Is neutering best for my small dog? What are the pros and cons?

Great question! There are pros and cons to neutering at different ages, so ultimately it comes down to your personal preference. The biggest advantage of neutering around six months or so, is that this will normally prevent the development of problematic "boy behaviors" such as urine marking, wanting to mount other dogs, not getting along with other intact males, and wanting to roam constantly in search of female dogs. There is some evidence that early neutering (before the dog is finished growing) can increase the risk of certain orthopedic issues like hip dysplasia or cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures later in life, especially in large-breed or very athletic dogs. So, this is something to take into account as well. Personally, I have always neutered my male dogs at around 10-12 months of age, when they're still fairly young but finished growing for the most part. Most of my clients choose to neuter around 6 months of age to avoid the behavior issues mentioned above. But ultimately, the choice is up to you :)

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Popo. Neutering him will help to prevent against certain types of prostate diseases and even some forms of cancer. It will decrease his desire to roam looking for female dogs. It does not affect personality. Every surgery carries the risk of anesthesia. He could experience post-operative swelling or infection. Some adult dogs can gain weight after the surgery. So his calories need to be monitored. These risks are minimal in most cases though. I hope this information helps!

I highly recommend neutering your dog for reason beyond population control. Neutered dogs are less likely to urine mark, are calmer and less territorial, and without the male hormones, less likely to wander if they scent a female in season and thereby will be safer, not escaping to be exposed to other dogs, potentially with diseases, as well as not getting hit by a car or victim of cruelty. It will also prevent some forms of cancer and reduce the chances of prostate problems later in life.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your question. There are certain health benefits for neutering dogs. Prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and certain testicular tumors can be prevented by neutering dogs. However, dogs can also live happy and normal lives intact. Behavioral problems such as territorial aggression and marking may be reduced by neutering dogs as well. Once neutered, Dante will not behave more like a female, this is a misconception and does not happen. He may become more calm and not as hyper or aggressive once he is neutered and this is due to the reduction in circulating hormones following removal of the testicles. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Toby. If a dog is neutered as a younger puppy, the scrotum becomes less obvious as the dog continues to grow. If the dog is neutered as an older pup or as an adult, the scrotum may stay visible. Be sure to keep Toby very quiet for a few days as an older puppy can experience post-surgical swelling in this region. The benefits of neutering including preventing unwanted litters of puppies, preventing certain types of cancer and prostate disease and decreasing the dog's desire to roam and seek out females. The negative is some dogs can experience a slowed metabolism and subsequent weight gain. This can be easily managed with calorie restriction if necessary. I hope this information helps!

There are some studies that recently may have found a correlation between earlier neutering and an increased risk for joint issues. This is pretty new evidence and at this point I think it's not really clear what the risks and benefits are. I typically recommend waiting until a male dog has reached his adult size, usually around 1 year, to neuter BUT in situations where the dog is showing undesirable behaviors potentially related to sex hormones I strongly recommend neutering earlier. If you were planning on having him neutered by 8 months I doubt 1.5 months of growth would make much of a difference for his bones and joints, so I would considering scheduling the neuter now. You could always talk to your veterinarian about pros and cons as well.

He should be castrated. Twelve is not old for a small breed dog and age, in itself, is not a disease. If he is otherwise healthy he should be fine for surgery. Castration, in general, is a very short procedure.