This prevents sperm from being ejaculated out of the body, thus preventing a male dog’s ability to breed. Pre-operative evaluation usually involves a thorough physical examination and may include blood tests. (Unlike a vasectomy, castration involves surgical removal of the testicles.) What age is appropriate, along with pros and cons of early spay and neutering. Issues Holding Vets Back From Performing Vasectomy’s on Dogs # 1 Behavior issues. If you find it is impossible to stop your pet from irritating the area, obtain an “Elizabethan” or “e-collar” which is placed around the neck to prevent access to the incision. The vasectomy procedure involves cutting or blocking the vas deferens in each testicle. These procedures eliminate the hormones produced by these organs. 10f. One exception is the flank approach to OVH, which is preferred in some countries for cats a… Dr. Kutzler says she’s not opposed to male dog vasectomy and has performed them on shelter and research dogs. Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss if vasectomy is the right method of birth control for you. Making a decision on whether to have a vasectomy is a deeply personal one, and there are certainly many pros and cons to consider. In modern society, male dogs often destroy property whilst seeking out females. Male dominance aggression will increase the danger to all involved in these situations. The best way to protect yourself and your partner from STDs is to get tested regularly and use condoms. 10e. Vasectomy is also an option for sterilizing a male dog. For more information on the risks of neutering, go to: Pros and Cons of Neutering. 1. Dogs with a vasectomy will still experience the same reproductive urges as intact dogs and retain their desire to breed. – Following vasectomy surgery, a male dog can successfully breed for up to two months. Canine birth control method 5 - canine vasectomy. Most veterinarians are not routinely taught vasectomy and tubal ligation procedures in school but they are quite easy to perform and can be done by most veterinarians who are willing to learn. With a vasectomy the testicles are left intact, allowing reproductive hormone function to continue normally. All animals and humans deserve to benefit from the protective power of vaccination when they are at risk for contracting a serious or fatal disease. The cons of vasectomy: Though there are many pros to the procedure, there are some risks that men need to carefully consider. If you are trying to make the decision whether a vasectomy is the right option for you then it is important to understand both the pros and the cons of the procedure. With this in mind, owners should have a serious discussion with their veterinarian about the pros and cons of neutering and decide what is best for each dog individually. But if you ask veterinarians across the country, the concept of a tubal ligation or vasectomy reeks of the unethical. Despite the fact that dogs must wear an ID tag and the fines of up to £5000 can be given by the courts for an offence a lot of dogs don’t seem to have a tag. To date, veterinary schools in the United States focus on teaching the traditional castration surgery. Pros on having a vasectomy Better sex. First, I will point out a few differences between service dogs, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs. There are definite pros and cons to having a service dog. Should You Get Pet Insurance? We have 4 kids, I am pushing 40 and we both believe we are done making more of us. Controversy surrounding the health risks associated with the neutering (castration) of dogs has lead veterinarians and dog owners to question if there are alternatives. The procedure referred to as a “vasectomy” in dogs is a method of birth control which redirects the release of sperm in the male dog during breeding. The testicle will still produce sperm but it is reabsorbed by the body. The tube that carries sperm out of the testicle (called the vas deferens) is clamped, cut, or sealed. A vasectomy on dogs involves first making an incision in front of the testicle. Do not allow your pet to lick or chew at the incision. But you can get a start here learning about vasectomy pros and cons. Skin sutures, if present, will be removed in 10 to 14 days. Below are all of the pros and cons of removing a female dog’s reproductive hormones that I considered. The only downside is that – as with tubal ligation – vets are not trained to do a vasectomy in school and so you must make sure your vet has received additional, specialized training in this procedure. Some veterinarians use nonabsorbable sutures to close the incision that needs to be removed, while others use absorbable sutures beneath the surface of the skin that will absorb on their own. Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook. To date, veterinary schools in the United States focus on teaching the traditional castration surgery. Vaccines save lives. The Best Dog Food. It can take several months after the vasectomy surgery for all the sperm to be ejaculated or reabsorbed, therefore dogs can remain fertile and able to reproduce for a period of time. They have changed the face of contagious disease like almost no other modern medical discovery. Indeed, vasectomies are so rare that I recall being laughed at by my professor in my Principles of Surgery lecture when I asked whether anyone was performing this technique in lieu of castration. Even though the procedure has been used for a long time and has been perfected by numerous doctors, there is still a risk anytime someone uses a scalpel on a delicate area. – You might be ostracized and/or interrogated at dog parks and other public venues where only neutered dogs (those without reproductive organs) are allowed. This article will refer to the procedure of vasectomy alone. A vasectomy is a small operation a man has to prevent pregnancy. Puppies are adorable! With a vasectomy the testicles are left intact, allowing reproductive hormone function to continue normally. These include vasectomy and intratesticular injection of zeuterin. This ensures that the dog will not breed, which is an important stipulation of many adoption contracts. A vasectomy won’t prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections. No harm, no foul. One of the main Pros of your dog wearing a “house” collar is that it is a legal requirement for dogs to wear an ID tag on his collar with name, house number postcode and telephone number on. But it is also a very low risk disease in dogs. Whether we’re talking California, New York, Miami, or the sum total of all the progressive places in between, vasectomy is currently not considered an alternative to traditional castration of dogs. It is a bit more complicated to do a tubal ligation than an ovariohysterectomy in a dog or cat. When a man reaches orgasm, sperm from the testes enter the sperm via the vas deferens tube. It’s important to note that most studies on the pros and cons of OSS involve larger dogs. Dogs should be prevented from roaming or having contact with intact female dogs for 2 to 6 months after the vasectomy procedure. ©Copyright 1999 - 2021. While gonadectomy makes it impossible for the pet to reproduce, what other impacts does a lack of sex hormones have on the pet? “Neutering dogs before puberty causes the growth plate in the long bones to close later, and this can lead to altered joint angles as well as taller dogs. But there are already too many puppies (and adult dogs) who desperately need homes. Neutering is a much simpler surgery … A vasectomy must be performed in your doctor’s office or a medical facility. (Unlike a vasectomy, castration involves surgical removal of the testicles.) Dogs with a vasectomy will still experience the same reproductive urges as intact dogs … As an additional benefit, young dogs who are neutered are less likely to suffer problems with growth and development due to a reduction in hormones as a result of castration. Check out my other articles on health & feeding. Research projects to answer this question first evaluated the difference between early and later gonadectomy, usually suppo… There is a correlation between neutering and cruciate rupture in some large breeds, but factors including conformation, weight, and lifestyle could have an influence as well as neutering. Meghan2 says: July 30, 2012 at 8:59 pm. In the US, sterilization involves removal of the reproductive organs (gonadectomy), usually through ovariohysterectomy (spay) of females and orchiectomy (castration) of males. It is not more complicated to do a vasectomy than a castration. Thank you Mister Odie. First, a couple caveats. However, that doesn’t mean that the findings don’t apply to smaller dogs too. Benefits of Vasectomy. Semen (cum) can still carry STDs, even if it doesn’t contain sperm. Neutering Your Male Dog – Pros and Cons (for FEMALE dogs, click here.) 1) It's a surgical procedure. With a vasectomy the testicles are left intact, allowing reproductive hormone function to continue normally. Dogs with a vasectomy will still experience the same reproductive urges as intact dogs … The veterinary establishment is loath to relinquish its recommendation that full castration (neutering) is the end all and be all when it comes to canine sterilization. Some believe that vasectomy may become the “norm” in the future while castration will become less common. For more information about the use of zeuterin – go to: Zeuterin. Vasectomy is a permanent form of birth control for men, blocking the passage of sperm when a man ejaculates. There has been a ton of controversy surrounding spaying and neutering. 13 Responses to My Vasectomy: Pros and Cons of Neutering your Nutsack. Some believe that vasectomy may become the “norm” in the future while castration will become less common. Vasectomy is commonly performed to render pets unable to breed without altering normal hormonal production, thus helping to control pet overpopulation while reducing the developmental impact on the animal. Most vasectomy procedures in dogs are performed on young healthy animals, and extensive pre-operative work-up is not usually necessary. Know the pros and cons of vaccinating your dog or cat. The Pros of A Vasectomy. The main benefit of vasectomy is that it’s permanent. Monitor the incision daily for signs of redness, swelling, or discharge. Overview of Canine Vasectomy The procedure referred to as a “vasectomy” in dogs is a method of birth control which redirects the release of sperm in the male dog during breeding. By Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Breed Selection Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books. Apparently, it’s near impossible to find veterinarians willing to take on these simple