Smaller breeds (mature body weight under 15kg) tend to be desexed at a younger age (5-6 months old), whereas larger breeds (mature body weight over 15kg), tend to be desexed between 12-18 months of age because they're more likely to have reached their full height, weight and skeletal maturity before being castrated.
The recommended age to neuter a male dog is between six and nine months. However, some pet owners have this procedure done at four months. Smaller dogs reach puberty sooner and can often have the procedure done sooner. Larger breeds may need to wait longer in order to properly develop before being neutered.
Myth 1: neutering makes dogs calmer
It is widely believed that neutering will help calm boisterous, over-excitable adolescent dogs down. However this is often not the case.
It's never too late to desex — there is no 'best before' age for either male or female dogs. In fact, the risk of certain diseases increases with age, so desexing is even more important for older dogs.
According to several studies, the main behaviors that are affected consistently in male dogs following neutering (I guess I am being politically correct now) include: decreased sexual behavior (primarily, mounting behavior), urine marking (depositing urine on objects), and roaming.
When should I neuter my male dog? Small dogs do not have as many orthopedic issues, therefore it is fine to neuter them on the younger side at 6-12 months of age. For large dogs that are very prone to orthopedic injury/diseases we now recommend waiting to neuter until 9-18 months of age.
What Spaying and Neutering Your Animal Does. Even though there won't be a change in your pet's energy level, the act of having a vet spay or neuter your pet will eliminate or reduce those behaviors that are attributed to their hormones. This includes heat cycles and the associated behaviors in female dogs.
Another study, conducted by Banfield Pet Hospitals on a database of 2.2 million dogs and 460,000 cats reflected similar findings, concluding that neutered male dogs lived 18% longer and spayed female dogs lived 23% longer. Spayed female cats in the study lived 39% longer and neutered male cats lived 62% longer.
In summary, there is consistent evidence that desexing is associated with an increased risk of obesity in dogs of both sexes across a wide variety of environments, as well as some evidence that weight loss is more difficult to achieve in desexed as compared to intact dogs, and that caloric intake is decreased by the ...
How Long Does Male Dog Desexing Take? The desexing surgery itself can take 10 to 30 minutes. Pre-surgery tests can last from 30 minutes to an hour, while post-surgery recovery can be anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. Your dog should be back to his normal self within 2 days.
The cost of desexing can vary depending on several factors, such as the size and age of the dog, the type of procedure, and the veterinarian performing the surgery. On average, the cost of desexing a male dog can range from $410 to $770, while desexing a female dog can range from $485 to $810.
If the dog is immature at the time of neutering, the empty scrotum will flatten out as he grows. If he is mature at the time of neuter, the empty scrotum will remain as a flap of skin. Sometimes the incision is mildly bruised.
Health advantages associated with NOT desexing
A reduced risk of prostatic adenocarcinoma in intact male dogs compared to desexed male dogs. A reduced risk of obesity in intact male and female dogs and cats, which may be due at least partly to increased metabolic rate.
Waiting for skeletal maturity sets up new age recommendations for neutering: Small breed dogs: after 12 months of age. Medium to large breed dogs: after 18 months of age. Giant breed dogs: after 24 months of age.
Neutered males tend to roam less and typically are not involved in as many fights with other animals. Neutering keeps your dog healthier. A final positive aspect of neutering your dog is that neutered pets tend to have fewer health problems. Neutering is the removal of the testicles.
But if your dog is healthy, there is no specific age limit to having the procedure done. Spaying or neutering is the process of removing the productive organs of the dog. It eliminates heat cycles and other events that the reproductive system influences.
If your male dog is not neutered until after he reaches maturity, there are health benefits, as well. Stopping testosterone production at a young age can mean an increased risk of hip and elbow dysplasia, as well as a higher likelihood your dog will tear a cruciate ligament in his knee.
Our study of the stress-response system in spayed/neutered dogs leads us to believe spay/neuter adversely affects the dog's behavior and personality. In fact, the documented changes in the stress-response system would predict an increased level of fear and anxiety, which in some dogs can result in aggression.
Musculoskeletal development:
The onset of puberty leads to closure of the growth plates. Contrary to popular opinion, desexing does NOT stunt the growth of an animal, in fact it prolongs it.
In general, however, neutering will have no effect on your dog's personality, but it may influence his mood and make some behaviours more or less likely. What are the effects of neutering? Castration (surgical neutering for male dogs) involves the removal of both testicles.
While he noted that the number of intact and gonadectomized aggressive dog cases made it appear that intact males were more aggressive than neutered males and that spayed females were more aggressive than intact females, there was no significant difference between the ratio of intact and gonadectomized dogs and the ...
Waiting to neuter until 12-24 months allows your dog to reach full muscle maturity and develop a lean physique. Male hormones are more likely to increase your pet's energy and vigor.
Benefits of Neutering (males):
Reduces or eliminates risk of spraying and marking. Less desire to roam, therefore less likely to be injured in fights or auto accidents. Risk of testicular cancer is eliminated, and decreases incidence of prostate disease.
Your pup should begin behaving more like themselves the next day and show little sign of pain or discomfort the next day. Most discomfort caused by neuter or spay surgeries only lasts for a few days and should dissipate after a week.
Neutering can prevent behavioural issues such as scent marking. Neutered males may be less likely to show aggression towards other dogs or be the target of aggression from other dogs. Neutering reduces the risk of prostatic disease and certain cancers that can be costly to treat at a vet and in some cases fatal.