About castration surgery for male dogs

For those of you who own male dogs, have you had them neutered? Neutering is something you need to consider if you bring a male dog into your family, regardless of whether you decide to have him neutered or not.

This article summarizes the neutering procedures for male dogs. This information is especially useful for those who own male dogs.

1. The Need for Neutering

Is there any reason to neuter or neuter pets in the first place? First of all, the Ministry of the Environment also recommends neutering pets. They cite examples of the damage caused by overpopulation and have issued guidelines for keeping pets.

When dogs overpopulate, living environments become unsafe, and not only government agencies but local governments across the country are working to address this issue.

In addition, some local governments may offer subsidies from the animal welfare center where the surgery was performed.

【Reference Materials】
Guide to Appropriate Adoption of Puppies and Kittens

Ministry of the Environment Website

Based on the above, a movement to recommend neutering pets is spreading throughout society. Whether or not to neuter your pet is up to the owner's discretion.

The benefits of neutering are listed below. If you read this article and feel like "I don't need to neuter my pet," there's no need to force it.

2.【Benefits of Neutering】

Preventing Breeding

＿If your dog is not neutered, if you keep a female dog in the same room or take him outside, he may mate while you're not looking, and accidentally impregnate another female dog.

Neutering your dog can prevent such accidents.

・Stress Reduction

＿If your dog is not neutered, it will be unable to resist its desire to mate, its territorial instincts, and its tendency to intimidate other dogs, making it more susceptible to stress.

It can also become aggressive, barking, and refusing to listen to its owner, making it difficult to control. Neutering can help prevent these stresses and aggressive behaviors.

・Disease Prevention

＿Since castration involves removing the testicles, it is highly unlikely that a boy will develop a disease like testicular cancer.

In particular, it has been found that boys with cryptorchidism, whose testicles remain inside the abdomen, are at a higher risk of developing cancer. Therefore, castration is recommended in these cases.

Neutering can also help prevent and treat diseases affected by male hormones, such as prostate cancer, perianal adenoma, and perineal hernia.

Neutering can also be effective in controlling systemic diseases, such as epilepsy and endocrine disorders. If your dog has a chronic illness, be sure to consult with your vet before neutering.

・Marking Decreases

＿As sexual maturity progresses, territorial awareness develops and marking behaviors begin. This is due to male hormones.

Neutering your dog early in maturation will suppress the secretion of male hormones and marking behaviors.

However, if you neuter your dog after it has matured, marking may become routine and may not improve, so early neutering is recommended.

3. Disadvantages of Neutering

・Becoming more likely to gain weight

＿Neutering can make your pet more likely to gain weight. This is due to an imbalance in the secretion of sex hormones.

If you notice a significant change in weight after neutering, try adjusting the amount of food your pet eats, switching to a low-calorie diet food, or encouraging more exercise.

・Negative changes in personality

_Dogs generally have wild personalities, but some are shy. Neutering these dogs can make them even more shy and even lose their confidence.

If you're worried about your dog's shyness, it's a good idea to have them trained before neutering them.

4. Cost of Neutering

The cost of neutering a dog varies depending on the hospital, length of hospital stay, and the size of the dog. Including pre-operative testing and hospital fees, it typically costs around 30,000 to 70,000 yen.

Check with the hospital where you will be performing the surgery in advance. Also, older dogs are more expensive than puppies.

If you're thinking about having the surgery someday, it's best to do it sooner rather than later, as it's less expensive.

5. Is pet insurance applicable?

The bottom line is that it doesn't apply. Neutering is a procedure performed on a healthy pet, and pet insurance covers the cost of treating injuries and illnesses.

However, if your pet suffers from another injury or illness and neutering becomes necessary for treatment, you may be covered.

6. Are subsidies available?

So, if insurance doesn't cover it, does that mean there's no subsidy?

After investigating the situation in each prefecture, we found that subsidy programs are becoming more widespread in urban areas and are being applied in a few areas, but the programs are still being applied in few other local governments.

However, as mentioned above, the Ministry of the Environment also recommends neutering, so it is possible that subsidies for neutering will become more widespread in each region in the future.

For more information, we recommend checking directly with your local city hall, animal welfare center, or veterinary clinic.

7. Summary

This article summarizes the reasons for neutering, its benefits, and the costs of the procedure.

Neutering has become a common practice recently, but many pet owners are unable to undergo neutering immediately due to health and financial concerns.

However, as mentioned above, neutering requires effort on your part, such as increasing the risk of your dog becoming pregnant or becoming ill, and the cost of surgery becoming more expensive as the dog grows. Therefore, if your dog's health and financial needs are not an issue and you're considering neutering your pet someday, it's best to do it while your pet is still young.

If the cost is too high, you may want to consult with your veterinarian or check whether you can apply for a subsidy.

If you're worried about whether to neuter your dog due to health concerns, consult with your veterinarian and consider the risks of neutering before making a decision.