Posted: 7/22/2026 12:12:28 AM EDT
|
We got our first dog, a Labrador retriever, 16 months ago. Our vet suggested waiting at least a year before neutering him, due to health benefits. He's now 18 months old and still intact. Is it better for his health to keep him this way, or should he be neutered? So far he doesn't display many negative behaviors aside from occasionally humping a blanket and marking more than usual (he peed on my boss's foot last week). Am I out of line for keeping him intact? |
|
Gotta make that call yourself. What’s the risk of testicular cancer? Can’t get it if they’re not there. But is it a high probability? No. If he’s not humping everything, you can leave it be. But also remember, if there’s other female dogs in the area that aren’t fixed, you’re risking a bunch of puppies. Our pup has begun humping my wife’s arm, so he’s probably going to get snipped after summer vacations. He’s also obsessed with marking. I swear he can’t take a leak unless our female goes first. Then he goes on top of hers. Well, thinks he does. He zones in on the spot then takes 4 steps past it, missing completely. Whatever little dude. |
| All my dogs have jobs according to their breed. They are always out of good lines and registered. None have been fixed. If I worked towards getting titles on them, some one may want to breed to get a litter of good working pups. In 40 years I've had the stud dog in about 6 breedings. |
I suggest we trade a question mark in for a maybe.
Joined:
Feb 2008
Posts:
51231
EE: 100% (90)
IA, USA
|
I've grown to be anti neuter, unless actually necessary. Testicular cancer risk is the most asinine reason to recommend a surgery. Sure if they get neutered they can't get testicular cancer. But they can get liver cancer. Should we remove that too? |
WARNING-this post contains words or thoughts that may at some point be discovered by the state of California to cause cancer.
|
Originally Posted By shack357: I've grown to be anti neuter, unless actually necessary. Testicular cancer risk is the most asinine reason to recommend a surgery. Sure if they get neutered they can't get testicular cancer. But they can get liver cancer. Should we remove that too? Except that a mammal kind of needs a liver to live....testicles, not so much. |
"she's not going to think that you've embarked on a secret life of crime... sketchy underworld figures, like gang members, cartel members, INTERPOL fugitives, and the lizard people.
And it's that last part as to why we need a vet. "L_JE"
And it's that last part as to why we need a vet. "L_JE"
Joined:
Jan 2023
Posts:
3629
EE: 0% (0)
OK, USA
|
Originally Posted By GS_mk2: I have heard that for females it can be beneficial later (3-6 years)? I don’t know if it’s true or not, but this is a good place/time to bring it up. Maybe someone can explain. My dogs are intact fwiw. I'm no expert but from what we were told, one or two cycles before before spaying is the current thinking. It leads to better developed joints and bones among other things from what we understand. For our female, we waited until after the second cycle. Worth investigating deeper if anyone is in that situation. |
It's not journalism, it's sensationalism
|
My GSD is nine years old and intact. No issues. There are vets that will do a vasectomy now instead of neutering the males so they still have all their hormones but no oopsie litters. Cost is the same as a standard neuter. |
Heller II - Challenging DC's bans on semi-automatic rifles, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and its onerous and expensive handgun registration process. http://www.HellerFoundation.org/
|
Barrett isnt fixed. Doesnt hump anything or other dogs. He does like to play with other dogs and goes to the level the other dogs are playing. Funny how some see this as him being "dominant" (thats directed at woman who runs the local FB pug group who asked me if I bring Barrett to the dog park to keep him on a leash nevermind its HER male pug who keeps trying to hump Barrett. Needless to say I no longer am a member of that group. Not driving 1hr one way and pay $8 to get into it just to walk him around on a leash in a dog park.). None of the pugs we had were fixed. Our only female died from cancer at 6 but she was so damn small the vet said putting her under would most likely kill her. |
Rob
| Baxter, my first dog still has his and he is just over 12. No issues for him, I do kinda wish I would have gotten him fixed earlier but whatever. Elsa my second dog I did fix her because I didn't want to deal with her being in heat and all that nonsense and Baxter was hell bound to knock her up during her first and only heat. His entire demeanor changed and became almost feral, that was all he was thinking about. Since all of my other dogs are rescues I had to get them fixed, with the exception of one because she was a hospice foster. From puppies to 13 YO. My most recent rescue is 13, the day I got him I was getting one of my dogs groomed. The hour before the groomer came by he was great. Once my female dog was done, I don't know if she had a dog in there previously that was in heat or what the case was. As soon as she came in, something clicked inside the new dogs head that he had to essentially sexually assault my two younger males. He was fixated on both of them, trying to hump them, lick their junk. He was like this for a few days until he got fixed and it went away completely. He does mark like crazy wnen I take him and Baxter out for their walks. He marks probably 5-6 times more than Baxter does. |
World's okayist yeller