The problem of castration of dogs, whether male or female, worries many, and not only owners of four-legged pets. In some countries, this procedure is considered preferable if the puppy is not planning to leave for breeding. For example, in the USA puppies are neutered as soon as they reach the age of six months. This not only improves the behavioral qualities of dogs, but also eliminates accidental crossbreeding, unwanted breeding and prevents the problem of stray animals.
However, in a number of countries, such as Norway, animal welfare laws exist that require pets to not undergo surgical procedures to adapt them to people's needs, unless this is a strictly necessary measure recommended by the veterinarian. Simply put, the owner does not have the right to castrate dogs, and the procedure can only be prescribed by a specialist in case of a threat to the health of the animal. So is it worth it to apply this operation to your pet?
Is castration humane?
In our country, there is no mandatory sterilization of dogs or a ban on surgery. When there are no special veterinary regulations, the owner decides whether to subject his dog to a procedure. The debate about the pros and cons of castration of dogs, about the ethics of the operation, the right of the animal to the natural manifestation of its instincts prevents the final decision. But it should be remembered that dogs have not lived in natural conditions for a long time, they are comfortable sitting next to a person.
Perhaps not everyone knows that 70% of homeless males never fit in their entire lives. This is the privilege of the strongest dominant males or the most cunning. The rest are only in the capacity of accompanying escort and, if they violate the hierarchical advantage of the leaders, they are subjected to brutal aggression. Domestic dogs, constantly experiencing the influence of sex hormones, are in a state of stress, dissatisfaction and discomfort. This often breaks the harmonious contact between the pet and its owner, creates an unbearable relationship for both and becomes a good reason for castration.
Health
According to reviews, many owners do not want to castrate dogs to their animals, fearing that they will become infantile, inhibited, stupid, lose their guard qualities, begin to recover, they will increase the risk of diseases associated with a lack of sex hormones. These are unfounded concerns. If the puppy is not operated too early, his health will be safer than that of non-castrated dogs, since the procedure prevents diseases of the testes and prostate glands of males, the reproductive system and mammary glands in bitches, including oncological ones. In addition, the life expectancy of a castrated dog is one third longer than that of its unoperated counterparts.
Behavior and activity
Males after the procedure behave much more adequately. The dog will remain active for a walk, will be happy to play and run. But in the house he will begin to behave much more calmly, spending more time in his place. The walking time of castrated dogs should be increased to give them more room for movement. As a result of how castration affects the dog’s behavior, walking will gradually become more pleasant and calm, and it will begin to give pleasure to both the owner and the pet.
A castrated male is much better at training and is much more willing to follow the owner’s commands, since the dog is not distracted by the painful sensations and desires provoked by hormonal action, he focuses on his owners. At the same time, security and working qualities do not become worse, and in bitches they even increase.
Excess weight
The risk of completeness does exist. As the dog becomes calmer, mentally balanced, and less mobile, its body needs fewer calories and its daily serving needs to be reduced. From industrial feeds, you should choose less high-calorie ones, and in a natural diet, partially replace the diet with fish, avoid pork meat and offal, milk, eggs. If the dog receives porridge in the diet, then it is better to replace high-calorie wheat cereal with pearl-barley, rich in vegetable protein.
Behavioral causes of male castration
For the most part, the dog’s behavior depends on his upbringing, but some manifestations of males cannot be corrected by any training.
- Frequent erection of a pet, its imitation of sexual intercourse on people or objects.
- The male puts marks directly in the apartment, constantly whines and asks for the street.
- The dog becomes naughty and hard to control. And it is completely unacceptable if the dog is aggressive towards the household. Dominant males poorly obey commands, striving to constantly show their superiority, and if they recognize power, then only one member of the family, while others sometimes do not manage to control the dog.
- The dog on a walk constantly pulls the leash, trying to escape, and reacts violently to other dogs. Often a dog shows aggression towards other dogs, tries to copulate with smaller dogs, regardless of their gender, and becomes the very object of harassment or aggression. Walking such a dog turns into torment and causes constant tension.
- The male runs away at every opportunity, and the frequent search for an animal or attempts to take it on a leash is a very unnerving circumstance for the owner. But most importantly, this behavior of the pet becomes dangerous for his health and life. Runaway dogs are often lost and fall under cars. In addition, accidental knitting can cause various infections. After all, dogs also have sexually transmitted diseases, of which there are about 20, and the most common of them: transmissible sexually transmitted sarcoma, chlamydia, gonorrhea (gonococcal urethritis). There is also a risk of infection with parasites and other diseases that the dog may get through contact or through food.
Any of the above reasons is enough to castrate the male. But you should not expect from a cute puppy that growing up, he will certainly become such an unbearable dog. More often, sexual problems of dogs appear 2-3 times a year with varying degrees of intensity. Many owners of not too active males manage during these periods with agents that lower sexual activity.
Types of castration dogs
To begin with, it should be clarified that there are two ways to deprive your dog of reproduction: castrate or sterilize. In the first case, the genitals are removed: the male testes, the female only the ovaries or in combination with the uterus. Sex drive after some time after surgery stops. During sterilization, the reproductive organs cannot be removed, but only the spermatic canals of males and the fallopian tubes of females overlap. Sex drive in this case does not wane, the dogs are active in mating, the estrus continues in bitches. But animals are not capable of reproducing offspring. This procedure does not affect the behavior of pets.
