Whats the topic for today?
I’m going to talk about neutering male dogs but first I just wanted to emphasise to everyone out there that we are still very much in the middle of a parvo virus outbreak.
Yes Stuart talked about that a few weeks ago. Have things not settled down yet?
No we are still seeing cases and we are seeing it in farm dogs now not just pet dogs. I just want to remind people that parvo virus kills and it is highly contagious. It is the owners responsibility to ensure their dogs have been vaccinated.
Is the vaccine very effective?
Yes it is but only if it is kept up to date. Puppies need a course of vaccinations followed by a booster a year later. From then on a booster is needed every 3 years or the dog is not protected.
Ok so everyone needs to check their dogs vaccinations a.s.a.p. Now what were you going to tell us about neutering male dogs?
I just wanted to remind people of the advantages of having a male dog castrated.
What are the advantages?
There are lots. Some will help prevent your dog getting sick or injured and others will save you money.
Tell us more!
The first thing to know is that uncastrated male dogs can smell a bitch in heat many Km’s away and they will do everything in their power to escape from your section to go and find her. Most dogs caught by animal control wandering the streets are uncastrated male dogs. Castrating a dog reduces the urge to wander by 90%
And I don’t suppose its cheap to get your dog back from the pound either!
No its not. And its even more expensive if your wandering dog is involved in a road accident. Also its kinder on the dog to remove the urge to mate as they are bound to be frustrated at not being able to mate when they want to. Some male owners think its unkind to castrate a dog but I tell them it’s much kinder than leaving them frustrated.
What are the other advantages?
Castration helps reduce dog fights by reducing male to male dog aggression. If your dog were to bite another you would be expected to pay the vet bill.
What illnesses does castration prevent?
Dogs like humans often get problems with enlarged prostate glands. This causes constipation and difficulty urinating. The vets bills for regular treatment for this very quickly exceed the cost of castration. Castration causes the prostate gland to shrink away which prevents this problem. Also castration prevents cancer of the testicles.
Well you’ve told us a few ways already how castration can help save money. Are there any more?
Yes. Dog registration fees are cheaper for castrated dogs so long as they are also microchipped.
How much cheaper?
$24 a year cheaper. Now that over a 15 year lifespan would save you $360. That is actually well over $100 more expensive than the cost of castrating a dog.
So financially it makes great sense to have all male dogs castrated. Are there any bad effects of castration?
None whatsoever except for the fact you cant breed from them
That goes without saying! What about all those stories you hear about castrated dogs getting fat and lazy?
Those stories are all a load of rubbish. They are old wives tales that are just not true. There are no negative effects of castration. It is owners who cause fat dogs not castration. Dogs cant go down to the shop to buy food and dogs get fat if they are fed more than they need. Its as simple as that!
Maybe we should talk about fat dogs next time?
Now that’s a good idea.