Dog castration ,procedures and its Care
Castrating or neutering a male dog is an operation requiring a
general anaesthetic.
Both testicles are removed. As with all operations,
the advantages and disadvantages should be considered carefully before
deciding. Your own vet is the best person to advise you about your
particular dog, but the following general advice may also help.
The main advantages of castrating a male dog are
Prevention of
breeding,
Prevention of testicular cancer,
Reduction in the risk of
prostate problems (including prostate cancer) and
Modification of
certain behaviours. Only behaviours which are related to male hormone
levels will be improved, so castration is never an alternative to proper
socialisation and training. For example, a tendency to escape and run
away will improve if your dog is chasing the scent of a bitch in season,
but not if your dog is just untrained and wilful. An aggressive dog can
be improved by castration if the cause is related to his male hormone
levels, but not if your dog has not been well socialised and is afraid
of people and other dogs.
The main disadvantages of having your dog castrated are the risks
associated with any general anaesthetic and any operation, but these are
very small risks when compared to the potential benefits.
Dog owners often ask whether their dog’s character will be changed by
castration.
In my opinion it is unchanged unless it is a change for the
better (as in certain behaviours mentioned above). Another common worry is that a dog will become overweight and lethargic after castration, but this is 100% preventable with the correct diet and exercise.
Deciding when to castrate The best age to castrate depends on the reason for doing so. If it is
a planned procedure, it might well be carried out at 9-12 months of
age, if your vet is happy that your dog is physically mature enough. If
castration is advised for behavioural reasons, it might not be obvious
until 1-2 years of age that there is a need for it. When castration is
carried out later in life, the positive changes might not be quite so
great, but your dog is never too old to castrate if there is a medical
reason for it, like a testicular tumour.
Note this;Dogs with one or both testicles not descended
During development, the testicles move down from inside the abdomen
into the scrotum.
Usually both will have descended into the scrotum by
the time a puppy is seen for vaccinations at around 2 months of age. If
one or both testicles have not descended into the scrotum, this will
need to be checked later. If either or both of the testicles stays
inside the abdomen, they will be at greater risk of developing cancer in
later life, so castration is usually advised. The operation to remove
an undescended testicle is a more complicated operation than removal
from the scrotum. (see The Operation).
A dog which has one undescended
testicle is called monorchid. If he has two undescended testicles, he
is called a cryptorchid.
Before the operation
Your vet will want to
Check that your dog is in good general health
Measure weight
Check if two fully descended testicles in the
scrotum.
Also its important way of minimising risks by taking a blood test
before the anaesthetic. This could be done on the day of the operation
or a few days earlier. This is used to check the liver and kidney
function (both vital when dealing with anaesthetic drugs) and
Rule
out any unsuspected illnesses.
Before going to the surgery
Before any anaesthetic the dog should be starved for a number of
hours,
According to the instructions of the surgery. Having an empty
stomach prevents any problems with vomiting which could be dangerous. It
is also a good idea to allow your dog enough exercise to empty the
bladder and bowels. Apart from that, it is best to stick as closely as
possible to the normal routines of the day so that the dog does not feel
anxious.
Being admitted for surgery
On arrival at the surgery, you can expect to be seen by a vet or a
veterinary nurse who will check that you understand the nature of the
operation and will answer any questions you may have. They will ask you
to read and to sign a consent form for the procedure and ask you to
supply contact phone numbers. This is very important in case anything
needs to be discussed with the owner before or during the operation.
Before the anaesthetic
Your dog will be weighed to help calculate the dosages of drugs and
given a physical examination including checking his heart.
If a
pre-anaesthetic blood test has not already been done, it can be done now
and the results checked before proceeding.
If any abnormalities are
found, these will be discussed with the owner before deciding whether
the operation goes ahead or not.
One possible outcome is that extra
precautions such as intravenous fluids may be given.
A pre-medical, which is usually a combination of several drugs, will be
given by injection. This begins to make the dog feel a bit sleepy and
ensures that pain relief will be as effective as possible.
The anaesthetic
There are several ways in which this can be given, but the most
common is by an injection into the vein of the front leg. The effects of
the most commonly used drugs are very fast, but don’t last for very
long, so a tube is placed into the windpipe to allow anaesthetic gas and
oxygen to be given. The anaesthetic gas allows the right level of
anaesthesia to be maintained safely for as long as necessary.
Various pieces of equipment will then be connected up to monitor the
anaesthetic. This is a skilled job which would usually be carried out by
a qualified veterinary nurse. Apart from the operating table, the
instruments and the anaesthetic machine, a lot of specialised equipment
will be on “stand by” in case it is needed.
The area where the surgical incision is to be made will be prepared
by clipping and thorough cleaning to make it as close to sterile as
possible. The usual site of the incision for castration is not through
the scrotum but just in front of it.
The operation
While the dog is being prepared for surgery as mentioned above, the
surgeon will be “scrubbing up” and putting on sterile clothing (gown,
gloves, hat & mask). The surgical instruments will have been
sterilised in advance and are opened and laid out at the start of the
operation.
The operation involves removal of both testicles. They are removed by
cutting carefully through the skin just in front of the scrotum, and
through the various layers which cover the testicle. The very large
blood vessels and the spermatic cord have to be tied carefully before
cutting, allowing removal of the testicle. The layers are then closed up
with sutures, which may be visible on the surface or may be buried.
Further drugs can now be given as needed.
The
usual site of the incision for castration is shown by the arrow. The
skin will be shaved and thoroughly cleaned before the operation.
If one or both testicles are not in the usual place, the operation to
remove them is more fiddly. Occasionally a testicle can be partly
descended so that it lies in the groin area, and can be removed in a
similar way to a normal testicle but through a separate skin incision.
If the testicle is still lying right inside the abdomen, it can only be
removed by opening up the abdomen, which is a much bigger operation for
your dog and needs a longer recovery time. These testicles are often
abnormally small, so can be hard to locate as well.When the operation is finished, the gas anaesthetic is reduced and
the dog begins to wake up. He will be constantly monitored and the tube
removed from his windpipe when he reaches the right level of
wakefulness.
Recovery
Your dog will be placed in a warm kennel with soft bedding and
watched closely during recovery. Most dogs will feel very drowsy at
first and will take most of the day to sleep off the effects of the
anaesthetic. Your dog will only be allowed to come home when he is awake
enough to stand and walk unaided.
After-care
Full instructions should be given by the surgery concerning
after-care, including when your dog can be offered food and water. The
most important things would be to check the appearance of the wound, to
prevent your dog from licking it (with a plastic bucket-collar if
necessary) and to limit his exercise by keeping him on the lead. Any
concerns of any kind should be raised with the surgery.
The scrotum is not removed during surgery, so it can appear at first
as if nothing has been removed, especially if there is a little swelling
after the operation. However, the scrotum will gradually shrink as time
goes by. If you are not sure whether the amount of swelling after the
operation is normal or not, always telephone your surgery for advice.
Any medication supplied should be given according to the
instructions. Pain relief can be given by tablets or liquid on the food.
Antibiotics are not always needed, but may be supplied if there is a
need for them.
Usually there will be stitches in the skin which need to be removed
after about 10 days, but sometimes these are concealed under the surface
and will dissolve by themselves.
Your surgery will arrange an
appointment for any follow-up checks that are needed.
The effects of castration can take a few weeks to be seen.
If your
dog is being castrated to prevent breeding, it is important to realise
that he may still be fertile for a while after castration. If all goes to plan, your dog should feel quite normal within about
1-2 weeks of the operation, or a little longer if the testicles were
internal. ................................................................................................................................................................. ......................................................................
