Neutering

Neutering means castration (removal of the testes) in a male and spaying (removal of the ovaries and uterus) in a female. This prevents unwanted pregnancy, curbs unwanted mounting behaviour and reduces the risk of certain diseases. Neutered dogs generally tend to be less aggressive towards other dogs and humans and they wander off less.

Spaying a bitch

When

We generally advise that bitches are spayed after their first season. The ideal time to spay is 3 months after a season because the womb has less blood supply at this time, making it less traumatic for the bitch.

Spaying is advised for non-breeding bitches as it prevents unplanned pregnancies and also has major health benefits:

• Prevention of false pregnancies
• Prevention of womb infections (pyometras) later in life
• Spaying particularly before two years old reduces the risk of mammary tumours later in life.

The operation

The spaying operation involves a general anaesthetic and the surgical removal of both ovaries and the uterus through an incision made in the midline of the abdomen. We will ask you not to feed your bitch from 8pm the night before the operation, to ensure that there is no food in the stomach when the anaesthetic is given. Your bitch will usually be able to return home the same day. She will have dissolvable sutures under her skin that will need checking seven days later by one of our nurses. You will notice that some fur has been shaved from one or both of the forelegs where the anaesthetic injections will have been given and from her abdomen where the incision will have been made.

Castration

Other than birth control, the main reasons for castration are:

• Reducing the tendency to roam
• Reduce aggressiveness to other dogs
• Reduce unwanted hypersexual behaviour.

Puberty occurs when a dog is six to nine months old. Some dogs may not show any behavioural problems and so castration may not be necessary.

The operation

Castration involves removing both testes under general anaesthetic through a small incision in front of the scrotum. We will ask you not to feed your dog from 8pm the night before the operation, to ensure that there is no food in the stomach when the anaesthetic is given.

Your dog will have a few dissolvable sutures under the skin that will need checking seven days later by one of our nurses. There will be some fur shaved from one or both of your dog’s forelegs where the anaesthetic injections will have been given and where the incision will have been made.