How Do They Neuter Dogs?

Benefits

• Neutering a dog is a procedure that promotes health, a longer life and prevention of overpopulation. Medically known as orchiectomy, neutering prevents roaming, aggressive behavior, excessive urination, unwanted pregnancy and future prostate problems. The surgery is routine and encouraged by veterinarians.

Considerations

• Because the surgery can be classified as invasive, the veterinarian always takes several precautions before performing a neuter, including a pre-operation physical exam and pre-anesthetic preparation. These steps, while routine, are essential to guaging the health of the canine. Once the dog passes the physical exam, the veterinarian will draw a small amount of blood for the pre-anesthetic test. A blood test will be administered to the animal to see if it can handle the strong effects of anesthesia. When the tests show that the dog can handle anesthesia, the veterinarian will give it a sedative. The sedative keeps the animal calm before and during the surgery, and during post-op recovery. Once the dog is tested, safely sedated and fast asleep, the neuter begins.

The Facts

• Once in surgery, the dog will undergo a number of steps to remove its testicles. First, the veterinarian makes an incision in front of the scrotum (not on the scrotum), minimizing post-op licking and speeding up recovery. The testicle is then squeezed forward and the cut over the testicle is extended just enough to delicately push it out. A smaller incision promotes a faster recovery and fewer problems later on. Once the testicle protrudes from the incision, the blood supply for the testicle is revealed. When the testicle is cut off, two sutures are placed around the blood supply to prevent excessive bleeding.

Closing up

• The blood supply is then pushed back into the incision, which is then closed up by two layers of sutures -- one to close up the scrotum and one to close up the outer layer of the canine's skin. The outer level of sutures dissolve pretty quickly, but the inner layer of sutures can take up to six months to dissolve.

Prevention/Solution

• According to the American Kennel Club, if normal behavior does not resume within a week of the surgery, consult your doctor and take necessary precautions. The canine should be eating after 24 hours, semi-active within three to five days and fully recovered within a week and a half. Veterinarians strongly suggest that dogs that are not going to be bred be neutered to keep the canine population under control.