Three Signs That Your Male Dog Is Ready For Desexing

Unless you plan to breed and use your dog as a stud, then it is important to get him desexed at the right time. There are social and medical benefits to desexing a dog, but as a first-time dog owner, you are not 100% sure when the right time is to make the appointment with the vet to have this process done. Here are three signs that your male dog is ready to be desexed soon, rather than later.

Age

The older a dog gets, the harder it becomes for them to handle the effects of the anaesthesia needed for their surgery. Additionally, dogs which have not been desexed may adopt anti-social tendencies, such as marking spots in the home as a sign of territory control. The best age to desex a male dog before bad behaviour develops is around six months.

Testicular Drop

For the majority of male puppies, their testicles drop from an internal cavity into the scrotum at around the two-month age mark. However, not all dog breeds are created equal, and it may not happen to your pet until up to the six-month age mark. If possible, wait for the testicles to descend before you book in the pet desexing surgery. Surgery for undescended testicles costs more because it takes longer for the testicles to be located and removed. However, do not go past the age of 12 months for desexing surgery as it is difficult to reverse antisocial behaviour after this age.

Antisocial Behaviour

As previously mentioned, antisocial behaviour, such as territorial marking of items, occurs after the testicles descend. Other anti-social behaviour includes roaming away from the property and showing aggression to other dogs. When your male dog is desexed and their testicles are removed, then the amount of testosterone being produced within your pet is greatly reduced. This reduction in testosterone means your dog becomes more settled, less aggressive, and happy to stay at home rather than roaming looking for a female to mate with.

If your dog is showing any of these signs, then make an appointment with your local vet to discuss desexing your dog. You should bring up any concerns you have about how it will impact the life of your pet, and your vet can confirm whether the timing is right to have the surgery done. It is a quick process, and your dog can return home the same day as the surgery is performed, so there's really no need to put it off if your pet is ready to have this process done.


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