Castration of the male dog

Male dogs are neutered to stop the sex-linked behavior. Especially when dogs mark (urinate) disturbingly much, have a strong tendency to stray and want to go in search of bitches in heat at every opportunity. Neutering is also helpful if male dogs have an excessive sex drive and constantly want to mount people or objects. However, in the case of dominance or aggressive behavior towards conspecifics or even humans, it must be mentioned that the sex-linked part of the misbehavior usually only makes up a part and the rest is acquired or maladapted. One should therefore be aware that neutering alone is unlikely to completely change this behavior. In some cases, however, neutering can bring improvement even in these dogs.

Neutered males are in most cases more balanced. Due to their balance, they are often easier to train and their performance can be called up more reliably during sporting activities. Whether a male dog has been neutered or not, however, has no influence on his ability to learn.

University studies have shown that neutered males live an average of one year older than intact ones.

Why is this so? On the one hand, neutered males no longer have certain serious diseases that only affect males, such as testicular tumors or certain prostate diseases and prostate tumors. On the other hand, they also have demonstrably fewer accidents.

Castration may also be necessary as a therapy of certain sex-linked diseases.

Are there alternatives to surgical castration?

For some time now, we have had the possibility to "hormonally sedate" male dogs with a completely dissolvable hormone implant, which is placed under the skin similar to a microchip, with the same effect as surgical castration. The implant is available for a minimum of 6 months or a minimum of 12 months. After insertion of the implant, there may be increased activity at first, which then decreases after 2-3 weeks as hormone levels drop. These first weeks can be bridged well with testosterone-inhibiting tablets. At the end of the period of effect, the male slowly becomes increasingly hormonally active again over days to weeks. The testicles, which have been reduced in size under the effect of the implant, regain their original size. The implant treatment can be repeated as often as desired.

The advantage in this temporary castration is especially that one has the possibility to simulate the surgical castration and to observe the individual effect on the male dog. If one is satisfied with the result, very often the surgical castration is chosen in order to achieve a permanent constant effect.

What happens during castration and when should the procedure be performed?

The castration is done in our outpatient day clinic. The male dogs are brought in the morning and can already go home in the afternoon. The gonads (testicles) are completely removed under well-monitored general anesthesia, either with inhalation anesthesia or total intravenous, depending on body weight. If male dogs were only prevented, they would not lose their male behavior, but only their ability to reproduce, which is usually undesirable. Also the health advantages of castration would then not come into play. Today, the risks of such an operation are minimal in a healthy male dog.

The timing of neutering has no influence on the positive health effects as long as the neutering is done before any diseases appear. However, it must be remembered that the older a male dog gets, the more he becomes accustomed to sex-linked behavior, and thus neutering changes less and less of his behavior. If you want as little male behavior as possible, you should have male dogs neutered at 6-12 months of age. If you neuter earlier, you have to expect that male dogs, even when they have grown up, may behave somewhat like puppies. The later you neuter the more masculine the male will look. On the other hand, neutering has no measurable effect on body size.

Do male dogs suffer from lack of sex drive?

Since male dogs, if they are not intended for breeding, cannot live out their sex drive, they hardly lose any quality of life through castration. On the contrary, many neutered males show a much more balanced nature and many misbehaviors disappear. So you can assume that with a castration you do nothing unfair to your dog, but even reduce stress.

Read also even more at: www.kastrationhund.ch