Prostate cancer in dogs...any vets out there?

Will castration prevent my dog from getting prostate cancer? Many veterinary websites say that castration can prevent testicular cancer, but that it will not prevent prostate cancer...is this true? I am not sure whether or not I want to castrate my dog. He is not an aggressive dog, I don't allow my dog to breed with other dogs and he is perfectly healthy...honestly, I do not see the point of castrating my dog if it is not actually going to be of any benefit to him in terms of his health...can anyone advise me?

Prostate cancer in dogs...any vets out there?
Castration does not prevent prostate cancer, but does greatly reduce the risk of other prostate problems. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH- an enlarged prostate) is very common in entire male dogs- although it is 'benign', it can cause considerable discomfort particularly through problems with urination and defaecation. BPH also predisposes to further problems such as prostatic abscessation, which can make a dog seriously ill. Castration obviously will also prevent testicular cancer, which again is relatively common in older, entire male dogs.





I will echo the person above in saying that there is no reason to keep a male dog entire unless he is being used for breeding. It is a low-risk, quick and simple procedure, and the health benefits to the dog are well documented.





EDIT: The risks associated with anaesthesia are very small. The drugs used nowadays are very safe, and the anaesthetic is monitored by trained personnel. To further decrease the risk, you can request a blood screen beforehand to assess his general health and to get more specific information about his liver and kidneys. This means that the vet is aware of any problems beforehand and if you go ahead with surgery, is able to tailor the anaesthetic to suit your dog's needs. He can also be put on IV fluids (a 'drip') during surgery to make it safer still.





As to your other concerns, he's not going to become depressed, and provided that you feed and exercise him appropriately, there is no reason for him to become overweight. The majority of fat dogs are fat because they're fed too much and/or not given enough exercise, not because they're desexed.
Reply:The best person to advise you on this topic is your vet. They will also be able to explore why you dont want to castrate your dog. There are implants available now to effectively prevent you male dog from breeding, but he will still be at a greater risk of testicular cancer.


No one on here is educated enough to properly explain this all to you and all you will get is nasty comments telling you to castrate ur dog. Even giving your local vet clinic a calll and discussing it with the nurses/techs is a good option.


Good luck!





With regards to the concerns you have about the Anaesthetic, in all seriousness, a male castration takes less than 5 minutes. The risks are soooooooo small, that you really dont have much to worry about. Following the directions from the vet the day before surgery, and after care will make it even less risky.


As for putting on weight, thats a hard one. Hard because everyone will tell you something different. My female went from 5 cups food/day to 1 after being spayed. Every dog is different. And it is VERY easy to prevent him from becoming overweight........if he starts to fill out, cut back on his food. Simple.
Reply:Please do not be fooled into thinking you can prevent a dog from breeding. Yes you can try, but a male dog who senses a female in heat will be very very very difficult to control. Male dogs have jumped through pane glass windows, over fences, through screens, and have done many other mischievous things to get to a female that's in heat. It may be beyond your control.





Neutering is the right thing to do. He won't miss them a bit %26amp; there are plenty of benefits to his health as well.


Ask your vet.
Reply:No castrating won't prevent prostate cancer but it will prevent other more common prostate diseases, as-well as preventing testicular cancer and anal and perineal tumours.


On average a neutered dog lives 2-3years longer than a dog left entire.
Reply:I have seen dogs get testicular cancer from not being neutered and an uncomfortable inflammation of the prostate called prostatitis. I have also seen tumours of the prostate on unneutered males - whether or not it is directly related to being intact or not i'm not sure. Unneutered males are more likely to urinate in the house as well %26amp; have aggressive tendancies.


Added: its better to have him go under general anesthesia as a puppy rather than an older dog to have his testicles removed because of cancer, much less of a risk there. Usually after a neuter the dogs go bouncing out of the clinic just like they came in that morning, I have never seen a dog get depressed (they aren't like humans and will not miss them). It is quite a simple procedure and will save you a lot of greif in the future.





Being overweight comes from overfeeding and lack of exercise, neutering will not cause obesity. I have seen many thin neutered dogs and extremely obese intact males - it all depends on the owners.
Reply:Your vet should be able to go through things like this with you, talking to you about the health and emotional benefits of neutering to your dog.





In un-neutered males, the levels of testosterone present in the region commonly leads to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) in older male dogs. It isn't a cancerous condituion, but the enlarged gland tends to be more prone to infections (prostatitis) because the blood flow through the enlarged gland tissue area is less efficient, and if bacteria lodge here, the infection can be difficult to control and clear.





The prostate gland of an intact male dog is known to be more susceptible to cancer. This has been confirmed in scientific studies, and because of the delicate location of this gland around the junction of the bladder and the urethra (the tube leading to the outside via the penis), the cancers can be difficult to control or cure in this location


Early neutering, before two years of age can greatly reduce the risk of BPH and prostate cancers, and neutering at any age can completely eliminate the risk of testicular problems and cancers. Over 50% of unneutered males develop testicular cancer or prostate problems or both, and though neutering does not remove the risk of the latter, it certainly helps.





You'll also adapt your dogs' behaviour for the better; regardless of how careful you are to keep him under control, a male who smells a female in heat thinks of nothing else and can be very difficult to control and contain. Whilst you see no reason to castrate a healthy male, there's also no reason to keep the average healthy male intact and plenty of reasons why it's often best not to.