Both options - the operations are quite simple, worked out by the veterinarians many times, and some specialists carry out the procedure at home at the client. But with any operation, there are restrictions, including anesthesia. Therefore, before making the final choice, you need to consult a good veterinarian. The postoperative period of castration of male dogs is not a problem, it does not require a particularly gentle regimen, and it is mainly necessary to ensure that the animal does not gnaw stitches.
When to castrate a male?
Male dogs are exposed to sex hormones, which affect their behavior, even from puppyhood. After castration, the intake of hormones does not stop instantly, and the unwanted manifestations of the male dog will continue for some time, becoming more fixed in reflex behavior. Therefore, deciding on castration, one should not postpone the procedure for a long time. But casting a puppy is also not recommended too early. Reproductive hormones are involved in the full formation of the joints, bones and skeletal structure of the dog. Premature castration can increase the risk of developing diseases of the hip joints (dysplasia) and bone cancer (osteosarcoma). Male puberty depends on the average weight of the puppy's breed and determines the age of castration of dogs. But in any case, the procedure is not recommended for animals under nine months old.
- Small dogs weighing less than 15 kg can be neutered after nine months.
- Dogs whose weight ranges from 15–25 kg are subjected to surgery after 12 months.
- Males weighing more than 25 kg are recommended to be castrated after 15 months.
This age is indicated with the calculation of the full formation of the dog's body. The maximum age does not matter, and most veterinarians believe that dogs can be neutered at any age.
Results Statistics
Back in the 1990s, the University of California was monitoring the effects of dog castration. Indicators of changes in the behavior of males can be given in numbers.
- Dogs run away from home in 90% of cases; in 45% of males, the result is noted immediately after surgery.
- Aggressiveness to other males and imitation of an act completely ceases in 60% of individuals.
- Tags ceases to put in the premises of only half the dogs. Unfortunately, this habit is rooted in many males in reflex behavior.
Castration bitches
This operation for bitches is more complicated and longer than for males, and the postoperative period is longer and painful. Perhaps this stops many owners from castrating female dogs. It is believed that only females living in the yard need the procedure, where males from all the neighborhoods run off during her estrus, when the owners cannot control her dangerous periods and unwanted mating. Or if the dog is prone to vagrancy and tries to run away twice a year. And for domestic girls, whom the owners may well keep track of, such a complicated procedure is not necessary at all. Sex hormones also affect the behavior of females, although to a lesser extent than males. In addition, the risk of diseases associated with sexual function in females is significantly higher.
Features of the operation
When castration of bitches, there are two options for removing reproductive organs: only the ovaries or the uterus with the ovaries. The second type of castration of dogs is preferable and more often recommended by veterinarians. If you leave the uterus, inflammation (pyometra) may occur over time, and this organ will still have to be removed. A complex operation eliminates the risk of cancer of the mammary glands and genitals, inflammation of the uterus, and false pregnancy.
The operation is preferably carried out at home or to ensure the delivery of the animal by personal transport to the veterinarian. The first option is preferable, because if the dog begins to move away from anesthesia in the car, not understanding where it is and what is happening to it, many problems can arise.
Before the operation, a general examination of the animal by a veterinarian is necessary to identify abnormalities or diseases that complicate anesthesia. The doctor calculates the dose of anesthesia (sedative with epidural anesthesia) based on the weight of the animal. Reproductive organs are removed through a 5-centimeter (in the absence of pathologies and pregnancy) lobar incision that is made below the navel along the white line of the abdomen. After organ harvesting, the abdominal wall is sutured with sutures that do not require subsequent intervention and treatment. Surface sutures on the skin can also be such that they do not require removal. Otherwise, the sutures are removed after 7-10 days after surgery.
What to do after castration?
After the operation, the dog must be kept warm, preferably on the floor. An animal that regains consciousness from anesthesia can panic and be disoriented, and will try to crawl on its front legs. It is necessary to reassure the pet. The hind legs may not begin to function immediately, but only after a few hours. The veterinarian will prescribe postoperative painkillers and antibiotics that the dog needs during the first 1-3 days. The appetite is restored in the next 2-4 days, if five days after the operation the animal refuses to eat, you should contact your veterinarian. It is necessary to ensure that the dog does not lick and does not bite the seams. Be sure to show the pet to the doctor after the time indicated by him.
Age
Veterinarians believe that bitches can be neutered from 6 months, and it is better to carry out the procedure at a young age. The best time for castration is before the first estrus or immediately after it. The dog that never gave birth transfers its maternal instinct to family members and maximally focuses on the owners. Castrated and never mated females, as a rule, do not recognize the dominance of males in relationships and do not allow attempts to mate on their part.
The pros and cons of castration dogs can be discussed when it comes to the health of the pet or extreme cases of negative behavior. When the operation is a necessity, then the minuses become much less. Regarding the behavior of dogs, one should nevertheless remember that the procedure is not always necessary for pets. Most often, the dog’s actions and habits depend on its upbringing and relationship with the owner.