Snip snip! In general, neutering your male puppy is a rite of passage. Most people agree that a neutered male dog makes a better house pet. In addition, neutering helps decrease overcrowding with unwanted dogs in shelters across the country. However, recent research into timing and health benefits of neutering male dogs have made this simple surgery a little more, well, complicated. In this article, we’ll cover health benefits and risks of canine neutering.
What is Canine Neutering?
Neutering can be used as a generic term for desexing an animal, but we’ll be focusing specifically on castration, or neutering male dogs in this article. Castration is a surgical procedure that removes the testicles from the scrotum. This effectively eliminates the presence of testosterone and sperm. Neutering needs to be done under general anesthesia, with adequate pain medication and by a veterinary professional.
Dog Neutering Aftercare
Typically, canine neutering is done as an outpatient procedure, meaning pets go home the same day. Aftercare involves exercise restriction for 7 to 10 days. The more activity pets have post-surgery, the slower they’ll heal! You’ll also need to prevent self-trauma to the incision from licking or biting. An e-collar (cone of shame) or medical onesie may be needed to prevent excessive licking. Some surgeons will bury all their stitches under the skin, requiring no suture removals; other surgeons prefer to have skin sutures present. If present, these will need to be removed, usually 10 to 14 days after surgery.
Benefits of Neutering a Dog
One of the main benefits to neutering a dog is the behavioral changes that come along with the decrease in testosterone. Male dogs are much less likely to mark with urine, less likely to fight, and are less likely to mount other dogs. Many kenneling facilities, doggie daycares, and training programs won’t accept an unneutered male dog (imagine the risk of dozens of unneutered dogs running around!!). Factoring this into your decision whether or not to neuter, if kenneling will be part of your lifestyle, is important as well.
The health benefits of neutering are less than those associated with spaying a female dog. Obviously, removal of the testicles prevents testicular cancer. The incidence of hyperplasia of the prostate, and some tumors of the rectum are reduced with neutering as well. If an unneutered male dog develops these diseases and is subsequently neutered, he will achieve those health benefits at any time.
Costs of Neutering a Dog
There is a financial cost to canine neutering, although it should be considered an investment in your pup's overall health. Thanks to the reduced risk of aggression and fights, cancer, and other diseases, the cost of neutering compared to treatment for any one of these conditions is considerably less. While costs may vary in your area, 2021 Pets Best claim data showed an average cost of $361.54 to neuter a male dog.
| Average Canine Neuter Procedure Cost | $361.54 |
When to Neuter a Dog
The last decade has seen a ton of research into timing of neutering, especially as it relates to the incidence of cancer and orthopedic disease. There is some compelling evidence to suggest that delaying dog neutering, especially in certain breeds, may have a protective benefit when it comes to certain cancers and orthopedic health. In the last decade, there has been a palpable shift in veterinarians’ recommendations as far as timing of neutering.
Studies such as one published in 20131 suggest an overall increased lifespan for neutered pets versus unneutered. Another study published the same year2 showed males lived 14% longer and females 26% longer if neutered or spayed. While these data are compelling, the overall increased lifespan may also have to do with the type of owner that has a pet responsibly neutered. It seems clear that as a general population, de-sexing dogs has a positive benefit on longevity.
Alternately, significant research has been done looking into the possible connection between early neutering and increased incidence of certain types of neoplasia, including Lymphoma, Mast Cell Tumors, Hemangiosarcoma, and Osteosarcoma, to name a few. The connection is compelling in certain breeds, especially in Golden Retrievers with Lymphoma, and Rottweilers with Osteosarcoma3 for example.
Overall, there is enough evidence to suggest there is benefit to at least delaying neutering, especially in certain breeds, that many clinicians are encouraging their new puppy owners to consider delaying this important procedure. Advancements in anesthesia techniques have allowed veterinarians to safely perform surgeries on pediatric patients with less anesthetic risk than ever before. It is true that younger patients typically heal quicker with less complications, but discussing the timing of neutering, especially in light of your chosen breed, is a pertinent topic to bring up with your veterinarian.
1Cooley DM, Beranek, BC, Deborah L. Schlittler, Nita W. Glickman, Lawrence T. Glickman, David J. Waters; Endogenous Gonadal Hormone Exposure and Bone Sarcoma Risk1. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1 November 2002; 11 (11): 1434–1440.
2de la Riva, G. T., Hart, B. L., Farver, T. B., Oberbauer, A. M., Messam, L. L. M., Willits, N., & Hart, L. A. (2013). Neutering dogs: effects on joint disorders and cancers in golden retrievers. PloS one, 8(2), e55937.
3Edmunds, G. L., Smalley, M. J., Beck, S., Errington, R. J., Gould, S., Winter, H., ... & O’Neill, D. G. (2021). Dog breeds and body conformations with predisposition to osteosarcoma in the UK: a case-control study. Canine medicine and genetics, 8(1), 1-22.