| Neutering - Why it's a Good Idea Race Foster, DVM Marty Smith, DVM Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. |
Other than population control, there are lots of very, very good
reasons to castrate (remove the testicles from) male dogs. They
basically fall into one of two categories – they are either behavioral
or medical. Regardless of which category we are talking about, most
of the unwanted characteristics or conditions are caused by the
male hormone testosterone, which is produced within the testicle.
That is the major reason vasectomies have never been that popular
in veterinary medicine. A vasectomy eliminates successful breeding,
but it does not reduce any of the undesirable problems of the
intact male, since it does affect testosterone production or its
distribution throughout the rest of the dog's body.
Behavioral advantages of neutering
Decreased Aggression: One of the most important behavioral
advantages of castration is that as adults, these dogs will tend to
be less aggressive both toward other male dogs and also people. The
androgen (male) hormones, of which testosterone is the most
important, are responsible for the development of many behavioral
patterns. When young puppies are sexually mounting their 7 and 8-
week old litter mates this is because of androgen surges in their
bodies. The same is true with aggressive behavior. Some
medications that have androgenic hormonal activity often cause
increased aggression (an example would be the birth control
medication, Cheque Drops, which contains one of these androgen-
type chemicals). The degree castration has on suppressing
aggression varies between animals and the age at which it is done.
Its effect is greatest if it is done before one year of age.
Decreased Roaming: A second behavioral advantage of neutering is
that these dogs will not 'roam' when they sense a female in heat.
Male dogs can sense females in heat through pheromones. These are
airborne chemical attractants that are liberated from the female
when she is cycling. They travel through the air for great distances.
We grew up on a farm where the next closest house was over a mile
away, but when one of our female dogs was in heat, the males would
come for miles from upwind, downwind, and crosswind. Pheromones
are, to say the least, very effective stimuli. In the seventies, it
was briefly popular to do vasectomies on dogs thinking that we
would not be taking the 'joy of sex' away from our canine
counterparts. The problem with this reasoning was that many of us
keep our dogs restricted in our homes, a kennel, or on a chain. Now
think of the psychological stress the vasectomized male is under
when he is locked up, but yet smells that female in heat four blocks
away. There is no joy of sex, as he is trapped on your property
unable to go and mate with her. He is, in effect, teased continuously
for three to fourteen days while the female is in estrus and he is
unable to mate with her. If dogs are neutered at an early age, they
will not sense or respond to pheromones, and would certainly be less
stressed and tend to stay home.
Increased Concentration: A third behavioral advantage occurs when
you are training or working your dog, or using him for field work. If
neutered, he will be a much better student with a much longer
attention span when there are females nearby that are in heat. This
is because he will not be constantly distracted by pheromonal
stimuli.
Medical advantages
The medical advantages are numerous and even more significant.
Again, all are caused by the effects of testosterone on the body or
are physical problems that arise within the testicles themselves.
Here again, a vasectomy would not serve any real or meaningful
purpose.
No Testicular Tumors: There are several different tumor types,
both benign and malignant, that arise within the testicles. As with
most cancers, these usually are not noted until the animal reaches 5
or more years of age. Therefore, these would not be a problem in
those individuals castrated at the recommended age.
Improved Genetics: We all agree that a male carrying a harmful
genetic trait like hip dysplasia or epilepsy should be neutered. We
must do all that is possible to prevent the spread or continuation of
these conditions and others like them.
Fewer Hernias: A hernia is a protrusion of an organ or parts of an
organ or other structure through the wall of a cavity that normally
contains it. Perianal hernias occur when the colon, urinary bladder,
prostate, or fat protrude from the abdominal cavity, through the
muscular wall by the anus and then lie just under the skin. This type
of hernia is far more common in older, unneutered male dogs. The
levels of testosterone and other hormones appear to relax or
weaken the group of muscles near the anus. When the animal then
strains to defecate or urinate, the weakened muscles break down
and the abdominal organs and fat bulge out under the skin. In
shorthaired breeds, this large bulge is noted by the owner almost
immediately, but in the longhaired dogs, the problem may go on for
months before anyone realizes there is an abnormality. Left
untreated, these organs may become damaged, unable to function or
even die from loss of blood supply. Additionally, because of the
displacement of organs into this area, the animal may not be able to
defecate or urinate correctly or completely and may become
constipated or have urinary incontinence (dribble urine). The
surgery to repair this condition is not simple and today can easily
cost $700 to $1500 or more, depending on the severity.
