Neutering a 6-1/2 month old dog

[BarbC]

I am bringing my little dog, Badger, back with me to the United States. He's a small mixed breed, around 12 pounds, long and lean.

I would like to have him neutered and his retained deciduous canine teeth removed while he's still here in Estonia because it is cheaper and he will have 6 weeks recovery time before we fly home.

My friend is horrified at the thought of having him neutered. I asked him what people here do with unwanted puppies and he said, "They drown them."

We have an appointment tomorrow (Friday) morning. We had gone to the vet a couple of weeks ago and she didn't want to do it at that time.

Badger just began lifting his leg to pee and it's so cute, but I don't want him turning into a leg-humper and he's just that kind of dog, too.

Isn't 6-1/2 months a sufficient age for neutering? Wouldn't waiting longer just postpone the inevitable anyway and make the procedure more expensive and recovery time longer?

[arjay]

Yes it is.I remember my folks (western europeans) telling me how excess animals were handled before the war.A very different world.

[mc5aw]

Neutering is standard at 6 months. Here in PA, a vet will not neuter a puppy unless it has already received its rabies vaccine.

[BarbC]

Badger has gotten his shots and he even has a microchip and an Estonian passport, which is a requirement for dogs traveling in Europe.

It seems there's a real mindset against neutering here, that it reduces their "fun". I've recounted in prior posts about the rampant sexuality (and disease) among the people here. I think some of them should be spayed and neutered too.

[JcMack]

I guess it's not much help but my dogs are females and I had them spayed (sp?) around 6-7 mos. old. It's recommended to have the procedure done before the 1st heat. I'm pretty sure the time frame is the same for males. Since my dogs are Chihauhuas I was concerned at the time because they were still quite small.
My Dad was a boy living in Southern Mo. during the 30's. They were very poor and when his dog had 9 pups no one would take one. My grandfather made him shoot the puppies.

If you want I'll call my Vet at 8 a.m. CST, see what she recommends, and post the results here around 8:30 CST.

[jaykellogg]

My daughter had her Labrador neutered before six months. Mostly he squats to pee. Your dog has already developed all his male characteristics, there is no benefit to waiting. Here in Western North Carolina the license fee for a dog that isn't neutered or spayed is $100 a year.

[doublesharp]

6 months is when we did Barney and Squirt. The vet recommended that we have Barney's dew claws removed (must have had a yacht payment) so we did. That poor little dog came out of the vet wearing a big cone for a German Shepherd sized dog (vet was out of small sized cones) with his front paws bandaged and his belly all stitched up. I'm surprised he ever trusted us again. When we had our lowrider poodle Scooter neutered he convalesced behind the tv for a couple days and was then fine. Our youngest little dog, Squirt, took it in stride and it didn't bother him much at all. Makes a much better pet in my opinion.

[JcMack]

I called my Vet. I've been using this Vet 15+ years. 3 female doctors, very compassionate. They say 6 mos. is the number for males.
There's a very large community of Eastern Europeans from every country over there in Chicago. I worked in and around that community until a couple years ago. They all live in their own sub-communities by nationality, and hate each other. The men are all hard guys (a lot of them with military service in their home country). By age 14 the women are tough as nails.

[Rule3]

Do the Dew claws also. Our JR Terror never had his done and they snag on things and he has been in a lot of pain a few times almost ripping them off.

The first pic of your dog almost looks like a Corgi??

[BearBio]

I agree with neutering a male at that age.

On females. one problem that can develop (did with my first GSP and two of a friend's Dobes) is that the sphincter on the bladder in a female may weaken at about 10 years or so and they will dribble if they are neutered at 6 months. Easily handled with drugs.

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Don't be so fast in disparaging your dog leg humping especially if it's a lab-Great way to meet chicks back in college-makes for a good ice breaker

[Arik]

My dog was neutered at 1 month. I adopted him and the agency i got him from automatically does it to all dogs. I think it goes by size and gender as to when its safe to neuter.

This was him the day i got him. Hes now about 4 months old

[mwtdvm]

There are often cultural biases against neutering the males, but it's OK to spay the females. Also as you noted a good time to get the dental stuff done as well. I have no knowledge of what anesthetic agents they use but if the local vet is used to using whatever they use, things should be OK.

[Arik]

Oh and i forgot to mention. Anyone who advocates drowning dogs (or any other animal) over neutering should first be neutered by a 12 gauge and then waterboarded.

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[BarbC]

He's sleeping here, looking so cute and innocent that I really feel bad that I know what's going to happen tomorrow and hoping too that he'll be ok with the anesthesia.

And then in 6 weeks he goes in a box for 12 hours on a plane. I really feel like a rat.

[Thuer]

I am very glad that I am not a Male dog.
I wish you sucses with this cute dog. It is realy a nice dog.

[JcMack]

Originally Posted by BarbC

Badger has gotten his shots and he even has a microchip and an Estonian passport, which is a requirement for dogs traveling in Europe.

