Are there any side effects after neutering?

[BCFo]

I was told by my pup's new handler to castrate my dog.

 

Are there any side effects to castration? I really don't know if this is ok for my BC. He told me that by doing so, he will focus more and he will have less health problems.

 

I am not planning to breed him, since there are only 2 lines of BC's in my country. And my pup is a cross of both. And crossing him with any other BC would be inbreeding and I don;t want that.

 

Plus I wouldn't like to breed BC's just for the sake of it. I don't know if people will be able to handle BC's properly (I am still learning and for me it is fun. For other people, and for the dogs, it could be frustrating.

 

BTW, he is 5 months old.

 

Any help and comments on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you in advance.

[bc friend]

Side effects depend in part on the age of the dog when castrated. A sexually immature dog may not learn to lift his leg when urinating. A sexually mature dog may still try to mount females. Whatever their age, neutering does improve their focus as they are no longer so distracted by hormones. Neutering also prevents testicular cancer and may help prevent prostate cancer. If you don't plan to breed, it is a kindness to neuter your dog so that he is not constantly frustrated by the desire to breed when he is not allowed to do so. JMO.

[Black Watch Debatable]

Here's an interesting article by an expert on canine athletes: Link.

 

And more comments on the subject in this thread.

 

Plus I wouldn't like to breed BC's just for the sake of it. I don't know if people will be able to handle BC's properly (I am still learning and for me it is fun. For other people, and for the dogs, it could be frustrating.

[BCFo]

Thnak you for your comments and the info.

 

Troy (my BC) is just 5 months old. So according to that article it is not recommended to neuter him as of now. How much do I have to wait and is there any other incidence or effect that could be brought up after the operation?

 

I am really concenrned about my dogs' health and I just don't like anything realted to an operating table, besides their regualr vet checks.

 

Thanks again.

[Barb Scott]

We have 2 intact male BCs. Blaze is 12 and has an USDAA ADCH and also his MX and MXJ; obviously he could focus on what he was doing without being neutered. Our young BC Zip is wild and crazy, but I don't think that's because he's not neutered. My first male BC (Blaze's full brother was neutered) at 6 months; he was much older than Blaze when finally earning his ADCH, but that may have been because I was handling him, rather than my husband, early on. He was longer legged, finer boned and more prone to be silly than his brother Blaze.

Barb S

[Black Watch Debatable]

Dr. Zink says it's best to wait until the dog is at least 14 months old. My male pit bull was neutered, without problems, when he was 18 months or so.

 

After surgery, the most important thing is to make sure the dog doesn't tear out the sutures. The only difference you'll probably notice in terms of his day to day behavior, as others have said, is an improvement in focus. (As we all know, a border collie at work, neutered or not, is the most focused animal on earth )

 

Neutering won't transform behavior: dog-aggressive dogs will still be dog-aggressive, car-chasers will still chase cars, hyper dogs will still be hyper, etc.

 

As I see it, the main reasons for neutering a dog that will never be bred are 1) to spare him a lifetime of sexual frustration, as bc friend stated; and 2) to make sure there will be no accidental litters.

[trailrider]

Over the years I have had 7 neutered males, most neutered young - 6 months. They all lived to be old, and still are, and active, and athletic. They still work sheep at 12 years of age. Never had a problem in 30 years with neutering males, either 5 months or 5 years.