Hi ,I have a appointment this coming wed. to get my dog nuetered,the vet said it was ok ,but now I become a member on here I'm more confused,he basically going to be a house dog,with all the training for obedience I can do ,maybe a service dog for nursing home and such,he is english lab turning 5 month in couple days,could use some advice,thanks
The advice given does vary between vets and from where abouts you are in the world. In general terms early neutering is discouraged unless there is a medical reason for early neuter, to allow for the majority of growth to have taken place and for the growth plates to have closed (around 12 months). Boys can also benefit from the higher level of testosterone for confidence as they encounter new experiences, places, people and animals. In the UK and many areas if Europe there is a growing trend not to neuter. Personally I would not consider neutering a boy until he was at least a year old and even then only if health concerns indicated it as the best option.
Hey Bobbyjoes55, Jojo83 is right, there is a huge amount of variation in what is considered best depending on where you are in the world. My personal belief is that the USA is a bit backward in this, still largely being very pro early neutering. The evidence isn’t black and white but I would personally not put my dog through surgery just because it was “what you do”. If there’s no reason to do it, why would you? You can’t go back from it and it can actually cause issues in some dogs. I absolutely respect everyone’s right to make the decision based on what’s right for their set of circumstances. For example, many day cares won’t allow entire dogs so if your choice is neutering or your dog staying alone all day, I’d say neutering is probably the lesser evil. In general, I would encourage waiting until he is fully developed both physically and emotionally to minimise the potential risks to his development that could be caused by early neutering.
My dog needs to be neutered for medical reasons and our vet suggest around the 1.5 yr mark, to allow him to be fully grown prior to op. However, if it wasn't needed, I wouldn't do it. The US has a much different attitude however, I know the majority of dogs are neutered, and neutered early, and there is actually quite a bit of stigma for intact dogs.
