Spay/Neuter Post-Operative Care in Dogs

What is spaying/neutering ? How is it different from sterilization/castration?

Spaying or neutering is a surgical procedure to remove the reproductive organs of male and female dogs. It is also known as ‘ABC’ (Animal Birth Control) in the case of Indian Stray Dogs. Surgery can be traditional invasive surgery or it can be laparoscopic (where available).

Spaying

This term is generally used for females and involves an Ovariohysterectomy – the removal of the uterus and both ovaries.

Neutering or Castration

This is generally used for male dogs and is the procedure to remove both testes and the associated epididymis. The term neutering can be used to describe the surgery of either gender

Sterilization

Technically sterilization is when you render a dog unable to conceive puppies – either in males or females – without any surgical removal of reproductive organs. Colloquially especially in India it is used to refer to spaying.

Spaying in strays v/s pets: Why should you neuter?

There are so many positive reasons for spaying /neutering both stray dogs and pet dogs. With pet dogs, the concern is rarely the indiscriminate spreading of diseases like TVT due to unprotected sexual intercourse with other dogs. This happens more with stray dogs that cannot really be observed/trained. But spaying both types of dogs is plenty useful to prevent cancers and other diseases that could occur. In female pet dogs and stray dogs, spaying prevents uterine infections. Hormonal imbalances are eliminated to a certain extent, as spaying halts a dog’s menstruation cycle. In males, neutering enables a longer and healthier life as well.

It is becoming more essential to conduct mass sterilization programmes, especially in a country like India, to control overpopulation in the stray dog community. This will eliminate social issues as well, especially in neighbourhoods that are not very pet friendly.

When should you neuter your dog?

You may have heard the term “in heat”. A female dog goes into “heat” when it is ready to mate. The distress calls you hear and the discomfort you see in a non-spayed female dog is exactly this. A dog first goes into heat around the time it is 7 months old. It could happen prematurely as well, but this is rare. The dog will become restless, and you might notice a significant change in her behaviour. She will urinate more than normal.

Both males and females should be neutered between 6 and 9 months of age (that will be before the first heat for the female dog).Many vets might recommend neutering after the female undergoes her first ‘heat’ or when the male is one or two years old. This is an unfounded idea.

What do sex hormones do to dogs? Is it ethical to neuter them?

Sex hormones are an essential part of a dog’s reproductive system.

Testosterone and Estrogen exists in dogs and send signals and play a big role in influencing dog behaviour. Aggression, enthusiasm, friendliness – all of these traits are affected in some way by hormones in the dog. Is it ethical to suppress some of these hormones in order to provide a healthier life for the dog in other ways?

There is a lot of debate about the benefits of neutering/spaying/sterilization and the take away is usually that these medical interventions solve more problems than they cause. This is especially true of stray dogs.

How does neutering your dog affect the dog’s behaviour?

After neutering a dog, there are significant changes in its behaviour and conduct. For one, they become less hostile, more gentle, and (in the case of female dogs) less likely to suffer from uterine disorders and cancer.

Dogs that are spayed or neutered show more consistent behaviour. They are not swayed by hormonal urges and mood swings. It is important to consult with your dog’s veterinarian about when the right time to neuter or spay is because this could also significantly affect behaviour.

Some of the behaviours that are influenced by hormones and will see a change include:

Unwanted sexual behaviour decreases: Dogs that have been neutered show less desire to roam, mount, and hump.

Aggression gets reduced in many dogs: Neutering reduces aggressive behaviour and this can be seen in their behaviour towards people, other pets at home, and dogs outside.

Marking territory decreases: Castrated or neutered dogs show a remarkable difference in the way they mark territories. While dogs that are not castrated tend to extend the area they mark by urinating in streams on objects they pass, castrated dogs generally tend to empty the bladder fully in one territory. Though this behaviour is not consistent. Neutered dogs may still continue marking territories but not as dominantly as before neutering.

Behaviour problems that improve after neutering a dog:

Does your dog suffer from unwarranted aggression or lack of control around dogs of the opposite sex? Is your dog very fixated on marking its territory? These are some of the issues that usually get resolved after a castration.

Hostility can slowly reduce after surgical castration as well. You might notice that your dog is more docile and friendly towards other dogs, or more willing to engage.

If your dog is very stubborn and has mood swings, be prepared for more consistent and toned-down behaviour. This is not to say that your dog will become overly docile or helpless. A confident dog will remain confident.

What are the health benefits of neutering a dog?

Spaying/neutering is a beneficial surgery and can prevent and address a host of health conditions in pet dogs.

Female dogs	Male Dogs
No chance of breast cancer/ mammary tumours (the most common form of cancer in female dogs).	No chance of testicular cancer.
Prevention of ovarian and uterine cancer.	Prevention of prostate cancer.
No Pyometra (infection of the uterus with pus).	No benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Non-existence of transitional cell carcinoma.	Non-existence of transitional cell carcinoma.
Will not go into heat and experience menstruation. Frequency of urination is also reduced.	Reduced aggression- with less testosterone, male dogs show markedly reduced territorial aggression.
	Reduced ‘marking’ or peeing. Males mark territory by peeing. This can eliminate the urge to continue.
	Reduced male traits such as roaming, humping and other dominance related behaviour.
	Reduced or fewer fights with other male dogs.

