We can surely agree with the fact that dogs are our best friends. So, it’s our essential duty to properly take care of our best buddies. And properly taking care includes getting dogs neutered or spayed at the right time.
Now you might wonder, what is Neutering? How does it work? When is the right time?
And the most common question that I get is, “When is it too late to neuter a dog?”
Don’t worry. These are some very common questions frequently asked by every pet owner. And In this article, we are going to find out the best possible answers to these questions.
What is Neutering/ Spaying?
Neutering means surgically sterilizing male dogs and on the other hand, spaying means surgically sterilizing female dogs. These days, for simplicity, the word ‘neutering’ is commonly used to refer to both male and female dogs. Neutering mainly prevents reproduction.
Only a licensed veterinarian with all the necessary equipment can do this job. So make sure you consult a good vet.
In most cases, anesthesia is used to numb the dog before starting the surgery. After that, the veterinarian carefully completes the whole surgery step by step.
Male dogs are castrated, which means their entire testicles are removed. No source of testosterone hormone remains.
In the case of female dogs, the veterinarian removes the ovaries and uterus. Thus, the dog will be unable to reproduce in the future.
The dog can return home after the operation. After the surgery, the dog will have to wear the Elizabethan collar for a few days. The collar helps prevent the dogs from licking the surgical area. It will take the dog a week or two to complete heal from the stitches and get back to normal.
Why neuter your dog?
According to many experts and a huge number of dog owners, it can be easily said that neutering your dog is the right thing to do. There are many benefits to this process.
Neutered dogs are seen to be calmer than the other dogs. They will stop roaming around aimlessly thus go missing. Neutering will reduce frustration and aggression towards other dogs. They won’t also be the target of other aggressive dogs. It also reduces the chances of cancer and other prostate diseases. Moreover, zero chances of testicular cancer.
Pregnancy can cause some female dogs serious health problems and neutering will get easily get rid of that. It also gets rid of many problematic behaviors of your dog.
Neutering dog keeps your dog protected. And it can also save your time, energy, and expense in the long run.
Simply saying, it is super beneficial and has many direct and indirect advantages to your dog’s health.
When is the right time to neuter your dog?
This particular query can get a little confusing for people. It depends on many factors. And it can vary from one dog to another.
Biologically, a dog could be neutered when puberty starts. Although it depends on other factors such as breed, size, etc. Most male dogs can be neutered at the age of 6 months. But it is wise to consult a veterinarian and follow his instruction.
As for female dogs, they can be also spayed when they are about 6 months of age. People used to think that female dogs should go through one heat cycle before spaying, but in recent times, most vets think this is a misconception. So,you don’t need to wait until they’ve had their first season. Taking advice from a professional before spaying is highly suggested.
However, some doctors suggest that neutering earlier than six months can be beneficial for the dogs. Because at that age they have a higher tolerance rate of anesthesia and can heal quickly. Neutering at an early age reduces the risk of being overweight as it grows older. Although, early age neutering lacks scientific proof.
So it is wise to wait until your dog turns at least 6 months old. And your dog must be in dog health and without any physical injury. And you can neuter your dog only when a licensed veterinarian says so.
When it is too late to neuter?
Neutering older dogs seems to confuse a lot of people. They can’t be sure if it’s the right thing to do or not.
However, as long as the older dogs are healthy and have no illness and completely disease-free, they can still be safely neutered. They can also be benefited from this process.
If you have an older dog and you are not sure if it’s safe to neuter him, you should take your dog to the veterinarian and run some necessary tests. This will help the veterinarians decide if the dog can undergo the neutering process.
Dogs older than 7 years need to go through a pre-surgical blood test to find out if the liver and kidney are in fine condition.
You should always keep in mind that the older the dog, the longer it will take the dog to recover and heal properly. The surgery could get a bit uncomfortable as well. But if the vet can take necessary precautions and a few extra steps, the situation could be optimized.
The main thing is, the dog’s health is ultimately the most important concern veterinarians face while deciding if the dog should or shouldn’t go through the procedure. There is no such thing as an age limit.
Final words
It is never too late to neuter dogs. Because there isn’t any ‘fixed’ age. Neutering depends on so many factors like breed, lifestyle, environment, size, health, etc. So there can’t be just one worldwide applicable age limit.
Only a professional licensed vet can determine the right time for neutering by running necessary tests. If you have an old dog that might need to be neutered, consult a nearby vet. Take professional help and don’t get all worried. Everything can be taken care of properly if you take the right steps.