Desexing

 

We understand that decisions around desexing your dog are complex.

There are several pros and cons to de-sexing.

Below is a summary of the recent literature surrounding the advantages and disadvantages of de-sexing provided by Dr Abbie Tipler ATCL BVSc MANZCVS FANZCVS - Small Animal Surgical Specialist. from Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS), Brisbane, Australia (www.drabbietipler.com) – see this link for a full list of references.

Desexing is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of reproductive organs. In a female, desexing is referred to as ‘speying’ and involves the complete or partial removal of the uterus, uterine horns and ovaries. In the male, testicles are removed in a process called ‘castration’. After the surgery your pet will no longer be able to reproduce.

There are many benefits to desexing your pet before. They include:

 

  • Preventing unwanted litters, which can be very costly, and may add to the already overwhelming number of stray animals that are put down each year
  • Prevention of testicular cancer and prostate disease in males, and it can help prevent pyometra (infection of the uterus) and mammary tumours (breast cancer) in females
  • Stopping the “heat” cycle in females 
  • Decreasing aggression towards humans and other animals, especially in males
  • Being less prone to wander, especially in males
  • Reduction of council registration fees

What to do before and after surgery

Before surgery:

  • Make a booking for your pets operation.
  • If your pet is a dog, you can wash them the day before surgery as they are then unable to be washed after until the stitches are removed.
  • You can give you pet an evening meal as normal the day prior to surgery, but do not leave food out overnight. Water should be freely available to your pet until 8 am on the day of surgery.
  • A blood test may be performed prior to surgery to check vital organ function.
  • The vet will perform a thorough physical examination before administering an anaesthetic.
  •  Intravenous fluid therapy is required during most types of surgery. This will be discussed with you prior to the procedure.
  • To ensure your pet is as comfortable as possible, all pets receive pain relief as part of the desexing procedure, and we may prescribe medication for you to administer at home for a few days after the procedure.

After Surgery:

  • Keep your pet restrained and quiet as the effects of anaesthetic can take some time to wear off completely.
  • Keeping them quiet is also essential to allow the wound to heal.
  • Food should be limited to small portions only on the night of surgery. Follow any dietary instructions that the vet has provided.
  • Ensure all post-surgical medications (if any) are administered as per the label instructions.
  • Ensure your pet’s rest area is clean to avoid infection.
  • Check the surgical wound at least twice daily for any signs of infection or disruption (e.g. bleeding, swelling, redness or discharge). Contact the vet immediately if any of these occur. Do not wait to see if they will spontaneously resolve.
  • Prevent your pet from licking or chewing the wound. Special cone-shaped collars assist with this problem. A single chew can remove the careful stitching with disastrous effects.
  • Ensure you return to us on time for routine post-operative check-ups and removal of stitches.

Pros of Desexing Males

  • Castration reduces the risk of testicular tumours;
  • Castration reduces the risk of benign prostatic neoplasia, chronic prostatitis, perianal adenomas and perianal hernias.

Pros of Desexing Females

  • Ovariohysterectomy may reduce the risk of mammary cancer. The reduction in risk seems to be small and some breeds are more prone to mammary cancer than others;
  • Ovariohysterectomy reduces the risk of ovarian neoplasia, uterine neoplasia and vaginal tumours;
  • Ovariohysterectomy prevents pyometra, metritis and ovarian cysts as well as problems associated with pregnancy and parturition;
  • Some breeds are more prone to pyometra.

Male and Female:

  • Desexing has been associated with an overall increase in life span, due to decreased mortality associated with trauma and infectious disease, in some studies;
  • Desexing reduces the risk of transmissible venereal tumours, a sexually transmitted disease.

Cons of Desexing Males:

  • There is an increased risk of prostatic carcinoma.

Cons of Desexing Females:

  • There is an increased risk of urinary incontinence in some breeds.

Male and Female:

  • There is an increased risk of obesity.
  • There is an increased risk of joint disease if desexed prior to skeletal maturity (for example cruciate ligament disease, elbow dysplasia and hip dysplasia) in some breeds, especially larger breeds when desexing is performed prior to skeletal maturity (see below for breed specific information).
  • There is an increased risk of cancers in some breeds. The risk is sometimes reduced when desexing is performed beyond a certain age. These factors (i.e., risk and age at desex) vary between breeds.

The pros and cons of desexing can vary from breed to breed.

Here have been some breeds that have been studied in more detail. A good summary of the risk factors for various diseases and recommendation of age of desexing by breed can be found by accessing the article ‘Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence’ by Hart et al. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full

Speak to your vet about these pro’s and con’s and the most appropriate age for your pet.