As mentioned in my ‘Pros and Cons of Neutering’ post, there are different forms of neutering for both male and female dogs. Some of these procedures allow dogs to keep producing adult hormones, which means they are less likely to develop some of the joint problems discussed in the previous article. These adult hormones also promote confidence in our dogs, making them less likely to be anxious or display fear-based aggression. Look at the different types of neutering below to help you decide which procedure is best for your dog. I would thoroughly recommend reading ‘Should I Neuter my Dog? – Pros and Cons of Neutering’ to see if and when neutering should be considered for your pooch.
Types of Neutering
For the Boys
Castration: this is the most common form of neutering for male dogs and it involves removing the testes completely. It is much less invasive than neutering females and the healing time is relatively speedy. However, the making of hormones associated with male characteristics are massively reduced.
Vasectomy: unfortunately, this is not commonly offered by veterinarians, which is a shame as it is much easier to perform than castration and healing is rapid. Using this form of neutering allows male dogs to keep the health benefits of testosterone.
Chemical Castration: this method does not require anaesthetic, which is good for owners of brachycephalic breeds. It involves injecting the dog under the skin with a substance that tricks the brain into telling the testes to stop making sperm and testosterone. The implant usually last for 6-12 months, after which the effect wears off and the testes go into production again. With this procedure being reversible, it is a good way to see if castration will benefit your dog if sexually dimorphic behaviours are your reason for neutering. However, as this is a relatively new idea, there are not many studies into the long-term effects of administering this injection.
For the Girls
Traditional Spay (Ovariohysterectomy): this procedure surgically removes the uterus and ovaries. All reproductive organs and hormone-producing tissue is removed. The bitch will no longer have a heat cycle and behaviour related to breeding instincts may be reduced. This is a fairly major operation, but it will eliminate the development of mammary cancer and pyometra in later life. However, it is worth noting that recent research (explained in my previous post) has suggested that there is a link between spaying too early and the development of other cancers later in life, such as: mast cell tumours, lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma. With this in mind, it is important to discuss your own dog’s needs with your vet before choosing to put them through an ovariohysterectomy.
Ovary Sparing Spay: in this surgical procedure, only the uterus and cervix are removed, leaving the ovaries in place. The ovaries will continue to provide a bitch with the medical and health benefits of oestrogen whilst removing the risk of pyometra in later life and eliminating the heat cycle.
Laparoscopic Spay (Ovariectomy): this is less invasive than a traditional spay and removes only the ovaries of the dog. Healing time is much faster and the risk of pyometra in later life is greatly reduced. The adult hormones are removed during the operation so the health benefits of the hormone oestrogen will be removed.
Please take time to consider the different types of neutering that are on offer to your dog and discuss these thoroughly with your vet before making any life-changing decisions. Also, note that the idea of neutering being beneficial for every dog is an old-fashioned one – modern research has shown that the incidences of testicular and mammary cancer and pyometra rates are much lower than we have previously been told and therefore the benefits of neutering our pups does not always outweigh the risks.