dog vasectomy?

[StaceyW]

So I was talking to a breeder about the pros and cons of early neutering and she gave me an article to read that discourages neutering before one year. Lots of interesting reasons but the thing that caught my attention was the implication in the article that a dog could get a vasectomy so they become infertile but not get the parts chopped off? Ollie is now 5 months and has an appt for bbb (bye-bye balls) at 6 months but we are balking . . .Thoughts? Can a dog get a vasectomy?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

You can also get "nuticals" (don't know the spelling) = but fake balls so that they look intact even if they aren't. Who thinks up this stuff??????

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

It is just my opinion but I think it is healthier in the long run to neuter plain old pets early. Personally, I don't want to take the chance of the negatives of full male hormones (peeing and aggression, looking for girlfriends) or the increased risk of cancer. My vet, who is very old fashioned, has changed with the times and now favors earlier neutering. As to vasectomies - why, why, why?????

[Adina P]

Found the rebuttal to the article in question: http://www.unleashyourself.biz/documents/zinkrebuttalearlyspaynuete...

And then just some past discussion on the early spay topic (doesn't really get into vasectomies)

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/early-spay-and-neuter?

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/early-spayneuter-vs-waiting

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/to-owners-of-doodles-who-were

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/to-breeders-in-regards-to-esn

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/spayed-too-early

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/puppymadness/forum/topics/what-ag...

I think the idea of a vasectomy is fabulous...but the dog will still have a desire to find a female in heat and will likely still work hard to get to her.

[StaceyW]

when do boy dogs start roaming, marking, humping etc?

[Adina P]

Gosh it probably depends on each dog. I know some dogs start humping (for non hormone related reasons) very early (before typical neuter age) and some dogs like my Rosco never stop even way after neutering. Though I should say that Rosco doesn't hump indiscriminately--he ONLY humps Thule =)

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Oh Adina. It makes me so happy that Rosco is monogamous! You raised yourself a fine gentleman there!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Havent read the responses yet but the balls have to go! ((LOL!!)) Therein lies the problem. The hormones that lead to the wanderlust and agression. Remove the testes, problem solved. Kind of makes one wonder how many wars, and crimes would have been committed on our planet without all that testosterone, imagine a planet full of peaceful, funloving eunuchs. :o))

[StaceyW]

sigh - I guess I am leaning toward keeping his mid-Oct appt. Thanks for all the input

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

Were you balking for aesthetic reasons? There are always neuticals. LOL! Seriously though, dont worry, fixing them is such a benefit to their health and longevity in so many ways. I have a male dog (old senior citizen now) he was fixed as a puppy. Spry as can be still. His partner dog the feamle who I didnt get fixed (thought it was unescessary because the male was fixed and she was very clean during her cycle) died of breast cancer at age of 9. The vet at the time told me point blank that she wouldnt have had this particular type of cancer at all if I would have had her spayed.) :o((

I didnt know, if I would have known back then I would have had it done. And I have personally only known of fixed dogs to live to amazing old ages. I have never known a really old dog that was intact.

[Linny]

Hi Stacey,

A dog can get a vasectomy, but that means that it will still have the behaviours of an un-neutered dog, which can include running off to chase females in season, marking, aggression with other un-neutered dogs etc.

Another alternative is Suprelorin. This is either a six-monthly or yearly injection that has the same effect on behaviour and fertilty as neutering, without the surgery (http://www.peptech.com/HTML/Animal_Health/Superlorin_general.html)

Best wishes,
Linny