Dog Castration (Neuter)

In addition to preventing unwanted pregnancies, castration can reduce sexual stress and prevent various sex hormone-related diseases. At PetLife, it is a one-day procedure in which a single incision is made in the skin near the scrotum and the testicles are removed. In the case of cryptorchidism, two incisions are made, and in some cases, one night’s hospitalization is required.

What diseases and behaviors can be prevented?

  • Testicular tumors and diseases
  • Enlarged prostate (symptoms: dysuria, hematuria, etc.)
  • Perianal adenoma
  • Perineal hernia (breed predisposition: miniature dachshunds, corgis, etc.)
  • Problematic behaviors related to sex hormones: urine marking (about 60% can be prevented with castration), mounting (about 80% can be prevented with castration), some aggressive behavior (about 75% can be prevented with castration), howling, escape, and destructive behavior when there is a female in heat nearby.

When should I neuter my dog?

At PetLife, we perform castration from around 6 months old, to allow the pet to reach sexual maturity. The testicles develop near the kidneys within the abdomen and normally descend into the scrotum by about 2 months of age. If both testicles descend normally, castration can be done with a single incision.

 

What is cryptorchidism?

When the testicles fail to descend to the scrotum and remain in the abdominal cavity or groin, it is called cryptorchidism. Undescended testicles are highly likely to become tumors (testicular cancer), so castration is recommended. There will be two incisions, one for extraction of each testicle, and in some cases your pet may need to stay overnight in the hospital. In rare cases, the testicles descend after 6 months of age, so if your puppy is diagnosed with cryptorchidism, delaying neutering until 1 year of age is typically recommended. In the case of males, early surgery does not show a higher preventive effect against diseases as in females, but behaviors such as marking and mounting can be affected, so it’s best to consult with your vet about the timing of surgery as behavioral issues can be hard to overcome once they become a habit.

 

Extracting deciduous teeth at the time of castration.

Deciduous teeth (or baby teeth) start to shed and permanent adult teeth emerge around 4 to 7 months of age, but in small breed dogs with small jaws and dense teeth, the deciduous teeth tend to not fall out and are doubled with permanent teeth. The canines in particular, have very deep roots and often do not fall out. Leaving deciduous teeth intact makes it easy for plaque to accumulate, so it’s best to extract deciduous teeth at the time of castration.

 

What is included in the castration cost?

Blood test on the day of surgery, X-ray examination, intravenous drip, surgery fee, hospitalization fee (if necessary), prescription of pain medication, post-operative body suit (in some cases a cone)

*Please contact us as the cost varies depending on the weight of your dog and condition of the testicles
*There will be an extra cost for baby teeth extraction.

 

What is the flow of surgery?

Dinner by 21:00 the day before. No snacks after this but it’s OK to drink water.

On the day around 7:00, refrain from giving water

9:30 Visit the clinic without feeding your dog breakfast (check-in)

Blood test, X-ray test, IV drip

Surgery

Pick-up in the afternoon (or the next day if hospitalization is necessary) during consultation
hours

Wound check and suture removal after 10 to 14 days

Bathing is OK after 3 days!

 

After surgery…?

For the next 2-3 days, your pet may be quieter than usual, but that’s okay, please let them rest at home. Administer pain medication on the morning of the day after the operation. You can take your pet for short walks on a leash but avoid running in the park or strenuous exercise. It’s okay to feed your pet as usual. After the surgery, please keep the post operative body suit on until the stitches are removed. It’s important not to allow your pet to lick or get the affected area wet.

 

Is it easy to gain weight after surgery?

In addition to the fact that a dog’s growth rate begins to slow around the time they are ready for surgery, your pet may be more likely to gain weight due to the impact of neutering on your dog’s metabolism, which affects how much food they eat. Within 2 days of the procedure, your dog’s appetite may increase by up to 20%! This means your dog’s daily calorie intake must be managed carefully post surgery, and as puppy food is very high in calories, switching to adult dog food or a low calorie post-neuter product is a good idea.