Fewer Perianal Tumors: There are tumors whose growth is
stimulated by testosterone. These occur near the anus and are
called perianal adenomas (benign) or perianal adenocarcinomas
(malignant). As with the hernias, these usually do not occur until the
dog is at least 7-years old. They require surgical treatment and
should be caught early in their development to prevent recurrence.
These tumors and the above hernia are very, very rare in those
individuals castrated at 7 to 8-months of age.
Fewer Prostate Problems: The most common medical problems
eliminated in dogs neutered at an early age are those involving the
prostate. Over 80% of all unneutered male dogs develop prostate
disease. Prostate conditions such as benign enlargement, cysts, and
infection are all related to the presence of testosterone.
Early neutering
In the United States, most dogs are neutered between 5 and 8
months of age. Many humane shelters and veterinarians are starting
to neuter male animals at a younger age, even 6-14 weeks of age.
This early neutering does not affect the growth rate, and there are
no appreciable differences in skeletal, physical, or behavioral
development between those animals neutered early than those
neutered at a more traditional age. It must be remembered that
younger animals may need different anesthetics and are more prone
to hypothermia (lower than normal body temperature) during
surgery. As long as procedures are modified to account for these
differences, early neutering is very safe. In fact, animals neutered
at a younger age often have faster recoveries than those neutered
when they are older.
Summary
None of the behavioral or medical problems caused by testosterone
are rare. Veterinarians deal with them on a daily basis. To say it in a
way that may not sound very nice but is certainly true –
veterinarians would make a lot less money if everyone neutered
their male dogs before they were a year of age.
reasons to castrate (remove the testicles from) male dogs. They
basically fall into one of two categories – they are either behavioral
or medical. Regardless of which category we are talking about, most
of the unwanted characteristics or conditions are caused by the
male hormone testosterone, which is produced within the testicle.
That is the major reason vasectomies have never been that popular
in veterinary medicine. A vasectomy eliminates successful breeding,
but it does not reduce any of the undesirable problems of the
intact male, since it does affect testosterone production or its
distribution throughout the rest of the dog's body.
Behavioral advantages of neutering
Decreased Aggression: One of the most important behavioral
advantages of castration is that as adults, these dogs will tend to
be less aggressive both toward other male dogs and also people. The
androgen (male) hormones, of which testosterone is the most
important, are responsible for the development of many behavioral
patterns. When young puppies are sexually mounting their 7 and 8-
week old litter mates this is because of androgen surges in their
bodies. The same is true with aggressive behavior. Some
medications that have androgenic hormonal activity often cause
increased aggression (an example would be the birth control
medication, Cheque Drops, which contains one of these androgen-
type chemicals). The degree castration has on suppressing
aggression varies between animals and the age at which it is done.
Its effect is greatest if it is done before one year of age.
Decreased Roaming: A second behavioral advantage of neutering is
that these dogs will not 'roam' when they sense a female in heat.
Male dogs can sense females in heat through pheromones. These are
airborne chemical attractants that are liberated from the female
when she is cycling. They travel through the air for great distances.
We grew up on a farm where the next closest house was over a mile
away, but when one of our female dogs was in heat, the males would
come for miles from upwind, downwind, and crosswind. Pheromones
are, to say the least, very effective stimuli. In the seventies, it
was briefly popular to do vasectomies on dogs thinking that we
would not be taking the 'joy of sex' away from our canine
counterparts. The problem with this reasoning was that many of us
keep our dogs restricted in our homes, a kennel, or on a chain. Now
think of the psychological stress the vasectomized male is under
when he is locked up, but yet smells that female in heat four blocks
away. There is no joy of sex, as he is trapped on your property
unable to go and mate with her. He is, in effect, teased continuously
for three to fourteen days while the female is in estrus and he is
unable to mate with her. If dogs are neutered at an early age, they
will not sense or respond to pheromones, and would certainly be less
stressed and tend to stay home.
