Lots of dog owners ask, “When is it too late to Neuter a dog.” In General, the best period to neuter a male dog is between the age of six and nine months. But some people neuter their dogs before they become six months old and some do it after their dogs become very old. There are several things a dog owner needs to know about neutering dogs.
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What is Neutering?
Neutering is used to refer to both genders. Basically, neutering means the surgical procedure for sterilization. After this process, your doggo will be unable to produce sperms. Even though this process is relatively simple, only a licensed vet surgeon is allowed to do this process. This operation will be done on your dog after administering anesthesia. After your doggo falls asleep, the surgeon will remove your doggo’s testicles and stitches them.
This is not like human vasectomies. In human vasectomies, the testicles are still intact to the human. But when neutering a male dog, the testicles are totally removed. Considering a female dog, the vet surgeon will remove the ovaries and uterus. Because of this, she will become unable to reproduce. Even the heat cycle will stop. The heat cycle is similar to a woman’s menstruation cycle.
After this procedure, your doggo will be able to come home the same day, whether it’s a male or female dog. But your doggo will have to wear an Elizabethan collar for 10 to 13 days, so your doggo can’t lick the operated area. In addition, the operated area may be sore for a couple of days. Nonetheless, quick recovery can be achieved with proper aftercare, as well as prevent infections.
Why you should Neuter your Dog and the Benefits you get from doing it
There are lots of reasons for neutering your doggo. Some might say that it’s a bad thing, but both you and your doggo can get tons of benefits. Dog experts recommend neutering your doggo as a safe way of terminating bad habits and developing a long and happy life. You can get all the information you need about the neutering process from any animal hospital since this is a standard and safe procedure. If you neuter your dog, your dog will get these benefits.
- Prevents unwanted Births.
- Prevent Testicular Cancer.
- Prevent Prostate Cancer.
- Neutered dogs roam less than non-neutered dogs.
- Neutered male dogs can reduce specific behaviors that are connected with mating, such as marking their territory.
- Neutered dogs can be less aggressive than non-neutered dogs in general.
- Neutering can manage hormone-related complications like tumors.
- Neutered dogs overall have less aggressiveness and are calmer and happier in general.
Also, a study that has been done at the University of Georgia has found that the life expectancy of a neutered male doggo was 13.8% longer than an average male dog. Regarding female dogs, it was 26.3% longer for neutered female dogs.
You can get more information about this study from this link.
Female dog neutering is also called spaying or spayed. As mentioned above, when a female dog is being spayed (neutered), the vet will remove their ovaries and uterus.
But keep in mind that if you are going to neuter your doggo, you also have to know the below things.
Things to know before neutering your dog.
- When is it too late to Neuter a Dog?
The recommended age for neutering a dog is between the ages of 6 to 9 months. But some dog owners neuter their dogs when they are only 4 months old. Most experts don’t recommend that, but if the surgeon is confident about the procedure, you don’t have to worry about it. And even if you neuter your doggo after 9 months, that’s not a problem if the surgeon recommends it. But keep in mind that if your dog is too old, you have to be cautious. Tell your surgeon about the age of your doggo and health issues before the procedure. So the surgeon can perform the surgery with precautions.
- What Can Happen if you Neuter your doggo too early or too late
Even though you can successfully neuter your doggo at an early age, there can be side effects like these of neutering your doggo too early.
- Your doggo can have behavioral issues such as phobia, hostility, and be over sensitive.
- Can increase bone growth, and that can lead to increased height.
- Your doggo can become obese and can develop hypothyroidism.
Generally, there can also be issues if you neuter your dog too late. Even though there is no age limit specifically to neutering a dog, it’s better to neuter your dog too close to the appropriate age limit to have maximum benefits.
- Risks of Neutering your Dog
There are risks and side effects of neutering your dog, so it’s better to understand those grounds.
- Even though the neutering process is very safe, there are risks of using anesthesia for the procedure.
- Unable to produce sperms. Therefore, your doggo will be unable to make babies.
- Can be prone to hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament rupture.
Even though there can be risks of Neutering your dog, the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. So, the only important question is, “When is it too late to neuter a dog?” But with my experience, it’s rarely too late to neuter a dog as long as your doggo does not have any complications and the veterinarian is willing to do it.
There are a lot of questions that dog owners ask before considering neutering their dogs like this.
FAQ
- Is it cruel to neuter a dog?
This is actually a personal opinion for everyone. One might think that this is a difficult thing to do, and another person might think that this is the right thing to do to a dog. As mentioned above, neutering is a process that would be done to your dog after administering anesthesia. That means your dog would not feel anything during the procedure. Researches have found that neutering a dog would give tons of physical and mental benefits. So, my opinion is that neutering is a good thing to do if you are not planning to do breeding using your doggo. The reason for that is, I think that the health benefits a dog would get by getting neutered or spayed would clearly outweigh the risks. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so this is still a famous debate.
- Signs your dog needs to be neutered
Most dogs will get sexually matured when they are about five or six months. If your dog’s testicles don’t descend by that time, then you would have to neuter your dog because that’s a condition called “Cryptorchidism.” Dogs that have this condition are more prone to testicular cancers than an average dog.
- Can we neuter 7 years old or 13 years old dogs?
Dogs are generally considered seniors when they become 7 years old. But a good vet surgeon can safely neuter a 7 year old dog without any issue. Even a 13 years old dog can be sterilized by a competent vet surgeon. Still, in a case of a 13 years old dog, they would do a thorough health check before doing the procedure to check for any complications.
- Is 4 years old too late to neuter a dog?
No, it’s not. The veterinarian would do a health checkup for any health complications. Then a 4 years old doggo can go through a neutering procedure without any issue.
- How do dogs feel after getting neutered?
Some owners think that this would hurt the dog’s mentality, but that’s not true. Young dogs will get back to normal playful level on the same day. But a little fussiness and a little post-anesthesia anxiety are expected on the day of the procedure. Vets recommend that the dog wear the collar for 10 to 14 days, and you should keep your dog calm during that time so your dog would get recovered quickly.
- At what age is it too late to neuter a dog?
The simple answer is it’s never too late. If your doggo is relatively older than the usual recommended age for the neutering process, the veterinarian will do a thorough check-up on your dog. If they don’t find any complications for the procedure, it would be entirely safe to neuter your dog regarding their older age.