 

Post-operative care after routine spay/neuter surgeries—

Spay/neuter surgery is an elective, routine surgical operation where, in most of the cases, there are no medical reasons for post-operative hospitalisation after an uncomplicated surgery of a normally healthy appearing animal. Discharging all owned dogs after they have recovered from the anesthesia, on the same day as the spay/neuter operation, is a well-established practice followed by most veterinarians around the world. Ownerless dogs should be kept in at least one day (24-36hours) post operatively to allow them to fully recover from anesthesia and to enable wound scoring. Most dogs should score ‘0’ every day and be ready to be released after 1-4 days after surgery. Those who suffer from additional problems (e.g. TVT, mange, broken limbs, traumatic wounds) obviously require much longer hospitalisation. The most important matter is that there should not be a set & standard number of days as a postoperative kennelling requirement but the surgical standards need to be kept so high that complications are avoided and dogs can be released as soon as possible – the dogs are checked daily by veterinarians who make the decision about release as per the wound scoring results and the other health matters of the animal as well as per the presence/absence of an owner in the community. The current belief, partly enforced by the SOP, that all dogs need to be hospitalised routinely for 5-7 days after sterilisation takes the focus away from the fact that there is no medical reason for hospitalisation after spay/neuter operation as a routine practice but being the easiest factor in the full process to understand and record by non-veterinarians, it is often the focus of fingerpointing, disbelief and doubt, leaving other essential matters of the SOP and good surgical principles for much less attention. If a mass-ABC program operates 20 dogs a day and keeps every dog for 5 days, it means that on any given day there would be at least 100 dogs in the kennels. These need to be checked daily, fed properly, kennels cleaned every two hours to keep them hygienic, and dogs released correctly in the original place of capture.

 Caring for your dog after the operation

• After surgery, provide your dog with a quiet place to recover indoors, away from other animals. Your dog must avoid running and jumping post-surgery.
• Use an Elizabethan collar to prevent your dog from licking the incision site till the stitches are healed and removed. A full body bandage or a Suitical Recovery Suit can also be used.
• Do not bathe your dog till the stitches have been removed.
• Check the incision daily. If you notice any redness, swelling or discharge, please contact your vet.

Myths and misconceptions about neutering your dog

Will my dog become overweight?

Spaying or neutering will not cause your pet to become overweight. Lack of exercise does this, as the natural restlessness and tendency to roam is curbed due to the surgery. Your dog will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor their food.

Will it become more difficult to train my dog?

No, the opposite is true.

Will neutering alter my dog’s behaviour?

Neutering will reduce ‘aggressive’ or ‘dominant’ behaviour as previously described and will reduce the level of testosterone. However, it won’t eliminate the hormone completely so the dog will continue to have all his male traits. Neutering will also not alter behaviours that your dog has learned, or make him unlearn his habits.

Spaying and neutering is unhealthy for pets.

As with everything, there are downsides. You will have to watch your pet’s weight more carefully as there are indications that spaying or neutering can cause weight gain in dogs. Otherwise, remember that spaying is not a one-stop fix for all health problems. How you raise your pet, what you feed it, how much exercise you give it – these are all important factors as well. But spaying has been seen to significantly decrease certain health risks – especially dangerous, contagious diseases like TVT.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1 . What is the best age to neuter a male dog?

Neutering a dog is best when they are young to gain maximum benefits. Most breeds can be neutered as early as 6 months old. There is no upper age limit whatsoever. In such cases, it is always best to consult a vet.

2. What to expect after neutering a dog?

The first week after dog sterilization is very crucial and needs to be monitored carefully. Ensure that your pet wears a cone to avoid licking, biting or scratching the treated area. Male dogs can show some behavioural changes like lethargy, reduced appetite and project symptoms of self trauma. Pay close attention for any bleeding and consult your vet in case of irregular symptoms.

3. What are the benefits of neutering a male dog?

Neutering a dog is primarily beneficial in population control, especially for strays. Apart from that, it reduces the aggression in male dogs and also helps control their urge to run away from home in search of female dogs who are on heat. It eliminates the risk of prostate cancer and also ensures that your dog doesn’t wander away.

4. Is neutering a dog cruel?

When we think of what is neutering in dogs, we think of a cruel surgical procedure. However, neutering is simply the process of removing the prostate gland in male dogs to prevent pregnancies and prevent testicular cancer. It is done with the utmost care and helps the dog manage its aggression and testosterone levels.

5. How long does it take for a dog to recover from sterilization?

In the process of male dog sterilization, recovery time takes 3 -7 days. When a female dog is neutered, recovery time exceeds by a few days. During this time, the incision and the stitches should have healed. However, it is essential to keep a close watch on your pets and discourage any excess physical activity especially, swimming/ bathing.

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

Image-Courtesy-Google

Reference-On Request.