tranquility

I'm doing more research on the effects of neutering and understand that the below are some of the issues re a neutered dog (I'm sure there must be more but I only picked up on these so far for discussion - pls feel free to add more). Can you please tell me if you have encountered these problems and what have you done to remedy them? Have the problems been completely fixed or were there any side effects? Thanks.

1. incontinence
2. hypothyroidism

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Striving to become the most educated future 'yellow eyebrow dog' (aka Doberman) owner.

Zoeberry

Hmmmm.....I've never heard the possibility of spay/neutering causing hypothyroidism. Is this possible?

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Brenda and Copper

MaryAndDobes

Almost every Doberman I've owned has gone hypothyroid eventually. Usually my girls go past the age of 7, one as late as 10. My own males have tended to go hypothyroid *before* they were neutered so obviously neutering had nothing to do with it.

I've owned many Dobermans and a few GSPs over the past 27 years, all of whom were spayed/neutered eventually. I've had 2 females with incontinence which didn't begin until they were around 8, and they had been spayed a few years prior. My one GSP girl who is now 14 has been incontinent off and on throughout her whole life even before she was spayed so again, obviously spaying had nothing to do with her situation.

The 2 Doberman girls were/are mother/daughter so perhaps it's familial rather than something to do with the procedure. The fact that it happens more frequently in Dobermans than most other breeds would seem to indicate a genetic predisposition.

Spaying and Castration -- Pros, Cons, Myths, and Dobermans

Murreydobe

I've spent my life surrounded by spayed bitches-only had one with spayed bitch incontinence.

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CH. Birchrun Who's On First, aka Razzle
Foxfire N KO Simply Madness WAC, aka Connor

Dobes&Hounds

I have had one neutered male, and spayed females. My male never went low thyroid his entire life (10 1/2), he never leaked urine, didn't get osteosarcoma, and didn't get "lazy". He was active till he was too old to be active.
None of my females leak urine, and my oldest female doberman will be 9 this year. She is thyroid normal as well (tested October '07).

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JW Mercury's Secret Obsession OA OAJ WAC CGC HIC UDC ATT

*My Soul Mate*
1996-2007

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog & a man.
- Mark Twain

RedFawnRising

I've never had a single negative side effect from altered dogs, period.

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Soccermom

I had one doberman (spayed at age 18 months) who was on thyroid medication from about 4 years on. I had to watch her food intake big time. She did become incontinent about two years after spaying and back then we gave diet pills to stop it.
The mix breed I had that was spayed ended up with bone cancer at age four but she came from the SPCA and they spayed her at 5 months. She also never outgrew the excited peeing so I can't say that was an after effect. The neutered male poodle was fine.

Bravo916

Just my $0.02...

To do list:

Prior to neutering= pee on every tree, bush, chair, corner, trash can, post, and possibly any other dog that gets in the way. Ignore all calls from mom to come. Drink water and repeat process.

After neutering= fetch, frisbee, really gotta pee but I'll hold it because she is gonna throw the frisbee again, catch the frisbee and find the closest tree to empty bladder while holding the frisbee, bring back the frisbee so mom can throw it again.

Oh, and I don't have to beg him to eat anymore... Those are the only side effects I have experienced.

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"My goal in life is to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am."

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melbrod

Spayed female--incontinence when she hit about 8. UN-neutered male--repeated prostate infections which were "cured" by neutering at 10. He lived to be almost 14.

greenkouki

My first male acted like an intact male, no thyroid issues, had LOADS of energy. He was neutered at 4yo. Current boy neutered at 2yo and has low thyroid, he is more easy going but that's probably because he's being treated for a serious disease at the moment. Thyroid could be associated with his genetics since he is blue; I've noticed dilutes have more thyroid issues. But really, there are more "side effects" leaving a dog intact