Neutering or castration of your male dog is a surgical procedure carried out under general anaesthetic. It involves the removal of both testicles. It is a safe procedure and has no detrimental effect on health or behaviour regardless of the age it is done. The procedure can be done from 5 months of age.

The Benefits of Neutering

• Castration eliminates the risk of testicular cancer, which is the second most common cancer in male dogs which is the main reason for recommending castration.

• Perianal tumours develop around the anus and are caused by testosterone. Castration prevents this.

• Early neutering also prevents prostatic disease which can start to develop from as young as a year old.

• Perianal hernia, a complicated and serious condition of the area close to the anus rarely occurs in neutered male dogs.

• Urine marking can be a problem with male dogs. Some males have such a strong desire to mark objects that they do it indoors. Neutering can reduce marking in 80% of dogs and a marked improvement is seen in 40%.

• Bad behaviour and aggression towards other dogs and people can be driven by male hormones. Castrating your dog helps to eliminate this or reduce it. Male behaviour reduces over a few days post neutering or gradually over a few months. If a dog is excitable, castration will not necessarily calm him.

• Neutering can also help if your dog tends to roam. Castration has been shown to improve roaming in 70% of dogs.

• Dogs frequently try to mount people, toys or cushions in the home, which is a behaviour driven by testerone. This can be very embarrassing for owners and a real nuisance. Neutering your dog can also help to reduce this.

• Testicles descend into the scrotum before or shortly after birth. In some dogs, one or both fail to descend and remain somewhere between the abdominal cavity and scrotum. Retained testicles are 13 times more likely to become cancerous and should be removed. This is also an inheritable defect and neutering prevents it being passed on.

• Neutering is a normal and accepted practice in veterinary practice. Some dog owners believe castration diminishes or damages their dog which is not the case.