When to neuter?

[cefe13]

It's very interesting to follow this thread. What surprises me whenever I read about castration of dogs in a North-American context is that the question is usually not if but when to castrate the dog. Where I live, dogs are normally left intact (in 2012, 78 % were NOT castrated) and I must say it therefore seems very strange to castrate dogs almost be default because of expected behavioural problems or because of expected medical problems. Likewise, the problem of unwanted litter surely needn't be a problem among responsible dog owners?

Having said that, my dog is only six months old and I don't know if this gentle creature will turn into a monster. If that happens, however, further obedience training would be the natural step, not to put him under the knife.

 

[Baxter Tiberius]

Thank you for correcting me everyone. I simply couldn't get my head around this topic.

Just like the raw feeding debate, nobody seems to really know which is better, and both sides have reason to scorn the other.

Incredible how little we know about how to tend to our animals ... even in 2013 !

 

[Baxter Tiberius]

Thank you for correcting me everyone. I simply couldn't get my head around this topic.

Just like the raw feeding debate, nobody seems to really know which is better, and both sides have reason to scorn the other.

Incredible how little we know about how to tend to our animals ... even in 2013 !

@Rural mystic for some reason i assumed the increased testicular cancer risk in non-neutered dogs was due to "lack of use". Not having sex. Someone must have told me that at some point. I believe they were comparing to "Studs" who breed often. Dogs that use their junk on a regular basis. I've heard that if you don't ejaculate you can increase your risk for problems. that sort of logic.

So in this case though ... that isn't the cause, right? Its just the presence of male androgens in the body. If thats the case, we can look to humans on this issue, couldn't we? They're comparing the numbers to dogs that no longer have testicles. Obviously the rate will be "higher". But if you took 100 human men with testicles, you wouldn't say there is a "high rate" of testicular cancer. You'd have a "normal rate". That would be true for dogs too wouldn't it? In other words NOT neutering doesn't INCREASE risk of testicular cancer at all. Its just higher than it would be in dogs that no longer have testicles.They have shown that testosterone is preventative in heart disease and many other very important health issues in human males.

If this is the case, then there is no health risk at all. And in fact, Testosterone is *needed* for proper health in males. They're finding that more and more, which is why "anti aging" clinics are popping up. Guys with low testosterone run the risk of many health problems in the long run. It must be replenished, or kick started endogenously. The risk of heart disease and many other things increases exponentially in the absence of testosterone.

If I am bringing baxter to a doggy daycare do you think they'll require neuter though? Is there a possibility he'd mount a female dog when nobody's watching and trouble could ensue?

 

[Rural mystic]

If I am bringing baxter to a doggy daycare do you think they'll require neuter though? Is there a possibility he'd mount a female dog when nobody's watching and trouble could ensue?

But of course there is always the possible risk your dog breeding another at doggy day care but highly unlikely, if they are a daycare they should be monitoring the dogs if not what's the point of having them there. But its not like they could turn their heads and in seconds the deed would be done. If you leave your dog intact and the doggy day care requires neutering then I would simply not take him there. I wouldn't allow a doggy day care to dictate how I raise my dog. If someone is really concerned that their dog might sire a unwanted litter then there are other methods of prevention without castration. Perhaps in the future there will be more Vets to perform vasectomies, I think there are already a few that will now as an option but they are scarce from what I have read