding. Licking the wound can lead to infection of the wound and therefore poor wound healing.
Please therefore discuss the risks thoroughly with your vet. You can prevent many of these risks by taking appropriate precautions. There is a risk of weight gain after castration. In males, weight gain is not as pronounced as in females.
The sex hormones regulate appetite and metabolism. After castration, the effect of these hormones is lost. A neutered dog therefore has a greater appetite and a lower energy requirement.
This risk is avoidable. You can provide your male dog with more exercise and change his diet. You can also visit our page "Food for neutered dogs" visit
Some dog breeds may experience coat changes after castration. In long-haired breeds, for example, a strong growth of the undercoat can be observed. However, these statements are based more on experience than on scientific studies.
The age at which a male dog should be neutered depends on many circumstances, reasons and risk factors. It is therefore not possible to give a general answer. Male dogs younger than one year old should not be neutered. This is because there are reports that neutered young dogs behave more aggressively after the operation.
In general, the male dog should be fully grown. The male dog also needs his sexual hormones for his development. Neutering too early could impair the healthy development of his body. His social behavior with other dogs could also deteriorate.
In principle, castration can be performed at any age. In older animals, the operation is associated with a higher risk of anesthesia, especially if there are additional risk factors such as obesity or heart disease.
You should take leave one day before and at least one day after the operation. After the operation, someone should definitely be with him for the next 24 hours and keep him under close observation until he is alert again.
- Your dog must be sober before the operation. Therefore, do not give him anything to eat for 12 hours before the operation. However, he should always have his drinking water ready. Shortly before the operation, it would be a good idea to take your dog for a quick pee.
- Prepare a quiet area in your home for your pet. The area should be quiet and peaceful. He can relax here afterwards.
- Don't forget that your friend will have difficulty keeping his balance for a while after waking up from anesthesia. Remove any objects in the vicinity that he could injure himself on while staggering. He should also not have the opportunity to jump onto the sofa and the like.
- It would be good if there were no visitors at home, especially people he doesn't know or like.
- For transportation after the operation, you should prepare a comfortable place for your pet to lie down in the car or in the transport box. Pad the area with absorbent material. He may urinate after the operation or vomit due to the anesthetic.
It would be good if someone who your dog knows as a caregiver accompanies you when you pick up the dog. It may be difficult for you to transport your dog on your own.
- Drive very carefully on the way home and avoid bumpy roads.
- Take your dog to his resting place immediately. It would be good if you darkened the room or area.
- Quiet is the order of the day! Dogs are usually sensitive to noise after anesthesia.
- If your dog is used to staying in the crate and there is enough space, you can leave him in the crate. But leave the door open. This will make it easier for you to check whether he is lively enough.
- You should only give your dog food again after he is really lively. This is usually eight to twelve hours after the operation. The food should be light and well tolerated. He must always have water.
- Avoid long walks with him in the following days. Always keep him on the lead outside. This will help you to control his pace. You are also not allowed to play with him. Too much activity can strain the wound.
- Avoid contact with other dogs until his wound has healed.
- Your dog must not lick the wound. He could try to pull or nibble at the suture. The best thing to do here is to put a collar on his neck. He may resist it at first and try to get rid of it. With a little patience, he will get used to it. It is important that he cannot touch his wound.
- Until the wound has healed, you should always keep a close eye on your pet. How is the wound healing? How is his behavior?
- If you notice anything strange, contact your veterinary practice immediately.
The best-known alternative to castration is the hormone chip, also known as chemical castration. The exact name of the chip is the Suprelorin implant.
It contains the hormone deslorelin, which stimulates the testicles of the male. However, the hormones are released in a lower dose. This reduces the activity in the testicles.
This prevents sexual drive and the ability to reproduce. The chip has an effect for six to twelve months. It takes about six weeks for the implantation to take full effect.
No surgery is required to insert the chip. Anesthesia is also not necessary. The medication is implanted under the male dog's skin using a syringe. The chip decomposes in the body by itself after it has taken effect.
Chemical castration can also lead to coat changes, weight gain and low activity. After six to twelve months, the male dog's hormone levels return to normal. He becomes fertile again.
The hormone chip can also be a decision-making aid for surgical castration. Whether the chip promotes tumor diseases has not been proven. There are also chemical injections and tablets that have a similar effect. However, their duration of action is shorter, so they have to be administered every six weeks or so.
As long as your male dog does not suffer from a disease, you can try a chemical castration first, to be able to decide afterwards more clearly whether a surgical castration is meaningful.
Please keep in mind that you cannot reverse a surgical neutering.
In any case, surgical castration will mean a "change" for both your pet and you. at home or with his diet and outside: his fellow dogs, who already know him, will react differently to him at first because he will smell completely different after the operation.
Therefore, you should take your time in making the decision and not act hastily.
It might be a good idea to get additional advice from a second vet or a behavioral therapist on this.
