World Spay Day: why neutering matters
Posted 2 days ago
At Canine Partners, our dogs are at the very heart of everything we do. From the moment a puppy begins its journey with us, every decision we make is guided by their health, happiness, and long-term wellbeing.
On World Spay Day (27 February), we wanted to share more about our careful, evidence-based approach to neutering. It’s a vital part of how we help our dogs grow into the healthy, confident assistance dogs who will one day go on to transform lives.
What is neutering?
Neutering is a common surgical procedure performed under general anaesthetic to remove a dog’s reproductive organs. Female dogs are spayed, meaning their ovaries and womb are removed. Male dogs are castrated (sometimes called “snipped”), meaning their testicles are removed.
Myth busting: Neutering does not directly cause weight gain. Dogs may need fewer calories afterwards, so it’s important to adjust their diet in line with your vet’s advice.
Benefits of neutering
Neutering isn’t just about preventing unplanned litters. For an assistance dog, it plays a vital role in their emotional stability and physical health.
- Preventing serious illness: Spaying eliminates the risk of pyometra (a life-threatening uterine infection) and significantly reduces the chance of mammary tumours. Castration eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.
- Maintaining hormonal stability: In females, spaying prevents phantom pregnancies, which can cause physical discomfort and distress. For males, it reduces the intense urge to roam, and frustration caused by hormone-driven behaviours.
- Providing consistency: Without the interruption of hormonal cycles, our dogs enjoy a more predictable routine. It means less stress from unwanted attention from other dogs and a better ability to focus.
- Supporting responsible breeding: Neutering ensures that every puppy born is bred carefully and responsibly.
Importance of timing
We don’t believe in a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Every dog is an individual, so when it comes to our dogs, we combine the latest clinical evidence with careful observation to decide the right time to neuter.
- Waiting for physical maturity: Research shows that neutering too early can increase the risk of joint issues. To protect long-term mobility and comfort, we wait until our dogs are over one-year-old before neutering.
- Hormones and behaviour: For all our females, we typically wait about 20 weeks after a season to ensure their hormones are stable. For our males, we monitor their social maturity to make sure the timing supports a calm, steady temperament.
- Supporting our Broods: Our Broods (the amazing mums of our future assistance dogs) are only spayed once they have had one full season following their final litter. This ensures their hormones have completely settled.
Care and recovery
Our commitment to each dog’s welfare continues well beyond the procedure itself. During recovery, dogs receive thoughtful, supportive care:
- Comfortable protection: We use medical pet T-shirts or soft, inflatable collars to prevent dogs from disturbing the surgical site – a less stressful alternative to traditional plastic cones.
- Tailored pain management: Each dog receives an individualised plan for pain relief to ensure a smooth and comfortable recovery.
- Specialist supervision: Recovery takes place in a calm environment under the close watch of our dedicated staff and volunteers.
In accordance with Assistance Dogs International standards, all our assistance dogs are neutered. For pet owners, the decision to neuter should always be made in consultation with a veterinary professional, considering the dog’s health, breed, and lifestyle.