Neutering Effects

[coneykenny 98]

Hi guys.hope I'm in the right section. Have a chance of getting a crackin lurcher dog pup.problem is I'm confined to a small backyard, and have two whippet bitches. If I did get him and got him neutered when He's of age would it effect his work.or could get bitches done either

[paulus 26]

As your topic appears to be in the wrong section, (a non hunting post), we have moved it to the appropriate forum.

 

Read the forum rules, top of the section.

 

This is an automatically generated reply.

[Dawn B 212]

Hi

It would be more beneficial to get the bitches spayed if you do not intend breeding from them. As long as they are fully mature etc.. It doesnt tend to alter bitches physically like it does males. Males often tend to lose muscle mass, but their work shouldnt be affected, although their condition may be. Castrating dogs is pretty useless and has little benefit. A spayed bitch obviously wont come in season, she wont have phantoms, she wont get a Pyometra and you wont have to worry about keeping her away from your male when she comes in.

[paulsmithy83 567]

A greyhound man/vet told me he strongly advises against any spaying or neutering at any age. Nothing to do with drive. Sonething about the healing process to tendons and ligaments after small tears. Aparantly pet dogs its fine to do so as there tendons arnt put under the same stress as our lurchers who we get to peak fitness. spaying or neutering could weaken them more so in males aswell. Due to the large drop in hormones that help with repair and cause more injuries. To me thats not a risk i want to take.

[paulsmithy83 567]

Also in his greyhound career he saw higher percentage of cruciate ligament injuries in neutered dogs.

[BGD 6,385]

A greyhound man/vet told me he strongly advises against any spaying or neutering at any age. Nothing to do with drive. Sonething about the healing process to tendons and ligaments after small tears. Aparantly pet dogs its fine to do so as there tendons arnt put under the same stress as our lurchers who we get to peak fitness. spaying or neutering could weaken them more so in males aswell. Due to the large drop in hormones that help with repair and cause more injuries. To me thats not a risk i want to take.

 

That's very interesting to hear, I've got a spayed bulldog bitch that fecked her shoulder a few months ago and she's still not 100% right whereas I've had intact dogs and bitches bounce back from similar strains/injuries much much faster

[skycat 6,172]

Here's a very good article on neutering:

http://www.doglistener.co.uk/neutering/neutering_definitive.shtml

[paulsmithy83 567]

Sorry skycat my reading isn't the best. Does that have anything in about what i said. Whats your thoughts on neutering working dogs

[skycat 6,172]

Personally I wouldn't do either: spay or castrate. But Jackie Drakeford says it best: entire males are at the top of the pile, followed by entire females, then spayed females with castrated males the lowest of the low. It doesn't take away any aggression issues in male dogs because they tend to feel more defensive and at risk especially around entire males, which in turn seem to have problems with the castrated male, often trying to hump it as though it is a bitch in season. I've seen this for myself.

 

Yes, it's fine if the dog already has an easy going temperament as it will tend to make them even more easy going, but it does alter their muscle tone which in turn makes them more likely to have tendon problems as well as muscle strength issues. Again, this would not be a problem in the slower dog or the non working dog, but something that needs to consistently perform as an athlete may well be at risk.

 

I can't say too much about spaying bitches as the only two I ever had to have spayed due to medical issues both turned 'funny' afterwards and became dog aggressive so I am a bi biased against spaying. Bitches do suffer from physical change, but probably not as much as males, but it's more the behavioural aspects which would bother me, but don't take my word for it as I have limited experience in this area, and it wasn't a good experience.

[BGD 6,385]

Personally I wouldn't do either: spay or castrate. But Jackie Drakeford says it best: entire males are at the top of the pile, followed by entire females, then spayed females with castrated males the lowest of the low. It doesn't take away any aggression issues in male dogs because they tend to feel more defensive and at risk especially around entire males, which in turn seem to have problems with the castrated male, often trying to hump it as though it is a bitch in season. I've seen this for myself.

 

Yes, it's fine if the dog already has an easy going temperament as it will tend to make them even more easy going, but it does alter their muscle tone which in turn makes them more likely to have tendon problems as well as muscle strength issues. Again, this would not be a problem in the slower dog or the non working dog, but something that needs to consistently perform as an athlete may well be at risk.

 

I can't say too much about spaying bitches as the only two I ever had to have spayed due to medical issues both turned 'funny' afterwards and became dog aggressive so I am a bi biased against spaying. Bitches do suffer from physical change, but probably not as much as males, but it's more the behavioural aspects which would bother me, but don't take my word for it as I have limited experience in this area, and it wasn't a good experience.

 

Do the risks of pyrometra not worry you enough to outweigh the negative effects of spaying? Not having a pop just interested, since losing a bitch to it myself and seeing others lose bitches too I always spay bitches I have no plans to breed from. Could be I worry about it too much after a few bad experiences...

[bird 9,594]

A greyhound man/vet told me he strongly advises against any spaying or neutering at any age. Nothing to do with drive. Sonething about the healing process to tendons and ligaments after small tears. Aparantly pet dogs its fine to do so as there tendons arnt put under the same stress as our lurchers who we get to peak fitness. spaying or neutering could weaken them more so in males aswell. Due to the large drop in hormones that help with repair and cause more injuries. To me thats not a risk i want to take.

didn't know that, but in saying that , when I worked at greyhound kennels , you never seen or heard of any dog/bitches that had been done, so could be some truth in it. many a time ive met people on the dog walk with there male dogs(pets) that been done, I asked why they done them the answer always the same, that they didn't want them after bitches in heat, and stop them from fighting .Well I said to them ive had dog/ bitches together (none ) were done had bitch live until 14 and healthy , she had a injury but that was running a rabbit, my males never fought each other , and only played up a bit for maybe 1 week in the year which is nothing. and this feckin woman had mad afghan hound , that had its nut off , but was gong mad to get at my 2 dogs good job it was on its lead , my 2 no leads just stood there looked, and I called them away no prob , but did tell her learn to train a dog 1st next me before going to a vet , feck me she didn't like that

[CushtyJook 1,097]

My old dog is Castrated and haven't ever affected his prey drive one bit howeverhasn't carried very good muscle condition either but rough coated so can't make muscle out as easier than a smooth coated dog

[skycat 6,172]

 

 

Do the risks of pyrometra not worry you enough to outweigh the negative effects of spaying? Not having a pop just interested, since losing a bitch to it myself and seeing others lose bitches too I always spay bitches I have no plans to breed from. Could be I worry about it too much after a few bad experiences...

 

I had one bitch put down due to pyometra at 13 years of age, but she was physically bad too; arthritic and it was a no brainer to make the decision rather than put her through major surgery. In nearly 30 years I've not seen it in my bitches apart from her, and most have lived to a ripe old age, whether or not they have been bred from. There has to be a certain amount of luck, or whatever you call it, involved, but overall I wouldn't have mine spayed, based on my own experiences. You obviously had different experiences and took action based on what you've seen. Until something affects us directly we're more likely to either sit on a fence or hold back from irreversible surgery.

 

The most obvious sign of a pyometra is yucky discharge, but a closed pyo means there is no discharge and the first signs of it are the bitch drinking a lot more than usual.. That's how I noticed something was wrong in my old bitch.

[neems 2,406]

If you don't want your bitches done you could have the lurcher vasectomised.

 

Be infertile but keep his testosterone.

[bird 9,594]

If you don't want your bitches done you could have the lurcher vasectomised.

 

Be infertile but keep his testosterone.

 

I knew they did ferrets , but never heard of them doing dogs ,? but that would suppose solve his prob .