The most practical way to control birth of unwanted puppies is by means of dog neutering (castration) and spraying. Both are surgical procedures for sterilization, wherein the former involves removal of testicles in male dogs and the latter refers to removal of uterus and ovaries in female dogs. It is best to let your dogs sprayed at 6 - 9 months of age, before the onset of first heat cycle. While the ideal dog neutering age is when your pet is between 9 - 12 months, prior to development of sexual characteristics.

Information on Dog Neutering

By keeping a male pet dog, don't be in the impression that you are refrained from the responsibility of preventing population of stray puppies or dogs. When owners of both male and female dogs take equal obligation, then only the local pet population can be kept under controlled. Other than controlling unwanted puppies, there are several plus points of neutering a pet dog. Read the following information to understand all about dog neutering.

Procedure
Before the neutering procedure, your pet will be given general anesthesia and sedatives. Positioning on his back, the scrotal area is cleaned and sterilized. After the preparatory steps are done, a small midline incision is made between the scrotal sac and foreskin covering the penis (prepuce). The testicles are pushed (one at a time) at the incision site and excised carefully without injuring the adjacent blood vessels. The cut is then joined with sutures or skin glue. It is quite usual to have a little swelling at the scrotal area.

Aftercare
Immediately after surgery, you should support your pet while climbing upstairs or going to bathroom. After reaching home, feed your pet a homemade bland food. The canine needs proper rest and less physical movements for the first few days. Also, ensure that you check the operation site daily for any infection signs.

Recovery
Dog neutering recovery time lasts usually for a few hours after surgery. However, it may take about 2 weeks time to regain normal activeness and playfulness. After about one week, encourage your dog for going outdoor walks and mild exercises. You may be required to go for a follow-up visit after 10 days, in which the vet will check the healing process and remove sutures (if necessary).

Benefits
As per pet experts, a neutered dog is less aggressive than those intact dogs. Other advantages are decreased incidences of roaming, fighting and leaving urine marks. Besides these, neutering prevents a dog from the risks of prostate and testicular cancers. Overall, it ensures good dog behavior and improved general health.

Complications
Dog neutering side effects and/or complications are very rare, which include anesthesia reactions, excess bleeding, scarring and pain. It is commonly observed that neutered dogs tend to become fat (or overweight) and lazy. In order to avoid these, be a responsible owner and encourage your pet to perform regular exercises. Also, make sure you maintain a strict diet for your pet and never feed extra dog food.

Cost
Depending upon where you reside and the veterinary clinic you have finalized, this procedure costs somewhere around USD 50 - 120. For people with a low budget, animal shelters and non-profit organizations open clinics that perform dog neutering at a very low cost.

No doubt, there are several advantages of getting your pet dog neutered at the prescribed age group. But, it is imperative to understand dog neutering pros and cons, before taking the plunge for your best companion. Consult a qualified veterinarian to clear all your doubts regarding neutering a dog and its effects on the overall health of your pet.