Castration of dogs - the main pros and cons

In today's world, many people who have pets, consider it necessary to conduct the procedure of castration of animals. Most take this procedure as a phenomenon for granted. However, there are owners who remain for a long time in doubt as to how expedient such a procedure will be, and agree to carry it out only as a last resort.

Sterilization and castration - what's the difference

Many people who are only remotely familiar with the concept of castration, mistakenly believe that this procedure is intended only for males, and sterilization can only be done to females. In fact, everything is somewhat different.

Sterilization of female individuals involves the tubal ligation, and the male sex is sterilized by ligation of the seminal ducts. In medicine, this procedure is called a vasectomy. The main advantage of sterilization is the humane attitude to the animal from a moral point of view, since all genitals are preserved, which can continue to produce hormones in the rhythm of the animal. In a pet that has undergone a sterilization procedure, there is still a need for mating, but conceiving offspring in this process is impossible.

But as for castration, this procedure is considered more radical than sterilization, because during its implementation the reproductive organs of the animal are completely removed. If castrated females, this implies the complete removal of the uterus and ovaries, sometimes limited to the ovaries. In the case of males, both testicles are amputated. Consequently, during sterilization, the sexual functions of the animal are partially violated, and during castration, they are completely removed.

Why castrate dogs?

When considering this issue in relation to female domestic animals - the conclusion is quite obvious. After castration, females, excited males will stop flocking around at her doorstep, she will no longer rush from corner to corner, demanding mating, her behavior will be quiet and adequate, since the mating period will not be interesting to her. The dog will cease to expose itself to dangerous situations, and will not rush "to freedom". On the physiological side, the castration of a female individual also has some positive aspects, for example, estrus will cease, and with them the involuntary conception and birth of puppies will end, with which the owner will then have to do something.

But regarding the situation with male individuals, castration is provided as a way to avoid a multitude of problems caused by aggressive behavior. The fact is that if males do not mate for a long time, they will significantly increase the level of hormones. This leads to the fact that the dog begins to uncontrollably mark the territory, including household things, to create difficult situations by jumping onto passers-by, and children in this case are no exception.

In the absence of mating, the dog literally turns into an uncontrollable animal that does not respond to the owner’s commands. He can attack other males or start the annoying pursuit of a female with a leak, to the point that he will sleep at her doorstep until he gets what he wants. The situation is aggravated by the fact that after the end of the heat, the untreated females can somehow calm down and return to normal behavior, while the non-casted males are in such an aggressive state of increased activity all year round.

Also, besides the physiological specifics of animals, which in most cases serves as a reason for castration, this procedure is performed on the basis of medical indicators. This may be a variety of inflammatory processes or cancers in the genitals of the animal.

Positive aspects of castration

The procedure of castration of animals has the following positive aspects:

1. No matter what the sex of the animal, its content in the apartment becomes much more convenient.
2. After the castration of male individuals, the animal’s manifestation of aggression disappears, and half of them stop marking the surrounding things.
3. Castrated males stop getting involved in fights on their own initiative, and become indifferent to other, belligerent males.
4. There is a gradual decrease in the sexual desire of the animal, and ultimately disappears completely.
5. Castrated animals cease to run away from the owners and wander.
6. Castration of animals of old age can prevent the appearance of cancers of the reproductive system.
7. Since females are prone to the appearance of uterus pyometras, it is necessary to remove the uterus and ovaries simultaneously during castration.
8. This procedure protects the animal from the occurrence of infectious diseases of the reproductive system.

In an emasculated animal, anxiety disappears, an increase in appetite and an improvement in sleep are observed, interest in active games and mischief increases. The pet becomes calm and peaceful, attempts to gain leadership in the family eventually disappear without a trace.

After castration, only the nature of the pet is corrected, and not its complete change. If the owner wants to change the behavior of the dog completely, he needs to train her, to calculate the optimal level of physical activity and training for the animal.There are cases when the nature of the animal is balanced by reaching a certain age.

Disadvantages of castration of dogs

Of course, like every surgical intervention, castration is characterized by the occurrence of some side effects and complications. The main disadvantage of this procedure is the occurrence of hormonal disruption, which naturally then affects the general health of the pet.

Among the disadvantages of castration include the occurrence of such complications as:

1. Hyperthyroidism is a disease that is provoked by the reduced functionality of the thyroid gland and the low level of the hormone it produces.
2. Cancer of the bones - in most cases begins to develop in males after castration.
3. Rapid weight gain - due to increased appetite, which appears in the animal after castration, and a decrease in physical activity, overweight in an animal can cause it to develop diseases of the cardiovascular system.
4. Elderly neutered males very often suffer from behavioral abnormalities.
5. Males often change their coat after castration, which is explained by the lack of male hormones in the body, which makes their wool much softer.

The owner, who intends to castrate his pet, needs to know that our smaller brothers endure anesthesia more difficult than people. Most veterinarians will confirm that administering anesthesia to an animal is much more dangerous than surgery itself. This is due to the fact that in case of insufficient anesthesia there is a risk of a premature awakening of the pet, and in case of exceeding the dosage, cardiac arrest is not excluded.

How is the operation?

In order to perform castration, the animal is administered general anesthesia, as a result of which it falls asleep, and the veterinarian can calmly proceed to the procedure. In the quality of the preparatory activities perform the following actions:

• have a pet on a sterile operating table;
• general anesthesia is administered;
• remove wool from where the operation will be performed;
• disinfect the shaved area of ​​the body.

Castration of a dog represents several incisions on the scrotum, which are made by a veterinarian in order to pull the spermatic cord. After the cords are tightened, the testicles are quietly amputated. The wound, which is formed on the site of amputation, must be powdered with a special powder - Tricillin, because it prevents the occurrence of complications after removal.Castration in males lasts no more than ten minutes; it is not necessary to remove the stitches after such an operation, since the incision site is sutured with absorbable threads.

The process of castration of the female is much more complicated than the male. This is due to the fact that the veterinarian needs to penetrate into the body of the animal. The penetration process itself is performed by cutting the female's groin area. Through this incision, the necessary genitals are removed. It may be just the ovaries, or steamed with the uterus. The duration of this procedure is about forty minutes. At the end, the doctor produces stitches to the animal at the incision site or even blanket, if necessary. This is done to prevent the dog from accessing the damaged area.

Suitable age for castration

For the castration of males there are age limits. The procedure can be performed no earlier than it reaches the age of six months. If you castrate it before the recommended period, it is possible to stop the growth and physical development of the animal.

Females are recommended to be neutered before they begin their first estrus, about six to nine months old.With timely and proper castration, it is possible to protect the female from the further appearance of breast tumors.

Postoperative care for animals

In the first few hours after surgery, when the condition of the animal is still rather weak, involuntary urination is characteristic. It should be foreseen before the start of the procedure and stock up with absorbent disposable diapers, which will be useful both for transporting the animal and for staying at home, the use of oilcloth is possible.

Having brought the animal directly home, it must be placed in a suitable warm place. In no case should a dog be placed after an operation near a window, a battery or where there is a draft.

Until the complete recovery of the pet after the operation, the owner must follow the general indicators:

1. A slight decrease in the pulse of the animal after the operation is allowed, as long as it is even.
2. Breathing should also be smooth and calm, there should be no delay or increased frequency.
3. The mucous membranes should have a natural color if they turn pale or turn bluish - this is the first sign that an animal has a problem.

The first day after the operation, the owner must shift his pet from side to side every hour. Wet litter should be changed immediately, otherwise the animal may freeze.

Video: castration of dogs and cats - the pros and cons