Dogs
De-sexing
There are many benefits to de-sexing your male or female dog. In male dogs, it can cause less territory marking, which means he will pee less frequently on walks. For a female dog, being in “season” causes the vulva to drip blood, which attracts male dogs from miles around.
Males
When you walk an “intact” male dog he will mark his territory. He may also demonstrate aggressive or dominant behaviour towards other dogs. Marking can also occur in the home.
Male dogs who are not being shown or used for breeding should be desexed. Most vets recommend desexing at around six months of age. Some large and/or giant breeds are desexed later than six months. This allows these bigger dogs a brief flow of testosterone, to assist in their growth.
In terms of health, desexing will reduce the risk of testicular cancer, as well as reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer and other diseases.
Females
Female dogs in season exhibit bloody discharge and a clearly swollen vulva. This is unsightly and unhygienic around the home. Undesexed females should not be taken out of the house whilst in season, if it can be avoided.
In terms of health, de-sexing will help eliminate the risk of uterine cancer, as well as relatively common infections of the uterus, false pregnancies and other sexual related diseases. The chance of mammary cancers developing as they get older is also greatly reduced.
Are There Any Negatives?
Some females will be more prone to gaining weight after being desexed. However, a healthy diet and normal amounts of exercise can help to avoid this problem.
The Procedure
If you would like more information about what happens before, during and after your pet’s surgery, speak to your local vet. They are more than happy to provide you with all the information you need, and most will have fact sheets for you to read.