Is Desexing Good for Your Dog?

Desexing your dog may seem cruel or unjust to you. Do you think that it’s something you are doing for your own comfort? But the other side of it is that it keeps your dog healthy. Expert vets from http://gordonvet.com.au share here some facts about dog neutering that will console your heart.

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Benefits of Desexing

  • If your dog is not neutered, he will try to escape your yard to find a female partner and this puts him at a great risk of getting caught in a car accident or in a fight with other dogs leading to serious injuries. Neutering eliminates these possibilities.
  • Another risk of not neutering your dog is that he may develop several medical disorders including perianal adenomas and testicular cancer. The risk of testicular cancer increases if the dog has undescended testicle. His habit of marking things with his urine can make him disliked by your family.
  • Even female dogs have many health benefits of desexing. They are saved from the possibility of a fatal uterine infection called pyometra.
  • Also they are at a reduced risk of developing breast cancer depending on at what time the surgery is done.
  • A female dog coming on heat twice a year can cause inconvenience because she will bleed on furniture and carpet and will attract males from all over the place. You may face an unexpected pregnancy, an emergency caesarean delivery and a heavy bill. You may even have to bottle feed her puppies if she lacks any maternal instinct.

When to Do Desexing?

Your vet will help you to decide the best time to neuter your dog. Generally the procedure is performed when the dog is around 6 months, but it can also be done as early as 8 weeks which is often done to dogs in animal shelters.

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Pre and Post-surgical Care

  • Before the surgery, your dog needs to fast. So he can take dinner the night before, but no food or water the next morning for breakfast. This is to save him from regurgitating liquid or food while being under anaesthesia which may be inhaled leading to pneumonia.
  • If your dog is aged or has any health concerns, your vet will prescribe blood tests before administering anaesthesia. This is for ensuring that all his internal organs are in good condition.
  • Most dogs can go home the same day of surgery after recovering fully from anaesthesia; but this is when you have to do some hard work. You need to provide him good post-operative care to allow him to recover soon from his surgery and prevent complications.
  • Serve your dog only a small portion of meal at dinner. However, you need not worry if he is not willing to eat anything. He may feel a bit nauseous. But he should be willing to eat after around 24 hours.
  • Avoid any exercise for around 10 days, till the removal of his sutures. This means no long walks, jumping or running. It’s not easy to take him outdoors on leash because he may feel good within a couple of days after the surgery. In such a condition, a crate is a good help.
  • If any medication is prescribed by your vet, give them carefully as directed.
  • Remember that the surgical wounds should be clean and dry. Avoid getting your dog wet while there are still sutures present.
  • If the dog licks or bites his surgical wound excessively, try an Elizabethan collar.

Take help of expert West Lindfield vet like Gordon vet if you have any difficulty regarding your dog’s health.

Peter Simpson

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