Strays Anatomy

Questions about this often pop up. I find it hardest to convince clients to neuter male dogs because they feel that it’s not something that inconveniences them as much as an unneutered female dog who comes on heat every 6 months. If you aren’t planning on breeding from your dog, then I’d highly suggest you neuter it. There are too many ‘surrendered’ unwanted puppies out there, we don’t want or need anymore. There are obvious health advantages to neutering your dogs. Males that are neutered are less aggressive and it reduces their prostate and testicular cancer rates to near nil. The health advantages to female dogs are even more pronounced – it reduces their risk of mammary cancer to nearly nil, they don’t get womb infections (pyometra) which their entire female cousins get if they aren’t bred, they are at a lower risk of getting a form of diabetes plus you save on the hassle of having all the local male dogs congregating at your doorstep whenever she does come on heat!
Neutering is usually performed at 6 months of age, but some vets perform it in young pups. Many shelters are now taking this option as they find that increasing numbers of people opt not to bring their adopted puppies back for the operation at the appointed 6 months of age.