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mse2ponder
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03-04-2009, 07:01 PM

Neutering and Older Dog

I noticed a bit of a lump in one of Nippy's testicles the other day. He was laying funny, and one just looked a bit strange in shape, so I gave it a grope and it did feel a bit odd. So I took him to the vet, and she confirmed that there was a bit of a thickening from his spermatic cord but that it wasn't a lump as such. She didn't seem overly worried by it, and said that some dogs do have slightly uneven testes, so to just watch how it goes, and check it regularly.

However, Nippy's uncle died of a testicular cancer at about 12-13 (went unnoticed and by the time it was found, it had already spread). I told the vet and she agreed that if something like this might be 'in his genes', it would probably be better to have him neutered and not risk it being the begining of something sinister. The problem is, he's 11 this year, and obviously, the risks of the anaesthetic are greater in an older dog.

She was really pleased with his overall health, and said he was in good shape for his age, and that she wouldn't have a problem operating on him.. so I guess I just wondered, has anyone been through this with an older boy? Your thoughts would be much appreciated!
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JIMMY LAW
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03-04-2009, 07:09 PM
If the dog is in good shape for his age and the vet is happy with performing this operation then i would go for it. I have walked with some oldies in the past which have been neutured later on in their lives without any problems.
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Ramble
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03-04-2009, 07:11 PM
Morris was 8 when he was neutered and he absolutely sailed through the op...infact he coped 100% better than any of the pups we've had done.
Big hugs. It's a tough call. Go with your gut feeling.
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mse2ponder
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03-04-2009, 07:20 PM
Thanks both.. I don't think I'd stop worrying if he wasn't done, so my gut feeling is definitely to go for it now, before he gets any older!
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ClaireandDaisy
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03-04-2009, 08:40 PM
How old is Nippy? I know Rescues neuter older dogs a lot. My boys were neutered age 4, 5 and 9ish and seemed fine afterwards.
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mse2ponder
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03-04-2009, 08:47 PM
Originally Posted by ClaireandDaisy View Post
How old is Nippy? I know Rescues neuter older dogs a lot. My boys were neutered age 4, 5 and 9ish and seemed fine afterwards.
He'll be 11 in July. He's still really fit and hasn't shown much sign of aging, apart from his distinguished grey muzzle and eyebrows and slight deafness!
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CheekyChihuahua
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03-04-2009, 08:52 PM
When I rescued my old Yorkie boy, Joey, he was 9 and had just been neutered before being rehomed with us. He was absolutely fine. Mind you, I have no idea what he was like before (his owner died so they had no information on him). It did take a time for him to settle down with us (some behavioural issues) but he was absolutely fine after a while.
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mse2ponder
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20-07-2009, 10:11 PM
Just thought I'd update this thread in case anyone has a similar decision to make. After thinking about it some more, and a further visit to the vets, Mr Nippy was castrated. The vet could still feel an 'abnormality' and did blood tests to check everything was functioning OK, due to his age. The tests came back fine and he had the op. He came round from the operation and recovered remarkably well - I'm so glad, as I was really worried about him. The only change I've noticed is that his coat seems slightly softer to the touch, but it doesn't look any different.

It's made me wonder though - who checks their dog's testicles for abnormalities? I've been a bit aware of Nip's since his uncle died of testicular cancer, but wonder if it's something that should be routinely checked, or whether it's very uncommon?

I found this, but it's from the US:

"Testicular tumors are the second most common tumor type in dogs, with a reported incidence of 0.9%.b Mean age of dogs at diagnosis is approximately 10 years.63,64,79 Most tumors are readily diagnosed during physical inspection. Malignancy is considered low for all types of testicular tumors; therefore, castration is curative.80"


http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/pdf...ma.231.11.1665

(Really hope that link works, it's brilliant.)
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Vicki
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21-07-2009, 05:32 AM
So pleased to hear that Nippy came through the op with no problems, Charlotte
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GSD-Sue
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21-07-2009, 02:03 PM
Thanks for the update, I've just taken on a rescue & when he went for his check up at the vets they found he only has one small testicle. As retained testicles often go cancerous I'm booking him in to be neutered as soon as he is fit. I've been worrying about his age, which they think is 8 to 10, so this thread is very reassuring.
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