Should I neuter my senior dog to prevent anal tumor recurrence?

Many of these anal tumors are fed by sexual hormones such as testosterone. They are dependent on the hormones the body produces naturally (testosterone is naturally produced in the testicles) which makes such tumors grow. If you remove the hormone producing testicles (neutering) the hormone-dependent tumor gets starved and its growth will at least slow down. So castration is definitely advised. Anesthesia nowadays is quite safe and castration is not such a severe surgery. It may give your dog a longer life at a good quality of life.

Poor Alf! Studies have shown that neutering does not provide any protective effects against prostate cancer in dogs - in fact, neutered males have a slightly higher incidence of this disease than intact males. So I'm not quite sure about the reasoning for having him castrated, unless what your veterinarian meant was that Alf has prostatic cysts or benign prostatic enlargement - both of these things would be expected to improve with neutering. It would help to know exactly what diagnostics have been done and what the results were in order to give more specific advice - feel free to request a consultation with one of us if you want to upload copies of his lab reports and medical records for us to look at. Otherwise, if you're unsure about your current vet's recommendations, I would suggest going to another local vet for a second opinion, or requesting referral to a specialist for further evaluation.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the tumor shrunk significantly, hasn't grown and isn't impeding or doesn't have the potential to block his anus then I would just monitor it. Remember that masses are easier to remove when they are small. If the mass starts to grow or bleed (these tumors have this potential) then I would remove it right away before it gets too big. I wish you and Willie the best!

A hepatitis adenoma is also known as a perianal adenoma. These are typically benign meaning they are not malignant and do not spread to other sites from the primary site. They typically occur on the prepuce, anal area or limbs. They can become necrotic and infected if not removed. The best course of treatment is surgical removal and castration as there is some belief that these are hormonally induced. Your biopsy report does not state whether the surgical margins were clean of abnormal cells. If they were clean, this tumor is not likely to recur in the same site. Your dog can possibly grow other ones but neutering him will help to reduce that likelihood.

I see that Baobei isn't neutered, and a type of tumor called a perianal adenoma are common in intact males. There is a malignant version of this tumor called a perianal adenocarcinoma, and while it is is less common that the perianal adenoma, it carries a fair to guarded prognosis. I would have him seen by a vet to diagnose if this growth is benign or malignant, and the vet can discuss treatment options with you.

This may be blood blister, a tumor, or a small benign growth. The only way to know what it is and if it is a cancer is to have your vet remove it or biopsy it. At his age, cancer such as a mast cell tumor or hemangiosarcomas are possibilities and the smaller they are when removed, the better the chance it can be completely removed.

Yes, I would recommend at the least having Dino neutered. Perianal hernias are almost always due to increased testosterone levels which weakens the muscle of the pelvic floor. Neutering would help prevent further damage to these muscles but would not reverse the problem. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.