procedures in some parts of the country. Do not let your vasectomized dog interact with a female in heat during this time period. Removing the entirety of the testicular tissue permanently eliminates the vast majority of his testosterone production. Neutering your dog or puppy is a very important health decision and should be decided on an individual basis. If the castration was performed for reasons other than preventing reproduction, further treatment and/or monitoring may be necessary. Some breeders embrace the idea of vasectomy as an alternative to traditional neutering as it can be performed on young dogs before a leaving for adoption. With most vasectomy procedures, a single incision is made just in front of the dog’s scrotum. (Unlike a vasectomy, castration involves surgical removal of the testicles.) Controversy surrounding the health risks associated with the neutering (castration) of dogs has lead veterinarians and dog owners to question if there are alternatives. But first, what is neutering? Effective birth control. When a vasectomy is performed in older animals, additional diagnostic tests may be necessary to exclude concurrent diseases and to minimize anesthesia-related risks. No Further Need For Birth Control The use of other types of birth controls can be … Canine birth control method 6 - chemical castration - injecting sclerosing agents into testes and/or epididymus. There does seem to be some health benefits but there are some conditions in which the risk is increased by castrating dogs. Keep your dog quiet and indoors for approximately 2 weeks after he returns home from the hospital to allow him to heal. Objection to mandatory spaying and neutering or breeder concerns that pet pups may be bred from can be allayed by canine tubal ligation or vasectomy. Kibble or Canned Dog Food Dog Health Care – The Sensible Way. Of all the e-mails and phone calls the last five years of blogging has brought my way, the most commonly queried issue has to do with how to source a tubal ligation or vasectomy for dogs. That’s what I’ve been told by some colleagues, anyway. Both of these procedures (vasectomy and intratesticular injection of zeuterin) result in a dog that is sterile (unable to breed) but able to maintain hormonal function will encourage normal growth and development. Pros and Cons of a Non-scalpel vasectomy Up until the 80’s, conventional vasectomies involved using a scalpel (a sharp blade) to make two incisions on either side of the scrotum. A vasectomy procedure is a form of male birth control that involves the surgical sealing or severance of the vas deferens. Ventral midline ovariohysterectomy (OVH) is considered an effective technique for sterilization and neutering of both dogs and cats with very low complication rates when performed by surgeons that are experienced with this procedure.4-6 There are many minor variations with no research evidence comparing the relative merits of most. Health benefits of castrating dogs are usually promoted by most vet practices. The IHC Group. As there are pros and cons to everything, we will look at both sides of the coin. Since vasectomy prevents the release of sperm from the penis but not the release to testosterone, there is no decrease in the libido or sex drive of the man. 10g. -The pros and cons of neutering or spaying dogs explained above would have painted a rough picture of these two processes. Log in. I will be “using you” and your post to share the pro’s and con’s with my dear husband. (Read: less expensive = more dogs sterilized = less overpopulation). Vasectomies don’t prevent STDs. Certainly, a dog or cat that has had a vasectomy will not be able to impregnate a female but they will still have the impact of testosterone on their body. This technique has contributed to controlling overall population levels of the unwanted dogs. Service dogs (SD) are a dog or miniature horse trained for specific tasks to help … Anti-testosterone agents (e.g. Castration alters a dog’s behavior along with his ability to pass on his genetic material. Canine birth control method 4 - the "male pill" - fertility suppressing implants for male dogs. However, it also has the downside of developing certain cancers, hypothyroidism etc. They will be a risk to themselves and other people as they negotiate roads. These are the tubes that transport sperm to the semen. However, in recent times, non-scalpel vasectomies have become increasingly popular and … Your email address will not be published. Photo: Skitterphoto. There are also many options regarding the type of spaying/neutering procedure that can be carried out on dogs – some methods allowing dogs to keep producing adult hormones such as: an ovary sparing spay or vasectomy. It can positively impact on the sexual satisfaction of couples because the worry of falling pregnant isn’t there. And an owner can always choose to completely castrate or spay later. All Rights Reserved. Health pros and cons. An expert researcher and author of 15 books about dogs, she loves helping people choose, train, and care for their dogs. Vasectomised and entire male dogs will nearly all develop prostatic disease in old age. The Pros & Cons of a Vasectomy Procedure Vasectomy is a routine procedure, but you should get all the facts before you decide whether or not it's right for you. 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