4 Things You Should Know Before Getting Your Dog Neutered

Dogs can mate twice a year and each litter can produce five to six puppies. The high population of puppies can lead to overcrowding on the streets and dog shelters and a shortage of care facilities.

Male dogs can be neutered—or have their testicles removed—to keep them from reproducing. This surgical procedure also has other benefits such as lowering the risk of testicular cancer and other diseases, regulating aggression and reducing unwanted behaviors such as marking territory.

Here are four things you should know about what to expect after neutering your dog.

Dog Neutering Pre-surgery Needs

Neutering is a fairly simple process but might be complicated by other factors such as old age or obesity. Before getting your dog neutered, it is essential to check with the vet and examine the possible risks of the surgery based on your dog’s health conditions.

The neutering surgery involves anesthesia and hence there might be rules you need to follow before the surgery. Your dog might not be allowed to eat or drink water for some time before the surgery to avoid nausea due to the anesthesia.

Keep the Next Day Free After Neutering Your Dog

Although the neutering surgery will be brief and you will be able to take your dog home on the same day, it is essential to set aside some time to monitor your dog for post-surgery complications.

It is usual for the dog to be tired or anxious after the surgery and your presence will go a long way in reassuring it and avoiding stress.

Monitor your dog for signs of stress such as drooling, withdrawal, shaking and so on as they might be signaling excessive pain.

Monitor the surgical cut to ensure that there is no excessive bleeding or foul-smelling discharge and that the cut has not opened up. Excessive swelling or redness around the surgical area could be a cause of concern as well.

A Dogs Life after Surgery

In the days and weeks after the surgery, keep monitoring your dog and the surgery area to ensure that the recovery goes smoothly.

Though your dog may not be hungry in the day following the surgery, it should regain a healthy appetite soon. Follow your vet’s advice and change your dog’s feeding and exercise plan after neutering to reduce the risk of obesity.

Not being hungry for days after the surgery or having a stomach upset could point to a complication with the surgery. Similarly, if the surgical incision is not healing correctly, you might notice your dog walking strangely due to pain.

Your dog will probably want to lick the wound, which can inflict further trauma on the surgical incision and significantly harm the healing process. Hence, you will either need to put your dog in a cone collar or cover the area of surgery.

During the recovery process, you will not be able to bathe your dog as the incision needs to be kept dry.

Your Dog Can Still Mate

In the days following the surgery, though your dog’s testicles have been removed, the male hormones remain. Hence the dog will continue to exhibit male hormonal behaviors.

In case it mates with a female dog immediately after the surgery, it can reproduce as well.

Bottom Line
Neutering is a fairly standard and straightforward procedure and there is nothing to worry about as long as you know what to expect after neutering your dog.

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