Tips For A Successful Trip To The Vet

While many dog owners have their pets surgically castrated, this isn't your only desexing option. As an alternative, you can ask your vet to chemically castrate your dog.

During this process, your vet injects an implant under your dog's skin. This implant contains chemicals which tell the brain to stop producing sperm and testosterone. After the procedure, your dog becomes infertile until the implant wears off. You can then put in a new implant or stop the treatment.

When might chemical castration be a better solution than a surgical procedure?

1. You Want a Temporary Desexing Solution

Not all dog owners want to permanently castrate their pets. They want a temporary solution. For example, if you have a young dog, then you might want to breed it in the future. You want a way to manage its fertility now until you are ready to start breeding.

Or, you might worry about how surgical castration will affect your pet's temperament. While castration reduces aggressive behaviour in some dogs, this procedure doesn't work on every animal. Some nervous dogs develop more significant anxiety-based aggression problems after castration.

Chemical castration is a temporary procedure. Implants have a finite life. So, you can make your dog infertile temporarily and then restore its fertility if you wish. You might prefer this procedure if you want time to decide whether to breed your dog in the future.

Or, you might want to see how your dog reacts to castration. If its behaviour improves, then you can continue the treatment or book a permanent surgical procedure. If it gets worse, then you know that castration won't solve their current problems.

2. Your Dog Can't Have an Anaesthetic

Your dog will have a general anaesthetic if it has a surgical castration. While anaesthesia is generally safe, some dogs aren't suitable candidates for a general anaesthetic. For example, some breeds of dogs don't deal with anaesthesia that well. They have an increased risk of developing heart or breathing problems. Dogs with some medical conditions also have a higher risk of complications after a general anaesthetic.

If your vet doesn't think that your dog is a suitable candidate for general anaesthesia, then chemical castration is a better option than a surgical procedure. Your dog won't need an anaesthetic to have an implant.

3. You Want a Cheaper Desexing Treatment

Surgical castration procedures cost more than chemical castration. You have to pay for pre-surgery checks, the surgery itself and your dog's post-operative care.

If you can't afford this option at the moment, then chemical castration helps you manage your dog's fertility at a lower cost. You can always switch to surgical castration later when you have the money.

To find out more about chemical castration and other pet desexing procedures, talk to your vet.