Neuter my male?

[jcd410]

Hey guys, I have a 11 wk old male red nose and I was wondering if I should get my dog neutered? I've heard that the dog will be more agressive and go humping things if it is not neutered. If they are more agressive not neutered, then I'm going to go ahead and get him neutered. Thanks guys. Sorry for such a dumb question.

[Vitaliy]

Usually dogs are more aggressive when not neutered and it prevents some cancers dogs get. Go for it!

What Are the Health Benefits to the Dog?

There are several health benefits to neutering. One of the most important concerns the prostate gland, which under the influence of testosterone will gradually enlarge over the course of the dog's life. In old age, it is likely to become uncomfortable, possibly being large enough to interfere with defecation. The prostate under the influence of testosterone is also predisposed to infection, which is almost impossible to clear up without neutering. Neutering causes the prostate to shrink into insignificance, thus preventing both prostatitis as well as the uncomfortable benign hyperplasia (enlargement) that occurs with aging. It is often erroneously held that neutering prevents prostate cancer but this is not true.

Other health benefits of neutering include the prevention of certain types of hernias and tumors of the testicles and anus. Neutering also reduces excessive preputial discharge.

Check out http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Conten ... &C=0&A=574 for more info.

[katch22]

There are no dumb questions!! If so, I am afraid I wouldn't be here. I vote for neutering. Both of my male dogs were calmer after it, and not as much red rocket time if you know what i mean...

[Fish]

I have heard not to do it until they are about 6 months of age. I am sure someone in this forum will give you a better clue about the time table.

[Vitaliy]

Oh about the age on that same website as poted before

At What Age Can Neutering Be Performed?

Neutering can be performed at any age over age 8 weeks. Dogs neutered before puberty (generally age 6 months) tend to grow a bit bigger than dogs neutered after puberty (testosterone is involved in causing bones to stop growing, so without testosterone the bones stop growing later). Neutering can also be performed in the geriatric patient should the prostate gland become enlarged and the best medical decision is to shrink it. In this event, preanesthetic blood work and other diagnostics relevant to anesthetizing an older patient would be recommended.

The traditional age for neutering is around 6 months of age and many veterinarians still recommend neutering at this age.

The benefits of neutering (both health and behavioral) can still be obtained regardless of the age at which neutering is performed.

[SKoth]

Actually neutering doesn't prevent cancers in dogs. (You'll find that in the same page your quoting.) Tumors associated with intact dogs are usually benign and enlargements usually can be treated hormonally.

[moto1320]

It depends on you and your area, your ability to keep a handle on your dog, and keep him from removing stationary objects to get to a female in heat. I am not for young neutering at all. Testosterone has many healthy benefits and it is not going to make the dog healthier to be nutless...it's here for a reason. Both of my males have been clipped, but at 1.5 and 2 respectively. Now this is when they came into resuce, but also coincides with my wishes. Dogs clipped too young grow up more tall/leggy and don't develop the bone mass, chest, muscle, or head porportions of a dog with testosterone. As stated above, growth plates don't close and the dogs come out different.

If there is just too much stuff to get into then be honest with yourself and whack em off. Otherwise, I'll be the lone dissenter and say wait. If problems arise it can always be done later. If no problems arise I would do it the moment he is fully developed anyway. But let him benefit from a proper hormonal balance through his developement stage. Even if you wait until 6 months, it takes anothr 6 months for testosterone to totally leave the system and that puts him at about full grown at a year.

I really hate giving this advice and stay out of these threads because it requires an owner dedication beyond what many people want to give. More than one person here can tell you stories off males tearing apart steel cages, going through solid oak doors, and even walls to get at a female in heat they smell in the area. Either way you go, work on bombproof training and the options will be more open to afford hormonal distractions if he keeps his balls a little while longer. So this is the info, it's up to you.

[elegy]

i personally would neuter him at six months. i have absolutely no desire to deal with the crap that is inherent in owning an intact male. i see no reason not to neuter unless you are planning on showing in confirmation (or i guess one of the weightpull organizations requires the dog be intact?) and breeding. but it is a personal choice.

i'm not a big fan of pediatric spay/neuter either, though my reasons are different from moto's. i think pups need a chance to get their immune systems up and running real well, get all their vaccines, and get a nice healthy start before putting them through the stress and physical trauma of surgery.

[Chocolate Thunda]

My boy has his boys and I have no humping, acts of aggression from him and he's 4 yrs old. But maybe he's the exception to the rule.

[pitpok]

I got hte neutersol (a shot) done one my pup just b/c i thouhgt it would be easier on him. No stiches or wound. Afterward found out he will act the some as if he was not neudered. 1 1/2 months later he still humps everything and i can not have that! I have to cough up 100 something $ to get the snip snip done.
i will never go to that vet again. ( talking me into a shot neudering)

[Maryellen]

Again, a personal preference. With rescue we do them at 8 weeks old, and the ones that were spayed/neutered grew up fine, not too leggy and such. However, most vets won't do it that young. alot of vets make you wait until the 6 month mark, Rufus was neutered at 5 months old as he was a major humping machine, he would hump anything on the floor. since he was neutered at 5 months he hasnt humped anything. Humping is also a sign of dominance to in dogs. As long as you are willing to not contribute to the over population, and you dont have a "male" issue with snip and clips, then go for it!! it does calm them down a bit for some, for others it doesnt do a thing. my girlfriend got her dog neutered at 4 years old, and he went thru a chewing stage for about a month then was fine.

[Maximus]

Dogs clipped too young grow up more tall/leggy and don't develop the bone mass, chest, muscle, or head porportions of a dog with testosterone.

This is really interesting to me. Chico was neutered pretty young (ten weeks, I think...he was still in rescue at that point), and he is VERY leggy and trim... so much so that I thought he had to be a mix of some kind (which, of course, is entirely possible with his unknown lineage), but I'm wondering now if this is why. I was told recently that his sisters are, at this point, much stockier and shorter than Chico, who was the only boy in his litter. Does petiatric spaying not have the same effect? They were all also altered very young (before placement).

[Maryellen]

its a possibility, rufus is long and leggy too, more like a colby dog. his brothers and sisters are more stockier. then again, rufus's father was an unknown, so who knows. his mom was a stocky little pit. some people say pediatric neutering/spaying does this, and others dont. i personally like the pediatric way because the pup comes out that evening all full of energy like nothing happened, and there are no elizabethen collars or anything like that, and they are not prone to licking the site, then again, its a matter of preference. most rescues do the spaying/neutering asap, to prevent overpopulation when adopted out, as some people will say they will get them spayed/neutered, then not do it. i think if more research was done on pediatric vs 6 months and up and they could come up with something, that would help too. its just like saying if you spay your female she has less of a chance of cancer, but how true is that? i know of a couple of females that were spayed before their first heat who got cancer anyway when they were older.

[Maryellen]

see, i was a truthful adoptee , i was goingto get rufus neutered, alot of people will say they will and don't., which is why rescues do it before the dog gets placed. plus because i was his foster mom and involved in rescue i was going to make sure he was neutered. all my dogs are. i dont want any puppies around.

[falis]

What Moto said was interesting.

Our boy (who was rescued by my to-be-wife a while back) didn't get snipped until maybe 20 months. He's a bit heavy/muscular at 65 lbs, but he looks good, and a lot of it is frame. He's also a real doggy dog. Never had problems with humping or any of that stuff, but he's definitely a boy, and has taken some extra work in training.

For most animals I've had, I tend towards neutering after (or just about at) maturity. Just seems more appropriate for their development (ie no superior knowledge here to back up my preference).

- Ed