Canine Neutering
We recommend that your puppy is neutered by five and a half months of age.
How will my dog benefit from being neutered?
Female
A female dog (bitch) will first come into season between 6 months to over a year of age. She will then cycle every 6 months to a year. A season lasts 3 weeks. She is receptive (if not rampant) during the middle week of her season. The more often she undergoes this hormonal swing the more likely she is to develop mammary tumours, uterine infections, ovarian tumours and cysts and other problems. When a dog is `spayed' (an operation technically known as an ovariohysterectomy) both ovaries and the uterus are removed. This prevents the above problems. The skin is sutured and these stitches need to be removed at the practice after 10 days. It is unfair on her NOT to spay her.
Male
As a male dog matures, the rising levels of the hormone testosterone cause his behaviour to change. Changes includes an instinctive desire to `mark' territory by passing small amounts of urine on many objects with his leg cocked. He is also more likely to run away if there is a bitch in season in the area, increasing his chances of getting run over, and become involved in fights with other dogs. It is better to castrate him before these behavioural changes occur, as they may not change back if you have him castrated later. We advise castrating him before five and a half months. When a dog is castrated we remove both testicles via a small incision in front of his scrotum which is sutured. These stitches need to be removed at the practice after 10 days.
It is unfair on him NOT to castrate him.
The Procedure
We admit your dog before on a weekday morning before 10am during a 10-minute consultation. He or she should have had no food from 8.00pm the previous evening but must have had access to water overnight. During this consultation we make an appointment for your dog to be collected that evening. We will also need a telephone number on which you can be contacted throughout the day. We will phone you after 2.00pm when we have finished ward rounds to let you know that all is well. If you are anxious you may telephone us before then.
At your evening discharge appointment, we will explain everything you need to know about how to care for your pet. We will also give you some special food that is easy on the stomach for that evening's meal.
We prefer to check both bitches and dogs 3 days after the procedure.