Is it true that neutering a male dog later in life (as in no longer a puppy) can change the dogs personality? I've got a 6 year old male Cairn Terrier that is very sweet and playful right now, and I'm afraid that if I have him fixed now, it will make him vicious. Is it true? How does fixing a dog later in life affect the dog?
2007-03-08 08:56:05 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Most veterinarians think that neutering male dogs is usually a good idea, for the most part regardless of age. It actually HELPS with some behavioral problems and it reduces the risk of many medical issues, such as benign prostate hypertrophy later in life. It eliminates the possibility of testicular cancer. It reduces the incidence of fight wounds, hit by car trauma and other injuries associated with looking for and finding female dogs in heat. Male dogs are less likely to urine mark if they are neutered. Generally, neutered male dogs are less aggressive and more mild-mannered (so your playful Cairn might calm down a bit, but will not likely become aggressive at all).
Neutering also reduces the risk of perianal adenomas (a tumor that occurs around the rectum later in life).
Some dogs do gain weight after being neutered. Overall, the difference in obesity percentages between neutered and intact males is a 5-10% increase in obesity in intact males. This is the only disadvantage, other than a slight risk of anesthetic problems, that I know of to neutering.
Talk to your vet about this issue before you decided whether to go through with it or not.
Good luck!
2007-03-08 09:04:33 · answer #1 · answered by Eddie S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not. What neutering does change is the dog's tendency towards Testosterone-induced aggression and sexual frustration. Other reasons to do it are prevention of serious life-threatening cancers such as Testicular and Prostate cancer. It also prevents un-wanted litters which often end up being euthanized in local pounds.
The later in life you wait to neuter, the longer it may take to heal from the incision (more of a problem in spays, males bounce right back), and the more risk there is for cancer.
Please rest assured that the pros far, far out weigh the cons.
Don't delay, for your dog's sake.
-RVT
2007-03-08 17:08:15 · answer #2 · answered by vet tech 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a vet but I love dogs, have a happy female (spayed after her first heat cycle but before she reached 1 year of age), and am pretty confident that the personality changes introduced in male dogs after castration are in the opposite direction of your fear. That is, removing the testes will reduce the amount of testosterone and reduce any aggressive or territorial tendencies, not increase them. Again I'm not a formal expert here but I did study psychobiology in college, and I'd be very very surprised if this weren't the case. But checking w/ your trusted vet is of course your best bet. HTH!
2007-03-08 17:01:35 · answer #3 · answered by Chris W 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
GOOD LORD NO he won't become vicious! If anything he will be less aggressive. I have 2 Westies, they were both neutered at 3 and they are wonderful. Sweet loving and playful. They just don't hump one another like they used to!
Seriously, there will be no adverse effects.
2007-03-08 17:00:56 · answer #4 · answered by Bev 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Neutering dogs later in life does not change their personality. It actually has the tendency to reduce aggression, not increase it - so there is not chnace your dog will become vicious. It helps prevent diseases of the reproductive organs that can happen later in life such as cancer. There are no downsides to doing it.
2007-03-08 17:03:58 · answer #5 · answered by ? 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Neutering won't make him aggressive, it'll do the very opposite. His male hormones are what would make him aggressive and through neutering you'll reduce his hormones.
Check out the following website - it gives you all the pros and cons of neutering.
http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/neutering.html
2007-03-08 17:02:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
NO!!!!! neutering does NOT make a dog vicious nor does it change personality in any way...Personality is what it is plain and simple.
2007-03-08 17:22:51 · answer #7 · answered by Great Dane Lover 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i haven't heard that at all! i have a dog and he is 5 years old and he is neutered and he seems to be fine. like he is his usual self. greeting people, playful all of that kind of stuff. so i wouldn't worry about it at all. to tell you!
2007-03-08 17:51:22 · answer #8 · answered by Acacia G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fixing is good. it will make him more calm when other dogs that are in heat come around. He won't be so hormonal.
2007-03-08 17:11:55 · answer #9 · answered by Yutow 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It will not make him vicious. If anything it will make him a bit calmer. You are getting incorrect information. How could it possibly make him vicious? that makes me laugh.
2007-03-08 18:31:10 · answer #10 · answered by katie d 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