When you bring home a new Doberman, they very quickly become part of the family. Therefore, you want to make sure that you are making the best decisions for your dog, especially when it comes to surgery like neutering.
The overall consensus is that yes, you should neuter your male Doberman unless you plan on breeding them later. Furthermore, you should get him neutered when you decide to retire your Doberman from breeding. There are several health and behavioral benefits to getting your male Dobermans neutered.
In the rest of the article, we will go over the various pros and cons of getting your dog neutered so that you can make an informed decision for your four-legged friend.
We are also going to take a look at some things you might want to talk to your vet about and when the best time for getting your dog neutered is.
Things To Talk To Your Vet About Before Getting Your Doberman Neutered
When you are ready to get your Doberman neutered, you need to discuss a couple of things with your vet before doing so. Many vets will bring these things up with you beforehand, but you should also feel free to bring these things up yourself.
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Von Willebrand’s Disease
There are two main diseases that you have to worry about when you get your Doberman neutered. The first, Von Willebrand’s Disease, can cause problems during the surgery.
Von Willebrand’s disease causes hemophilia, which is when a dog’s blood will not clot properly on its own.
Any small wound can cause excessive or even fatal bleeding when a dog has this disease, making surgery extremely dangerous.
Although all dogs have a small chance of hemophilia, the risk is a lot higher with Doberman’s. This is because 50% of Dobermans have at least one gene for Von Willebrand’s Disease, but a dog needs two for it to cause any problems.
Unfortunately, about 17% of Doberman’s have the two genes required to cause a problem. Your vet can identify whether or not this is a problem with a DNA test.
However, DNA tests can take weeks to complete, so sometimes, there is not enough time to get one done before the surgery is scheduled. If this is the case for you, your vet can also do a buckle bleeding test.
This is when your vet puts your dog under anesthesia and makes a small nick in their skin.
After the cut is made, the vet will time how long it takes for the blood to clot and watch for any excessive bleeding. If the blood doesn’t clot, they will wake the dog up and not complete the surgery.
GDV OR BLOAT
Because of how Doberman’s have been bred to look, they commonly deal with a problem called GDV or bloat. As a result, a Doberman’s stomach can blow up with gas and twist in on itself, which can cause a lot of problems.
It can be fatal if not dealt with via surgery. However, there is a way that you can prevent this from happening.
When you go to get your dog neutered, you can decide to get your dog’s stomach tacked to the inside of his body, which will prevent it from bloating or twisting in on itself.
Adding this to the surgery does cost several hundred dollars, but it will cost you several thousand later on if you have to get corrective surgery.
Therefore, if you have the extra few hundred to spend, you might want to do so to save your dog discomfort and save you money later on.
Pros Of Getting Your Doberman Neutered
1. Eliminate Rist Of Health Problems
When you get your Doberman desexed, there are several health benefits. First of all, it does decrease your dog’s risk of testicular cancer, though it is already relatively rare in dogs.
It also reduces the risk of noncancerous prostate disorders and perianal fistulas, which can cause going to the bathroom to be uncomfortable or even painful.
There is also some evidence that getting your dog neutered can somewhat reduce your dog’s risk of developing diabetes. However, the data on this fact is conflicting from study to study.
2. Behavioral Benefits
One of the main reasons that people like to get their Dobermans neutered is the behavioral changes. After a Doberman is neutered, they have a much lower testosterone level.
This causes them to be less aggressive, which can be especially problematic with larger dogs, and it makes them less likely to be territorial, which could cause them to pee all over your house.
It also will lessen your dog’s desire to roam and look for a mate, which will help you keep better track of your dog when letting him outside.
3. No Unwanted Puppies
If you are not purposefully breeding your dogs, you do not want your dog to be able to mate and create puppies. Not only are puppies expensive and will take up a lot of your time, but if your dog gets out, he could breed with any dog he comes across.
This could be dangerous for both your dog and the dog he breeds with. If there is any chance of your dog ever getting out or meeting female dogs who are not spayed, you need to get him desexed.
Cons Of Getting Your Doberman Neutered
1. HEALTH RISKS
While getting your dog neutered decreases his chance of having a variety of different health problems, there are some health problems that your dog could be at a greater risk for. These potential health problems include:
- 4x the risk of prostate cancer
- 2x the risk of urinary tract cancer
- Increased risk for lymphoma
- Increased risk for dog dementia during old age
- Increased risk of orthopedic disorders such as ligament issues
- Increased risk of obesity
It is important to keep in mind that the risk for most of these disorders (before and after getting your dog neutered) is relatively low. The only disorders that are more common in Dobermans are things like ligament issues or orthopedic disorders.
2. PERSONALITY CHANGES
Sometimes after a dog is neutered, they feel shyer or even insecure. Some people even believe that this can cause fear-biting, but that seems to be very rare. However, if this is the case for your dog, a qualified dog trainer or behavioralist can help you solve this problem.
3. INABILITY TO SHOW OR BREED
Once you get your dog neuter, they obviously will not be able to breed him anymore. Once the surgery is complete, it is impossible to reverse, so if you decide you want to breed your dogs, you will have to get a new one. ‘
Additionally, if you are interested in competing in dog shows, you will not be able to do so once you get your dog neutered.
You may still be able to find some mixed-breed events that you can compete in for fun, but you will not be allowed in any purebred shows.
This is because the purpose of a dog show is to evaluate whether or not a dog would be good for breeding and maintaining the breed, which is impossible for a neutered dog to do.
What Is The Best Age To Neuter A Male Doberman?
There is a lot more conflicting opinion when it comes to neutering your dog or if you should get your dog neutered at all. For a long time, the general consensus was that you should get your dog fixed somewhere around six months.
This way, the surgery is done before your dog reaches sexual maturity, which in male dogs prevents a lot of the territorial behaviors and aggressiveness that comes with age.
However, there has been a new school of thought in more recent years when it comes to getting your dog neutered. When you get your dog neutered young, they are at greater risk for several health problems such as bone cancer.
Therefore, many people believe that for your dog’s health should wait to get him neutered until he is between 18 and 24 months old. Remember, this is not the case for female dogs because they go through heat.
In the end, whether you get your Doberman neutered at all, you should talk to your vet. Your vet will know more about your specific dog and will be able to help you make the best, educated decision for both of you.
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