Bruno's crying has still been happening, vet advised his testosterone levels are very high and she advises to neuter him. His constantly crying to go out as there is a bitch in season, walking him is impossible as he just keeps following the scent and his not eating. Question is should i get him neutered? If so he is 17 months, i read that at 18 months the growth plates close, shall i wait till then?
Hello there How long has he been distressed for? If you put him in the car and drive him to another area, is he ok? My dog's growth plates closed at about 1 year old, although I'd say he continued to put on muscle around his neck and shoulders for at least another year after that (giving him quite a "male" look). He isn't neutered. If you want to neuter your dog, then I'd say 17 months is a lot better than doing it early, and my understanding is his growth plates will have closed by this point. If you don't want to neuter your dog, then unless there are a lot of bitches around you, it should be a very temporary thing.
If he was my dog I would have him neutered, I have had one neutered at 11 months and one at 19 months and I cannot see a difference. If your dog is so unhappy, as he is unable to get to the bitch, then it seems kinder to neuter him. However, if there is only one bitch in your area and she only comes into season twice a year, then maybe you (and him) could put up with it.
Thanks for the responses. We live in a two storey flat, on the second floor, and downstairs have a couple of bitches. The crying has linked into them moving in around 6 months ago. I thought it was a UTi and so i was told by a few vets, however the last vets I visited said that it is 100% not a UTI and its due to his testoterone levels. I think it is kinder to neuter him but theres so much to take in regarding this i dont want to open a tin of worms and uncover a whole load of new problems e.g. becoming fearful around other dogs which he has no trouble with atm as he is maybe too friendly.
Oh dear, your poor lad all over the place with his hormones. Bitches will be in season about 3 weeks although this varies. I know at training the people with bitches miss 3 weeks of training when their girls are in. Bitches will often get in sync with each other so if you're lucky you'll only have to deal with two three week seasons a year. He may find it easier as he gets older or he may always find it impossible. My friend had a dog that she rehomed from a working kennel as he couldn't cope when the girls were in season and they couldn't keep weight on him. She neutered him and he's been very happy since although he can get a bit punchy with other males this has got a lot better with training. Personally I think it's down to each individual dog and owner circumstance as to whether neutering is the right thing to do. From a medical and behavioural perspective there's no one size fits all decision. There are temporary options available now with products like Suprelorin (I think that's how it's spelt) and also I think some vets are offering vasectomies which prevent dogs from producing offspring but leave them with their hormones. I don't think you need to rush into a decision as once this hideous period is over hopefully you'll have six months grace before the next one
That is a difficult situation; especially since the two bitches are so close to you, so he has no respite from the scent at present. I quite understand your quandry! I think if it were me I would wait this one season out, then see how it is after their season has finished. If he keeps crying even when they are not in season, and the vet has definitely ruled out a UTI, I think on balance I would also be inclined to neuter him. I'm not really in favour of neutering just as a matter of course; but if he and you are both suffering constantly, then it would make both your lives much easier and happier.
How difficult for you, and such a hard decision to make. I would wait out the bitches season and see how he is first. Is it worth discussing with your vet the Superlorin route to see how he reacts before going for the surgical option?
Contacted the vet and arranged an appointment for the 18th to see what they suggest, dont want to rush into anything and it will give me some time to see if it improves, hopefully it will. Thank you all.
Sorry not advice but just to say hope you come to a decision. How do you know when a dog's growth plates have closed?
You can only know for sure when a dog's growth plates have closed by x-rays. It just so happened that my dog needed an operation that couldn't happen until his growth plates closed - so this was checked on the x-rays (that he needed to have before the op anyway). The vets estimated they would close at 11 months, and allowed an extra month and checked them when he was a year old.
I know something of what your going through. I have two intact male labradors. My friend who we walk with had two Rottweiler bitches. Unfortunately one had to be PTS. Their season overlapped by a week so we couldn't walk for five weeks it was impossible and if they'd walked down our lane boy I knew about it. Next door also had a bitch Jack Russell. She was rather elderly and is no more but she did have a season a few years ago and my dogs were hard work. They couldn't settle inside and there is a field between us so two bitches in the flat below must be a nightmare. I would have a word with your neighbours make sure the dogs below you are in season and how long they've been in season. As has been suggested already I'd wait until this season has finished and see if he calms down. If he does you have six months to decide to neuter or not. To be honest having experienced what I have if I was in your situation I'd be very tempted to have him neutered. You are obviously aware of the potential pitfalls of neutering but not all neutred dogs develop problems. We have three neutered dogs aged 10, 8, 7 in the family they've never had behaviour issues. My intact 4 year olds on the other hand !!!
Thank you so much for your reply, Bruno has now gone off his food, together with the constant crying to be outside, wont even urinate in our "shared" garden because his too busy sniffing the perimetre , and standing outside neighbours door, where if it opens he runs in. Very embarassing and getting hard work. Seriously swaying towards the neuter as Bruno has never shown any aggression, fearfullness and they are the big factors that would worry me about neutering, together with the health issues but him not eating is not good either.
Oh poor Bruno, it must be so hard for him and you of course. Do you have any friends or family who could take him for just a few days to try and break the cycle? I'm sure it must be distressing for the bitch in season as well if she's hearing him or seeing him
You hear of boys off their food quite often when there's a girl in season around. Do you know how much longer the season will last? Getting him somewhere else for a few days is a great idea if you can manage it
I could definitely take him to my moms, to see if it helps Bruno and if it does i will seriously consider him being neutered as I cant see this being managable over a long period of time.
A bitches season usually lasts three weeks. During the second week the bitch will be interested in the dog and could go looking for one if given the chance. I've found though that a bitches scent is at its most potent during the last week. I assume they give off a scent that basically says it's now or never. My dogs are much worse during the last week if we've timed it wrong and walk too soon with the Rottie it's horrendous. I find that week hard work because my two will be very distracted even at home so I think your doing amazing dealing with this. Every six months I threaten mine with neutering but it can't be anything like what your dealing with. Looking at it positively it may be Bruno is worse because the bitches downstairs are coming to an end. Some dogs are just more 'keen', to put it politely, than others. My old lab was intact until he was nine. He was never interested in bitches even when one stood for him. He was neutred at nine because of prostate problems and it didn't alter him at all. My friend, on the other hand, had a male that actually broke down her stable door to get to a bitch in season. He was a stud dog so maybe that makes it worse because he knew what he was missing. I think obviously you need to weigh up the positives and negatives of neutering, which it sounds like you already have, and also take into account quality of life now for both him and you. It doesn't sound much fun at the moment for either of you.
I cant imagine how stressful it is for Bruno, and I only make it worse getting frustrated at the constant crying which I feel really bad for. Over the weekend Bruno will be staying at my moms, so hopefully this will help him, and if it does, then i will be talking about neutering with the vet on our visit as i think his quality of life would be much better. I had the mindset i wouldnt get Bruno neutered but he is so occupied, wont settle and so hard to train i cant see any other way.
Just an update, Bruno has been away over the weekend, and has been back to his usual self, eating fine, excitable and more "Bruno" rather than the sobbing, lethargic Bruno last week. Still some crying but Bruno has always been a whiner. It is something i didnt want to do but he has been booked in for Friday to be neutered. I just hope everything is ok after. I know the vet will give advice after but can anyone let me know what to expect. Can he be walked straight away, should he be kept calm for a week or so. Any information would be most appreciated.
I'm afraid I can't help with the after as I haven't been through it. I just wanted to say that it seems like a very sensible decision. There are a lot of neutered dogs out there with no problems whatsoever I'm sure you'll both be fine
