Neutering your dog.

Neutering is the collective word which we use in the UK to describe either castrating a male dog or spaying a female dog.

There are advantages and disadvantages to neutering your dog. However, generally the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

ADVANTAGES

1) Prevents reproduction.
2) Entire male dogs can stray if they can smell a bitch in season, this is less likely to happen after neutering
3) Stops bitches from coming into season. The season can be a period of time where the bitch will produce blood spotting throughout the house, become possessive over owners and toys.
4) For entire females walks on leads will have to be carried out during a season in case any entire male dogs are in the area.

5) Infections can occur during a season due to the vulva being open. This is called a pyometra. The bitch can become extremely ill and the most effective cure is to spay them sometimes under emergency surgery.
6)Dominant behaviour can be a problem with male dogs, castrating can moderate their behaviour.
7) Neutering also reduces the risk of some cancers. Mammary tumours in the bitch; prostate and testicular cancer in the dog. (Neutering before a season does in fact lower the risk of mammary tumours)

DISADVANTAGES.

1) Having a general anaesthetic (the risks are lower with a young, fit and healthy animal)
2) Increase in weight is a common problem post neutering due to 30% less calories required due to the lower hormone levels in the body.
3)Urinary incontinence in the bitch has been shown to occur more commonly in spayed bitches than unspayed. Many other factors are also involved in the condition though.

It used to be common practice to let bitches have a litter of pups before being spayed however research has shown this to be no significance to the bitch.

When deciding the best time to neuter your dog it is best to seek the advice of the veterinary surgeons.

If you decide you would like a litter of pups from your bitch before she is spayed please research this thoroughly.

Your pet has to be six months of age or over to be neutered.
If a season has been had by a bitch then we have to wait for a month before we can carry out the spay this is to allow her hormone levels to settle down.

To book your dog in for neutering please contact the surgery.
Routine procedures are carried out on week days only.