Neuter vs Vasectomy

[lpowers50@yahoo.com]

I don't know if it fits or not but I wanted to mention a dilemma I have been thinking about for some time now and see if anyone wants to give voice to their thoughts about my "dilemma." (or not)

I have a 22 month pup from a rescue group here in the northeast. I got him when he was about 9 weeks old. In the contract I signed I was given 2 years to have him neutered. On one hand I was glad that he would be intact for that amount of time but was unsettled about his neuter.

I found a vet in northern VT who would perform a vasectomy and presented some research I had done to the board of the rescue group as the contract does say neuter and they approved!

I think this is a great compromise and one that will leave Dru with the benefit of his hormones but not the ability to procreate which is the main focus of the rescue group.

Has anyone done this procedure on their male dog and want to share their experience from any angle?

I will say after all the time spent on looking into a vasectomy I still wonder if I can manage his energy. I haven't spent much time in the last few months doing NDT training but when I do he gets really charged up (excited) and goes through the routine quite nicely. I do believe, however, I'm not getting him to the point where he is in full drive or I'm not allowing him to "release" all of his prey energy because I'm not sure quite what to do with it. Not sure I'm hitting the nail on the head here but my gut says we're not there ....yet.

I do see the group hasn't been too active but you never know.

Best,
Leslie

[jojo]

If I'd had the chance I would have gone with the vasectomy, but my dog was already castrated when I adopted him. It's wonderful that the rescue group was so open minded, and was even giving you 2 years to neuter.

I've only read about the affects the change in hormones can have, and it makes a lot of sense to try and leave things as natural as possible. We know that when people lose their sex organs young or even older there are negative affects from the loss of hormones that go beyond behavior. Neutering large dogs young can change their growth, the adult hormones don't kick in telling the dog to stop growing and you end up with taller but less mature looking animals. Some vets (holistic alternative types) feel this increases the chances of bone cancer later in life. It's hard to get research done in this area since people are so adamant about de-sexing pets to prevent over population.

Maybe you've read all this already, sorry I've got no real life experience to add (but I look forward to hearing about yours). My sister's husband had a vasectomy and he seems fine. She said he was real sore for the first few days but was back to normal soon enough, that was years ago .

Jolene

[lpowers50@yahoo.com]

I did wind up having Dru get a vasectomy. It leaves him sterile but with all of his hormones and all the known benefits. The price was MUCH more than a neuter but I'm glad for the choice. I now have a 13 week old female with a non-breeding contract and will consider having her tubes tied......