Getting your dog fixed is one of the most responsible things you can do as a pet owner. Too many unplanned puppies wind up abandoned or staying in shelters for long periods. You can help prevent that from happening by getting your dog neutered or spayed early on.
The health benefits of neutering or spaying are also worth highlighting. Neutering or spaying can effectively lower your pet’s risk level for developing certain diseases. Anything that can do that is worth signing up for, right?
You should seek to neuter or spay your pets whenever possible. But what if your pet was previously abandoned and you’re not sure if they were fixed before? What should you do in that scenario?
We’ll be providing answers to those important questions in this article. Stay tuned so you can find out what to do with your new pet.
How to Tell if a Dog Is Neutered or Spayed?
Determining whether your new pet has either been spayed or neutered can be done in different ways. Try out the methods below if you’re trying to ascertain the current status of your dog.
Look for Your Dog’s Testicles
This is probably the easiest way to tell if your male dog is neutered. Examine your dog’s scrotum and see if there are still testicles inside. The absence of testicles means that your dog has been neutered.
Another telltale sign that your male dog has been neutered is the presence of a scar on their scrotum. The incision for neutering is often made near the lower portion of the scrotum so look for the scar there.
Look for the Scar from Spaying
The physical signs that your female dog has been spayed are not that obvious. You will have to inspect her more closely to find out her current condition.
What you can do in that scenario is to look for the scar that came from the incision. The scar should be located below the lowest set of the dog’s nipples and close to the genital region. If you cannot spot it, try shaving your dog’s hair so you can get a better view.
Check Your Dog’s Medical Records
Your new dog’s medical records should indicate if they have been spayed or neutered. Unfortunately, getting your hands on those records is easier said than done. For starters, you probably don’t even know which veterinary clinic your dog’s previous owner went to.
Even if you can track down that veterinary clinic, there’s no guarantee that they will tell you about the dog’s medical status. They may not do so unless the previous owner gives them the green light. You can tell them that the dog has been abandoned, but that may still not work.
Request Hormonal Testing
One more option you can try if you want to find out if your dog has been fixed is to request hormonal testing. The veterinarian is the one who will perform that test. It’s worth the money since it will give you an accurate read of your dog’s condition.
Does a Male Dog Still Have Balls after Being Neutered?
Male dogs will no longer have testicles if they have been neutered. That’s a factual statement, but you may start to doubt it after looking at your supposedly neutered dog. You’ve been told that he has been fixed, but it looks like he has testicles.
So, what is happening there?
First off, it’s worth remembering that the presence of the scrotum does not mean that your dog has testicles. Your dog may have already had a fully developed scrotum at the time they were neutered. The veterinarian has no reason to remove the scrotum so they just leave it alone.
Another thing to note here is that other parts of your dog’s anatomy may resemble the testicles too.
Some connective tissue may have been tied off inside your dog’s scrotum. From afar, they may resemble testicles, but a closer look will reveal their true nature.
What Does a Female Dog Look Like after Being Spayed?
Telling neutered dogs apart from intact dogs is fairly easy because you can inspect the area near their testicles. It’s a pretty straightforward task so you should be able to find the answer quickly.
Things aren’t as simple when it comes to female dogs. Spaying is a procedure that removes a female dog’s uterus and ovaries. Since those organs aren’t exposed, it’s hard to tell if they were already removed from your new pet.
Some have suggested that a spayed dog’s mammary glands and nipples are smaller compared to intact female dogs. So far, however, that has not been confirmed as a fact. You cannot confirm the current condition of your pet based on that.
As we mentioned earlier, the surgical scar is the only real indicator that a female dog has been spayed. Even then, the presence of the scar does not guarantee that your dog has been spayed already. After all, it’s still possible that the scar was the byproduct of a different procedure.
Physical signs that your dog has been spayed are not easy to find. You will be better off taking your new pet to the veterinarian if you want to confirm her status.
Do Dogs Behave Differently after Being Neutered or Spayed?
Preventing unplanned puppies and protection from certain diseases are the main benefits of neutering and spaying. Beyond them, neutering or spaying can also change your dog’s behavior.
Dogs are less likely to roam after they’ve been fixed. They will be more content to just stay home.
Some dogs who displayed their aggression often may also scale back that behavior after spaying or neutering. Fixed pets may also not react much even if there are dogs in heat nearby.
With all that said, neutering and spaying are not guaranteed to bring about those behavioral changes. Dogs who were fixed later in their life may be too set in their ways. The behavioral changes may not manifest in them.
A dog who liked to roam or bark loudly at the door may stay that way even after undergoing surgery. You will need to train them to change their behavior.