Dog Neutering 101: Pros and Cons for Spayed or Neutered Pets

Dog neutering is the castration of a male dog’s scrotum and testes. Many owners elect to have a vet perform the procedure on their unneutered and intact male dogs to reduce a dog’s sexual urges and the aggressive behavior that comes with testosterone production. In general, neutered male dogs are more docile and gentle after this procedure.

Dog spaying is a sterilization procedure that removes the ovaries and uteruses of female dogs. This keeps them from going into heat and attracting male partners, as well as eliminating the discharge that comes with the canine menstrual cycle. Once spayed, female dogs are unable to have litters of puppies.

You can start to consider spaying or neutering small dogs after they reach six months of age. For large breed dogs, wait until they are at least nine months if not a full year old. Consult with a veterinarian to determine when the best time to neuter or spay your specific dog should you elect to have your vet perform the procedure.

Spaying or neutering dogs undoubtedly comes with quite a few pragmatic benefits. Consider these five pros to electing for your pet to undergo the procedure:

1. 1. Control of reproduction: Many dog owners prefer their pets not to impregnate other dogs or get pregnant themselves, and neutering or spaying your dog prevents any accidental pregnancies from happening. Additionally, many animal shelters and kennels are overwhelmed with unwanted puppies and adult dogs. Pet overpopulation is one major factor in this, and spaying or neutering your pet helps mitigate this problem.
2. 2. Decreased health risks: Neutering or spaying your dog helps decrease or outright eliminate certain health problems from arising. Neutering eliminates risk of testicular cancer for male dogs and reduces the chance of prostate disease. Spaying drastically reduces the possibility of mammary cancer, uterine infections, and pyometra for female dogs.
3. 3. Fewer messes in the house: Unneutered and unspayed dogs have a higher propensity to make certain messes in the house. If you have a female dog, from their first heat cycle to their last they’re likely to discharge fluid that can stain your furniture. Male dogs will be at a higher risk of urine marking until neutered. The procedure generally eliminates these issues, although it’s still important to work on housebreaking your pet.
4. 4. Lower sexual impulses: Once adult dogs reach sexual maturity, they act out sexually with a degree of regularity if you don’t neuter or spay them. These procedures greatly reduce the occurrence of problematic dog behaviors like humping, exhibiting territorial aggression, or relentlessly attempting to seek out mates.
5. 5. Reduced unwanted behaviors: Spaying or neutering dogs comes with a host of behavioral benefits. While these procedures won’t magically eliminate all potential dog behavior problems, they will undercut many of them. After these procedures, the lack of a sex drive makes dogs far more easygoing. This can make dog training easier and leave you more confident about dropping your pets off at daycare without fear of incident.

As a dog owner, you’ll likely want to know all the negatives of spaying or neutering your dog alongside the positives. Here are just five cons to keep in mind:

1. 1. Anesthetic complications: Although general anesthesia rarely causes serious or lasting complications, issues can arise when the vet sedates your dog for these procedures. To prevent any possibility of a problem arising, you can refrain from having your pet undergo the surgery.
2. 2. Increased health risks: While both spaying and neutering come with certain health benefits, they also can lead to a higher risk of other ailments. Some studies indicate older dogs have an increased risk of cruciate ligament rupture, hip dysplasia, incontinence, and tumor development after neutering or spaying.
3. 3. Pain after surgery: Although anesthesia will prevent any pain during the surgical procedure itself, your furry friend will be in a decent amount of pain after their spay or neuter surgery. Your vet will likely prescribe pain medication for your pet. Still, even if it’s for a short period of time, it’s always hard to see an animal you love in pain.
4. 4. Potential weight gain: Although certain reputable institutions like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) dispute this finding, certain studies indicate increased obesity and hypothyroidism are common side effects of spaying and neutering. The hormonal changes brought on by the removal of the testicles in male dogs or ovaries in female dogs might cause some amount of weight fluctuation.
5. 5. Sterility: While you might not want to breed dogs now, there’s no way to know for sure you won’t want a litter of puppies in the future. Both spaying and neutering are permanent—after these surgeries, your dogs will never be able to procreate.

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