Canine Castrate

Castration is performed in male dogs and is the surgical procedure where the testicles are removed to make them infertile. The scrotum is usually left in place which in time shrinks in size. Check with a vet when the most appropriate time to castrate your dog is

Your dog will need to be checked over by a vet before to ensure they are well enough for their operation.
They will need to have been starved overnight, be up to date with worming cover and the surgery site kept clean and free from infection prior to the operation.
They will be in for the day with us (dropped off between 8:30-9am) and providing there are no complications go home the same day.
An anaesthetic drug will be given through a catheter in their front leg and a breathing tube will be placed down their trachea (windpipe) to deliver oxygen and anaesthetic gas. The groin is clipped and cleaned and an incision is made in front of the testicles and scrotum. The testicles are removed and the tissue closed with suture material. Most of the sutures are under the skin but sometimes sutures are left on show.

There are many advantages to castrating your dog:

Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer
Reduces the risk of perianal adenoma (benign tumour around the anus)
Reduces the risk of an enlarged prostate (prostatic hyperplasia) and prostate infection (prostatitis)
Can reduce certain undesirable behaviours (this however cannot be guaranteed)

Anaesthetic risks – as with any anaesthetic there is a degree of risk associated. If your dog is otherwise healthy this risk is very small. However, it is possible for your dog to develop hypotension (low blood pressure) in the procedure, have an adverse reaction to the medication used, regurgitate under the anaesthetic which can lead to oesophagitis (inflammation of the oesophagus) aspiration pneumonia (food or liquid breathed into the airways) and even death.
Procedure risks – whilst a very common operation, there are some risks associated with a castrate. This includes reaction to our cleaning agents to prepare for surgery and haemorrhage (bleeding).
Post op risks – Risks include infection at the wound site, wound breakdown, swelling of the scrotum and bruising.
Long term risks – the calorie requirement in a neutered dog is slightly less and therefore castrated dogs are more likely to become overweight. Each dog is different, but reducing their food by 10% after the castrate is a good starting place.
If you are concerned about any of the risks you are welcome to book an appointment to discuss them with a veterinary surgeon.

The recovery period after the procedure is 2 weeks. A nurse or vet will see your dog in 3-5 days and 10-14 days after the procedure to check that the wound is healing well.
It is important in this time to ensure their normal activity is restricted in this time.