My dog lost his manhood today...It made me wonder if spaying and neutering is really as human as they say?

Question

I have had many dogs and cats. I have a rough coat retriever. He looks like a black lab with a heavy coat. He just got neutered today. Sure I know the effects of the surgery and the medication is going to drag him down until tomorrow but I wonder how much effect this whole neutering thing has on him. Does he know what happened? I guess I am bummed out cause he I have became really attached to him. He is almost like a kid to me. Is this stuff harmful to dogs or am I just over reacting?

Answer 1

For pets, the pros generally outweigh the cons. Males generally don't change too much outside of being less pushy with other male canines.

I will say, however, that your concerns are warranted. The lower-the-dog-population propaganda gives accurate information but only gives the positives. There's a reason, now backed up by research done by Texas A&M University, that police and military organizations rarely neuter their animals. The greater apathy negatively affects most jobs that canines have. Females tend to become obese requiring starvation diets to keep their weight down. No studies that I am familiar with have been done to determine if these diets provide all needed nutrients (caloric intake is proper if the animal maintains a healthy weight but that is not the same as proper nutrient intake). Females tend to become MORE dog aggressive.

As far as health benefits, for males, there is no significant difference. Testicular cancer is eliminated but it is already quite rare. For females, if caught prior to the first heat, several cancers are nearly eliminated as possibilities. However, each passing heat up to about 2.5 years of age decreases this benefit and there is no benefit after 2.5 years.

The bottom line is that the most important reason for neutering is to blunt the dog population which is, IMO, a good reason. Now, if we could convince the Marxists that this is a PERSONAL decision and not something government has any business in, we'd all be better off (Comrade Californians, are you listening?). All concerned would profit too if it were more widely understood that the overpopulation of dogs is not due as much to breeding practices as it is to lack of training. Dogs are bred because there is a high demand for puppies. People do not train these puppies, decide they are bad dogs, take them to the pound, then get another puppy. If as much effort went to getting dogs trained as brow beating people to neuter them, then the overpopulation problem would be significantly smaller.

Answer 2

I think it's great that you love your dog so much. Relax he will be fine. You will have to watch the amount of food he eats because he may start to gain weight. Spaying and Neutering is the best thing a pet owner can do for their animal. It makes it easier on everyone in the long run. Male dogs can be very aggressive if they are not neutered. No matter how they acted before it. Bob Barker agrees totally with the whole spaying and neutering thing. Your dog was not harmed at all by having this procedure. I get it done to all my pets and I have also had many in my lifetime. Give him a few days and he will be good as new and back to his old self. My two dogs and cat bounced back real quick. Make sure the area stays clean and he has plenty of water.

Answer 3

Funny you should asks this today. My neighbor has a male dog that is a mix breed and I have been hounding him for 4 years to have his dog neutered and he kept saying no. Well last night he was pounding on my door for help because something was not right with his dog! This poor thing was in so much pain that his gums were white. To make long story short he needed to have an emergency neutering for a very enlarged prostate. You don't want to know what the bill was. He is home today and doing very well. So I hope this makes you know you did the right thing for your dog. You would not want your dog to have so much pain. You did a very good thing and I thank you for your dog!! All the best;~)

Answer 4

I think you are just over reacting. Humans are a very sexual species. Sex occupies a lot of our thoughts for a large period of time and humans are one of the few mammal species that has sex even when the female isn't ovulating. Unlike humans, dogs only think about sex when there's a female in heat nearby. And then, that is quite literally the only thing they think about. The rest of the time, they couldn't care less. Your dog won't notice his manhood is missing for 90% of the time and the other 10% he will be less stressed and frustrated because he is neutered. My female dog was abandoned by her previous owners when she refused to stand for a stud...trust me, she isn't missing her uterus at all.

Not only that, but you have eliminated his chances of testicular cancer and reduced his chances for prostate diseases to practically zero. I work for a vet and we once had an old intact male doberman as a patient. Being old, he had some health problems that are fairly common for older dogs that required medication and an enlarged prostate. Believe me, there is nothing sadder than an 80lb dog with muscle weakness who has a disease or is taking medication that causes increased urination who can't pee because of an enlarged prostate. If he had been neutered, even later in life but before his prostate enlarged, he would have been spared a world of suffering.

Answer 5

don't worry about him, as soon as the drugs wear off you won't even be able to tell he's any different. don't doubt your self neutering and spaying is the best most responsible thing you can do for your pets.. neutering your dog makes him a much safer and healthier dog 1 he will not have any chances of developing testicular Cancer 2 it can stop the humping 3 he won't want to pee to mark his spot 4 and for he will be less likely to run away because he's not chasing the girl dogs. so congratulations on making the responsible choice for your dog.. if he could he'd thank you

Answer 6

yes spaying and neutering is humane. If you don 't neuter they can get things such as testicular cancer, inguinal hernias and other things, not spaying can cause mammory tumors heat is stressful on them not to mention they become very unruly. as an example we had a 90 lb. 6 month old intact male yellow lab. We had to have FOUR NURSES hold him just to take his temperature. that is ridiculus and could be avoided if he was neutered. he also left massive bruises on my legs. it will save you money because I know my vet will not do anything unless dogs that act that way are sedated the next time around which can cost about two hundred dollars.
THANK YOU FOR SPAYING AND NEUTERING YOUR PETS!!!!!!! your vet techs appreciate it

Answer 7

You are just looking out for him because you care about him. Right now he is probably really slow and not feeling so good. But you'll be surprised at how fast he bounces back. You made the right choice. He's not going to know or care what happened. Now your dog has no risk of testicular cancer, less risk of running off to find females....a huge portion of dogs in the pound are unneutered males. Don't worry, he'll feel better tomorrow.

Answer 8

Its a good thing that you had your dog neutered. True, he won't be able to sow his wild oats any more but he won't wander as much any more. Also you won't have your neighbors accusing your dog of knocking up their slutty dogs.

It is the most humane thing to do if your dog especially if Cujo isn't pedigreed with papers.

I have a friend that has been saying for years that she was going to get her 2 female cats spayed. I lost count of the litters. When she couldn't get someone to take the kittens she would go across town and drop them off somewhere. She needs to get her cats spayed but she keeps putting it off. She says that someone will take care of the kittens but what if no one does?
I call that inhumane.

I had my cat Luna spayed as soon as I could, I had to because it said that I had to in my lease.
I love animals but I only feed what I have to take to the vet every year. It is sad seeing all the strays, most likely the product of a un-neutered or un-spayed cat or dog like my friend's cat. I call the pound to pick them up, at least if the "stray" has a owner they can check out the pound. It seems inhumane to gas a whole litter of pups or kittens but at least they won't have to wonder where there next meal is coming from. But gassing litters takes up man hours that the police(here someone in police takes calls about strays, etc)could be using to catch human criminals and ax murderers.

Answer 9

You are overreacting!
It's not an attack on his manhood, nor on yours.
There ARE illnesses dogs are not at risk of getting after they are neutered.
He'll be a better pet and companion cause he won't go catting around.
My animals are all neutered and I'm VERY attached to them all.
I neutered them to give them the best care they could get.
Now they don't go through hormonally triggered mood swings.

Answer 10

All you need to do to answer that question is go to petfinder.com. Most of these animals are ones that people have discarded. The surgery its self makes the dog less aggressive and more stable. If you don't make an issue out of it he won't either. He is following your lead, as Cesar would say "Be a good pack leader."