Having my male Labrador neutered was the worst thing I could have done and I now feel so guilty I went on my vets advice, who on reflection I am now sure was only after making more money. I took my dog in because he was having frequent anal gland problems, my lab had to be anaesthetised as he had an abscess on his anal gland. I left him at the vets and a few hours later got a call from the vet who said it would be better to neuter my 9yr old dog as if I didn't the anal gland problem would keep returning. I told the vet I was not happy about having him neutered, the vet then said his prostrate gland was also enlarged and he felt it best if he neutered him while he was under the anaesthetic, I said if he was sure it was the best thing to do then go ahead. Since neutering nine weeks ago he has gone from weighing 33kilo to nearlly 40kilo even though I have reduced his food by half, he is depressed lethargic and just wants to lay on his bed all day. I have to persuade him to go on three short walks daily which he does not enjoy, he looks so sad now He is the complete opposite to what he was before neutering. All he wants to do is sleep, his eyes look sad, he no longer wants to play and seems depressed all the time. I know that I have ruined a beautiful dog that I love and really care for. I would NEVER EVER have any animal neutered again, Think before you go ahead especially if it is an older dog
Sorry to hear that your dog is not himself. I'm sure you are feeling very worried about him. Is the wound from the surgery healing well? Dogs usually bounce back pretty fast from neutering (though I would imagine less quickly for a mature dog). So I wonder if there is something else wrong with him that has caused the lethargy. I would take him back to the vet for a thorough check and a discussion about this behaviour. If a dog has an enlarged prostate then neutering is the best course of action. It will make the prostate shrink again. An enlarged prostate can cause problems (and pain) when defecating and was probably related to the anal gland issue as well. Your vet did advise you well and you made the right call by agreeing to neuter your dog. So definitely don't feel bad about that decision. Neutered dogs do need less food so I guess it's just a matter of working out how much is the right amount to keep him at a good weight. Cut it down more and add in some 'fillers' like cooked pumpkin and other vegetables that will bulk it up without the kilojoules.
Hello , and welcome . I`m sorry that your dog is unwell, but I agree with Rachael ( @Oberon ) , in that it is unlikely to actually be the act of castration causing him to feel unwell , plus given the enlarged prostate , it most likely could have saved many problems . I think a chat with your Vet is the best course of action , and I truly hope he picks up soon .
Oh dear, you followed the best advice of a medical professional and that can take a turn for any of us, human too. Has your Vet examined him again, done a complete blood workup? That's a pretty extreme and prolonged reaction. There could be something else going on with your boy. I would like to point out though, for anyone else reading, that neuter isn't your only option with an enlarged prostate. It's also NO guarantee the prostate will not enlarge again. I don't want to make @suuz feel worse but Oban had an enlarged prostate and, yes, we did have a neuter planned. BUT he responded well to TCM and we called it off. Giving me confidence to call it off was the fact he was the first intact male with enlarged prostate my VEt had treated. All the others were already neutered.
Hello there, I have had my choc lab back to the vets for blood tests to check his thyroid function, which is fine. His wound where he was neutered is fully healed He has undergone xrays to check his joints as he has arthritis which has got worse, he has arthritis is in both shoulders and also front paws. I took him back to the vets just over a week ago for steroid injections in both front elbows but I have not seen any improvement yet. I am trying hard to get his weight down and have tried feeding him Natural Instinct raw food and feeding him the amount as for a 25 kilo dog, although as already mentioned he is almost 40kilo, his weight has not reduced, I have tried this for six weeks. I have this week switched back to his old diet which prior to castration. I fed him fresh raw meat from the butchers, lean mince mixed with raw carrot or apple, raw chicken breast,s liver, stewing steak and a handful of dog biscuits and he was always a nice lean dog. Also I have tried Golden Paste for his arthritis which did not work. I give him glucasamine and chondroitin tablets daily also mackerel or sardines three times weekly. Since neutering he has gone downhill so very much and don't know what else to try.
That doesn't sound right. If he were my dog, I'd take him back to the vet. I really doubt it these symptoms are from the castration.
Yes maybe I should get a second opinion from a completely different vet, although the one I use has at least eight vets there and I have seen a number of different vets within the practice. The other thing is I have pet plan so am not sure how it would work if I went elsewhere for a second opnion.
Hi, I'm with petplan and I got a 2nd opinion about a joint problem. I phoned them up beforehand and explained the situation, (I just wasn't that happy with the attitude and lack of physical examination of the 1st vet)and they said it shouldn't be a problem. I ended up having treatment with the 2nd vet, so I suppose this made it a bit easier to claim for the 2nd consultation fee (which of course I would have had to have anyway before treatment) but I think it will probably be fine (they do say they will pay this in their T&C's subject to certain conditions so just have a chat with them first) Good luck