Increased Concentration: A third behavioral advantage occurs when
you are training or working your dog, or using him for field work. If
neutered, he will be a much better student with a much longer
attention span when there are females nearby that are in heat. This
is because he will not be constantly distracted by pheromonal
stimuli.
Medical advantages
The medical advantages are numerous and even more significant.
Again, all are caused by the effects of testosterone on the body or
are physical problems that arise within the testicles themselves.
Here again, a vasectomy would not serve any real or meaningful
purpose.
No Testicular Tumors: There are several different tumor types,
both benign and malignant, that arise within the testicles. As with
most cancers, these usually are not noted until the animal reaches 5
or more years of age. Therefore, these would not be a problem in
those individuals castrated at the recommended age.
Improved Genetics: We all agree that a male carrying a harmful
genetic trait like hip dysplasia or epilepsy should be neutered. We
must do all that is possible to prevent the spread or continuation of
these conditions and others like them.
Fewer Hernias: A hernia is a protrusion of an organ or parts of an
organ or other structure through the wall of a cavity that normally
contains it. Perianal hernias occur when the colon, urinary bladder,
prostate, or fat protrude from the abdominal cavity, through the
muscular wall by the anus and then lie just under the skin. This type
of hernia is far more common in older, unneutered male dogs. The
levels of testosterone and other hormones appear to relax or
weaken the group of muscles near the anus. When the animal then
strains to defecate or urinate, the weakened muscles break down
and the abdominal organs and fat bulge out under the skin. In
shorthaired breeds, this large bulge is noted by the owner almost
immediately, but in the longhaired dogs, the problem may go on for
months before anyone realizes there is an abnormality. Left
untreated, these organs may become damaged, unable to function or
even die from loss of blood supply. Additionally, because of the
displacement of organs into this area, the animal may not be able to
defecate or urinate correctly or completely and may become
constipated or have urinary incontinence (dribble urine). The
surgery to repair this condition is not simple and today can easily
cost $700 to $1500 or more, depending on the severity.
Fewer Perianal Tumors: There are tumors whose growth is
stimulated by testosterone. These occur near the anus and are
called perianal adenomas (benign) or perianal adenocarcinomas
(malignant). As with the hernias, these usually do not occur until the
dog is at least 7-years old. They require surgical treatment and
should be caught early in their development to prevent recurrence.
These tumors and the above hernia are very, very rare in those
individuals castrated at 7 to 8-months of age.
Fewer Prostate Problems: The most common medical problems
eliminated in dogs neutered at an early age are those involving the
prostate. Over 80% of all unneutered male dogs develop prostate
disease. Prostate conditions such as benign enlargement, cysts, and
infection are all related to the presence of testosterone.
Early neutering
In the United States, most dogs are neutered between 5 and 8
months of age. Many humane shelters and veterinarians are starting
to neuter male animals at a younger age, even 6-14 weeks of age.
This early neutering does not affect the growth rate, and there are
no appreciable differences in skeletal, physical, or behavioral
development between those animals neutered early than those
neutered at a more traditional age. It must be remembered that
younger animals may need different anesthetics and are more prone
to hypothermia (lower than normal body temperature) during
surgery. As long as procedures are modified to account for these
differences, early neutering is very safe. In fact, animals neutered
at a younger age often have faster recoveries than those neutered
when they are older.
Summary
None of the behavioral or medical problems caused by testosterone
are rare. Veterinarians deal with them on a daily basis. To say it in a
way that may not sound very nice but is certainly true –
veterinarians would make a lot less money if everyone neutered
their male dogs before they were a year of age.
| This page was created by and is maintained by Belinda Winters for BFH Bassets. If you have any questions or comments email belindawinters@bfhbassets.com |