Are you gonna tell me his picture is on his passport? How old does he have to be to vote? Cute doggy.

[Sprefix]

Dang flang it! I ain't even had coffee and someone wants to fix sumthin' that ain't broke!! Heart is going again..........I'm all about spaying and neutering. Can't abide no leg-disco, but that's just me. Gitter done..............Best to you....BOTH!! And BearBio, I got an aunt that has that same problem

[steamloco76]

Our male dog was nearly a year old when we found him in the rescue shelter. He wasn't neutered yet and was quite the leg humper. Also, he tried to shoot his urine to the top of ever pole or hydrant which led to his falling over several times when walked on a leash! We picked him up after he recovered from his loss of the family jewels and within a week he was not trying to pee up the pole anymore. He does, however, even four years later try to mount our much older female, which is funny since both are "fixed".

Please neuter your male dogs, it takes a lot of stress away as they can smell a lot of females they will never get loose to meet and it drives the poor boys crazy!

[Pete99004]

6 months old for a male is normal time frame as it's best to wait until both testicles are dropped before the surgery. Prior to 6 months it's not uncommon to only have one dropped. He won't be in bad shape after - will probably still have his "luggage" but it will be empty "luggage". He may be a little lazy for one or two days, then he will be back to normal. Won't see any changes in his "male" attitude/aptitude for about 8 months. Most people don't see any changes at all. Very safe procedure for him just keep him from licking the area and watch for signs of infection. 99% of the time it's "No problems".

Best to you and have a safe trip back.


Pete

[BarbC]

Thanks to everyone's sound advice, I'm feeling a bit better about having him go through the operations. His teeth really need to come out because he's grinding the permanents onto the lower ones so might as well do it all at once.

Another reason a lot of people here don't neuter is that purebreds are very common here, even some unusual breeds you don't normally see outside of a dog show. They're considered an investment.

He'll have forgotten all about it (I hope) by the time I put him through the flight experience. I figured it's probably better timing to do this before the trip than afterwards.

[Rule3]

You can get him a light sedative (Xanax or the like) before the flight. He will sleep right through it and just be groggy when you get home.

[sq hunter]

never nuetered or spayed any pets. never had unwanted pups either. responsible owner I am. used to remove dew claws. no more my hunting dogs use'm like thumbs.climb trees and catch game. wouldn't want to be nuetered or have my thumbs cut off.

[cussedemgun]

Originally Posted by steamloco76

We picked him up after he recovered from his loss of the family jewels and within a week he was not trying to pee up the pole anymore. He does, however, even four years later try to mount our much older female, which is funny since both are "fixed".

Please neuter your male dogs, it takes a lot of stress away as they can smell a lot of females they will never get loose to meet and it drives the poor boys crazy!

In doggie lingo, trying to ride another dog, either male or female, can be a way of exerting dominance for establishing pecking order & have nothing to do with hormone driven behavior.

As for neutering, there are degrees of results expected from the operation. A vet can merely perform a vasectomy thereby preventing unwanted offspring but leaving all behavior & "spirit" intact. (often called 'cutting them proud). Complete removal of all related gland, nerve, & cord tissue can result in complete loss of reproductive drive & sometimes weight gain associated with lethargic behavior. Best to discuss your expectations with the vet before the operation so the desired effect you expect is achieved.

GOOD on YA for caring enough to rescue the lil guy!

[Packard]

Neutered dogs have fewer health issues like Testicular cancer. They make better pets as they tend to be less aggressive and have fewer distractions. All of my dogs have been neutered.

[BarbC]

Well, the deed is done. Poor little fella whimpered and cried during the operation. We went home by taxi afterwards, him wrapped up in a towel. He slept for an hour on my bed and now is under the kitchen breakfront in his usual favorite hiding spot.

I know he'll feel better tomorrow and by the end of the week he'll be back to himself completely.

Well, not "completely". My Russian friend is posting on his Facebook page that to enter America, one must leave his teeth and balls behind.

[DeathGrip]

Originally Posted by BarbC

Well, not "completely". My Russian friend is posting on his Facebook page that to enter America, one must leave his teeth and balls behind.

More for facebook; and you don't border patrol will.

[Packard]

Originally Posted by BarbC

Well, the deed is done. Poor little fella whimpered and cried during the operation. We went home by taxi afterwards, him wrapped up in a towel. He slept for an hour on my bed and now is under the kitchen breakfront in his usual favorite hiding spot.

I know he'll feel better tomorrow and by the end of the week he'll be back to himself completely.

Well, not "completely". My Russian friend is posting on his Facebook page that to enter America, one must leave his teeth and balls behind.

I understand the neutering. But why the teeth?

[Onomea]

Best wishes for the l'il guy's prompt recovery.

(Sure glad I was not born a dog.... This time around anyway....)

[WC145]

Originally Posted by BarbC

Well, the deed is done. Poor little fella whimpered and cried during the operation. We went home by taxi afterwards, him wrapped up in a towel. He slept for an hour on my bed and now is under the kitchen breakfront in his usual favorite hiding spot.

