Spaying and Neutering Your Dog at The Animal Hospital of Roxbury
What is the difference between spaying and neutering a dog?
Spaying and neutering generally have to do with gender. We neuter male dogs and we spay female dogs.
At what age should I spay or neuter my dog?
That is a conversation that you should have with your veterinarian. They know you and your dog the best. That decision really depends on the type of dog and the type of work the dog is going to do. For some of our more athletic dogs that are going to be doing agility or high-intensity work, we may delay a little bit. My personal preference is that the average age is usually somewhere around 9 months.
Are there health benefits to spaying and neutering your dog?
There has been a lot of research into that, and both into that and into the age of spaying. We find that dogs, especially male dogs, if you neuter them, you tend to decrease the risk of them running away. They tend to have less testosterone-related behaviors like marking things, humping things, mounting, and even sometimes a little bit of aggression, particularly towards other intact male dogs.
Are there any reasons not to spay or neuter your dog?
Another discussion to have with your regular veterinarian, but there are some dogs where they have other underlying medical conditions that we don't think we can safely anesthetize them. Obviously, breeding dogs should not be spayed or neutered at least until they're done breeding. Some show dogs are staying intact until their show days are over as well.
Are there any risks associated with spaying or neutering a dog?
There's always risks involved with anesthesia. All of our animals are monitored by a technician, including ECG, blood pressure, and temperature, during surgery to decrease the risk of complications. There is always that possibility.
How should I prepare my dog for a spaying or neutering procedure?
We ask that you don't feed or give them water after 9:00 p.m. the night before surgery. Then, if you are using a surgical recovery suit or an e-collar, we ask that you get them used to that before their surgery, so it's one less thing that they have to stress out about after surgery.
What should I expect on the day of my dog’s surgery?
On the day of surgery, we ask that you drop off in the morning at around 8:30, 8:45. No food or water since the night before. Most of our guys will be sent home with medication, a pain medication that you give the night before surgery and the morning of surgery. That helps with pain control before surgery but also helps with a little bit of anti-nausea, so make sure that is given.
How long does the spaying or neutering procedure take?
That really depends. Every dog is a little bit different. Some of our different shorter breeds, like our pity breeds, are fairly quick to spay. Some of our longer, leaner breeds, think your German Shepherds, your big labs, can take a little bit longer. So the bigger the dog, usually the longer the procedure as well.
What is the recovery process like for a dog?
We do ask that they stay as calm and quiet for two weeks as possible. That's more important in the females than the males, but it is important in the males too. We usually recommend using either a surgical recovery suit or an e-collar to prevent licking. And remember, don't let their housemates lick at their incisions either.
Will spaying or neutering affect my dog's behavior?
Generally, they're a little cranky, a little tired for the first few days after surgery, and that's totally normal. But they usually do well and go back to normal within a couple of days.
Can my dog still go into heat after being spayed?
Generally, no. The way we do our spays here is that we remove both the ovaries and the uterus itself, so you don't see any more bleeding after they're spayed.
Can a pregnant dog be spayed?
Yes, a pregnant dog can be spayed. It is a little bit higher risk, but it is possible.
Will spaying or neutering make my dog gain weight?
The jury is still out on that one, but yes, we do think that in some cases, spaying and neutering can lead them to be a little bit chunkier than they would have been intact.
Are there any long-term health issues I should monitor after spaying or neutering?
We always recommend keeping your dogs at a lean weight, regardless of being intact or altered, because that in and of itself can help decrease some of the issues like arthritis that we'll see in our older dogs that we aren't sure if they're linked to spaying/neutering.
How much does spaying or neutering a dog typically cost?
That really depends by dog. Bigger dogs generally tend to be a little bit more expensive. Smaller dogs tend to be a little bit on the cheaper side, but that also depends if they have other things going on. So it's a big discussion you have to have with your regular veterinarian, but they can give you an estimate.
What should I do if my dog has complications after the surgery?
Talk to your veterinarian. If you have any questions about dogs and neutering, give us a call at (973) 691-1771, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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