What is Dog Neutering?
In male dogs, neutering involves both testes being removed; this is known as ‘castration’. In female dogs, either the uterus is removed or both the uterus and the ovaries; this is known as ‘spaying’.
Spaying a female dog eliminates the ability to reproduce, and your dog will no longer come into season. Females can be neutered from six months of age; for most breeds, we suggest spaying females before they have had a season, known as pre-season. If your dog is older than six months or has already started having seasons, we would need to wait three months after a season to ensure we are operating at the best possible time.
There are significant differences between dog breeds and weights with the risks of diseases associated with neutering. We would encourage a discussion with your vet/nurse to decide what best suits your pet and your individual circumstances.
Book a dog neutering appointment
Dog Neutering Benefits
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No risk of unwanted pregnancies
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Reduces Scent making
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Reduces roaming behaviour
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Reduces prostatic disease in males
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Can reduce male-to-male aggression in some cases
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Eliminates false pregnancies in females
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Reduced mammary cancer risk in females spayed pre-season
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Eliminates testicular cancer in males and ovarian cancer in female
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Neutering increased life expectancy by 13.8% in males and 26.3% in females
At What Age Does Dog Neutering Happen?
Dog neutering is usually carried out at around six months of age for males and pre-season for female dogs, reducing the likelihood of females developing mammary cancer. We would also consider your dog’s breed, size, overall behaviour and other risk factors to provide the most suitable recommendation for your dog based on the latest evidence.
Male dogs older than six months can be neutered at any stage; however, we would still consider the dog’s breed, size, overall behaviour and other risk factors upon discussion of the procedure.
If your dog is not spayed before her first season, we would wait three months after the season.
A suggested guideline based on predicted adult body weight.
|
Predicted Adult Bodyweight |
Female |
Male |
|
<10kg |
Spay at 6-9 months, before first season |
Castrate >6 months |
|
10-20kg |
||
|
20-30kg |
Discuss with client relative risks of joint disease and mammary cancer |
Castrate > 12-18 months |
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30-40kg |
Aim to spay between 1st and 2nd season (at roughly 12-14 months) to balance the risk of joint disease and mammary cancer |
|
|
40kg+ |
Castrate at >24 months |
Should I Let My Dog Have One Litter Before Spaying Her?
This happens to be a common question, and there are no known health benefits to letting your dog have a litter; this is also the same for cats and rabbits. For the majority of breeds, the age of dog neutering does not affect the incidence of joint disease or cancers. Small-dog breeds seemed to have no increased risks of joint disorders associated with neutering.
General Anaesthesia For Dog Neutering
Your pet requires a general anaesthetic for neutering; here at Leadon Vale, we have measures in place to ensure their safety during the procedure. A dedicated Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) will monitor your pet throughout their surgery and recovery. All anaesthesia comes with some form of risk; however, these are very low, especially neutering, as pets are often young, fit, and healthy when having this procedure.
Risk levels of anaesthesia increase with a pet’s age, certain breeds and if your pet has any underlying health conditions. We can perform a pre-anaesthetic blood test before your pet’s surgery, to detect any underlying illnesses; this can be discussed when booking in for the procedure and on the day of their surgery. Your pet will receive premedication to relax them and will also receive two types of pain relief. Rest assured the Leadon Vale team will be with your pet every step of the way.
Your Pet Will Stay The Day With Us
On the day of your dogs neutering procedure, please bring your dog on a secure harness or lead; during the admission appointment, we will discuss the procedure and go through the consent form. Please note we must gain a signature from the registered owner (over 18) or authorised agent on the consent form. Your dog, cat or rabbit will be admitted as a ‘day patient’, and they will be discharged later that day once our team are happy with how your pet has recovered.
During your pet’s discharge appointment, the team will go through everything you need to know about caring for your pet after their surgery and their pain relief medication. We are always at the end of the telephone for you and your pet, so please call us on 01531 632276 if you have any further questions once you have your pet settled back at home.
Save On Dog Neutering With Our Pet Health for Life Plan Offer
Leadon Vale Pet Health for Life Plan members can claim a 10% discount on any dog neutering procedure. Our health club offers preventative health, and you could be saving each year on what you spend on your pet treatment wise.