I was the same way after my vasectomy. A bag of frozen peas and some vicodin and he'll be fine. Worked for me.

I hope you didn't take him to the same hospital you were at!!

[BarbC]

He needed the baby teeth canines removed. The permanent teeth are in front of them and they never fell out, so his teeth rub against the bottom ones. This way the permanents will hopefull shift where they belong.

He was treated pretty well at the vet and we left in an hour. She seemed very caring, competent and compassionate - the local human nurses could take a lesson.

He's looking so sad right now, lying as close to me as he can get. I hate to even break the news to him that while he was sleeping, I went shopping for an airline crate for his 12-hour confinement. Poor little doggy - I keep telling him American streets are paved with chewy sticks and there's a PetSmart on every corner.

[BE Mike]

Sounds like they are at least 60 years behind the times over there. Have the procedures done. Your dog will be happier and healthier.

[captorquewrench]

I like reading your posts about being in Estonia. One of my favorite modern composers is Estonian.

Badger should be fine! he's also adorable. I'd be more concerned about his comfort during the flight than the neutering. But that's me me. The McNeil does NOT like to fly.

[BarbC]

Badger is much better this morning, although still wincing a bit. I feel better too.

All these people, including the vet, tried to make me feel horrible about doing this to him. Then I remembered: Hey - these are the same people that I had to travel halfway around the world to teach how to wash their hands!

[DustyJacket]

Originally Posted by BarbC

...Poor little fella whimpered and cried during the operation...

They didn't knock him out to do the operations?

[longranger]

No good owners any more,they do unnecessary procedures instead teaching their dog how to live politely in society. I have raised and trained more dogs than I can count,field,show,family pets.Learn how to teach your dog and leave their genitals alone.No bad dogs just bad owners,Europeans have a few things right.

[Arik]

Originally Posted by DustyJacket

They didn't knock him out to do the operations?

Yea that doesnt sound unusual. I remember my mom telling me how she had to get a root canal done when she was in her late teens and the dentists didnt use novocaine!

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[gregintenn]

Originally Posted by Arik

My dog was neutered at 1 month. I adopted him and the agency i got him from automatically does it to all dogs. I think it goes by size and gender as to when its safe to neuter.

This was him the day i got him. Hes now about 4 months old

How do you get your dog to stick to the wall like that? Velcro?

[DustyJacket]

Originally Posted by gregintenn

How do you get your dog to stick to the wall like that? Velcro?

Nah. They just neutered him without anesthetic.

[Cyrano]

Barb, don't worry about any trauma for Badger during the trip to the US. When I was in the Army I was stationed in Alaska, and we had two dogs. I came down on orders for Vietnam, and we sent the dogs to live with my parents in Connecticut. They hit it off well. After about a year and a half, I was again more or less stationary in Ft Bliss, and we sent for the dogs. When they put the dogs in the crate, the dogs cried and my father cried! I went to the freight depot at El Paso to pick them up. I saw a dog crate with some scuffling sounds comming out of it as they sniffed trying to figure out what was going on. I said "There's my dogs", and they practically broke down the cage in their eagerness to get out. We took them home on a leash, and they were perfectly happy. They'd adjusted well to Alaska, Connecticut and El Paso. Dogs are resiliant; you are the constant in Badger's life and when he's with you, he'll be content.

[BarbC]

Badger is back to his regular self - funny, vocal, exhuberant, playful little dog.

We live in the outskirts of the city. We had taken the dogs to the park, dropped them back off at the apartment while we went out to dinner, and then I ran up the three flights of steps to let them out again so we could go back to the park. I said to Alex, "Watch the dogs" so I could run back up and do some quick things. When I got back downstairs five minutes later, the mother dog ran into the house and Badger was nowhere in sight. Alex was playing with his phone. It took us about 10 minutes of calling through the neighborhood to locate him and when we did, he came running (I suspect a certain neighbor had enticed him into her apartment because she LOVES puppies).

When I lived on the farm, I did not feel I had to neuter my dogs. They were trained, they stayed around the farm, and I had no problems. This city environment is a whole different story. Dogs get out. Dogs are allowed to roam the city streets unattended. The mother dog, Sonia, takes herself all the way across town. People here think it's perfectly fine to let the dogs roam freely, get knocked up, and either keep or drown the puppies.

I've got my hands full over here as it is. I couldn't bear to have him push himself out the door to go join the doggy orgy when a lazy aide lets herself in and lets him get out (we get four aide visits per day). If neutering is the price to pay to reduce the chances of him disappearing for hours on end, getting hit by a car, stolen by a neighbor, or into fights, so be it.

He is loved. That's all he knows.

[Pete99004]

You're a good pet owner!! You did the responsible thing and he will live a good healthy life without you worrying about his sexual escapades. Don't listen to the nay sayers, they are the reason so many dogs get put down each year. You "done good kid-o" and I believe you know that already!

Safe travel home for you both!

Pete