Will having a cocker spaniel castrated affect it's coat?

Question

Ours is 8 months old and at the moment we are not planning to have him 'done' unless he becomes aggressive. Several people - owners - have told me if you do have them done their shiny coat becomes fluffy. They have said ''vets will tell you differently, but..''
So just intrigued to hear from anyone, vets or otherwise as to whether this is true.

Answer 1

Neutering in most cases WILL alter the coat - generally in Cockers it leaves them wooly and very difficult to manage. Vets are NOT the experts in dog coats. Remember that many vets will recommend neutering your dog because it means that they get your money. The people you need to ask this question to is Cocker breeders - all Cocker breeders I know will confirm that neutering will ruin the coat - no doubt about it. Also be aware that neutered dogs are 4 times more likely to get prostate cancer than entire dogs - and prostate cancer is actually far more common than testicular cancer (only 0.9%). It is your decision whether you wish to neuter so don't let anyone bully you into it, including your vet. If you are a responsible dog owner and keep your dog away from in season b1tches then it is very easy to live with an entire male. Do your research before you make a decision either way, because once he is neutered there is no going back. Good luck whatever you decide.

edit: I have just been on the website in the Cocker Spaniel Breed Club and they state that neutering does alter the coat.

Answer 2

Cocker Spaniel Coats

Answer 3

As with most things - every animal is different so what happens to one might not necessarily happen to the next.
We have 2 spaniel x labs and they have really thick, shiny coats. They still have them after they have both been done. This may be because they are regularly brushed and washed with a conditioning shampoo.
If you have to have the dog neutered you have to - whether it affects his coat or not !
Best thing is to keep him on a good diet that makes his fur nice and shiny and keep him well groomed then if you have to get him "the chop" then you shouldn't have a problem.

Answer 4

this is a tough subject in the doggy world, to snip or not to snip? well i can tell you from personal opinion and experience that i think it best NOT to get the dog castrated. This should be done only if there are unwanted behaviours as a result of being a full-male. Having him castrated WILL affect his coat, as it did my jack russell. We regret having him castrated as we realise it was our fault for his behaviour at the time. We weren't strict enough. I think the other reason aswell is because so many people have asked to use him as a stud!

Answer 5

My Cavalier King Charles had the operation done, and the coat lost some of its shine and became a bit dry afterwards( the Vet warned about this) . However, with some good shampoo and grooming, it's almost back to normal. He is so much calmer now - which is great, although it also means he's put on a bit of weight as he is not as active anymore.

Answer 6

No it will not effect the coat. But as Cockers get older they have a lot of allergies and the scaling and itchy skin and rubbing to sooth the itching is what causes the coat to frizz and change but there is shampoo for the allergies just watch.

Answer 7

Why would you not have him neutered?
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS TO THE DOG?

There are several health benefits to neutering. One of the most important concerns the prostate gland, which under the influence of testosterone will gradually enlarge over the course of the dog's life. In age, it is likely to become uncomfortable, possibly being large enough to interfere w/defecation. The prostate under the influence of testosterone is also predisposed to infection which is almost impossible to clear up without neutering. Neutering causes the prostate to shrink into insignificance thus preventing both prostatitis as well as the uncomfortable benign hyperplasia (enlargement) that occurs with aging. It is often erroneously held that neutering prevents prostate cancer but this is not true.

Other health benefits of neutering include the prevention of certain types of hernias and tumors of the testicles and anus. Excessive preputial discharge is also reduced by neutering.

WHAT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER NEUTER?

The only behavior changes that are observed after neutering relate to behaviors influenced by male hormones. Playfulness, friendliness, and socialization with humans are not changed. The behaviors that change are far less desirable. The interest in roaming is eliminated in 90 percent of neutered dogs. Aggressive behavior against other male dogs is eliminated in 60 percent of neutered dogs. Urine marking is eliminated in 50 percent of neutered male dogs. Inappropriate mounting is eliminated in 70 percent of neutered dogs.

Answer 8

A Cocker Spaniel aggressive!!!!! Are you mad! They are gentle little souls, its not in their nature to be aggressive and if anything its whole personality will change if you do that. DONT! Poor thing, completely uneccessary surgery and risk. Why!? Just make sure it doesnt get near female and thats fine. Or maybe one day an owner of a female one might want puppies and want your little one to be the father! Dont deny him that!

Answer 9

i have had some. no longer at present. The very last time changed into like a year in the past. i changed into pissed off and went psycho on people. I yelled at my mum and dad. And trashed my room. Made dents interior the walls. Threw stuff at a replicate. Broke it. Kicked the door in even as it did not close on the first attempt. I surely have a punching bag interior the storage now lol. It lasted minutes. i ought to experience myself over heated and irritable all day although. i eventually snapped. I felt quite exhausted after.

Answer 10

HAving you pooch altered should not affect its coat. In general in my past experiences teh only difference altering any of my pets has done is curb aggression & keep them from having their heat and/or being SO horny all the time