It's really funny how perceptions on fixing an animal are so different in the UK vs. the US. In the US people ask why you're not fixing an animal and get all attitudy about it like every animal needs to be fixed. What's the difference between fixing and castrating? Castrating sounds like you are taking everything male out, is that what it is, penis included? Here now they don't remove the testicles, they take out what's in the sacks. Don't mean to get so graphic, but it's a new procedure and strange to see deflated ones rather than none, lol But we don't call it castration. We castrate rapists here sometimes, but we don't castrate animals, we fix them, spay them and it's expected. Kind of funny the differences If this is too graphic, my apologies, please remove or tell me and I will.

Don’t think there is any difference, we don’t remove the scrotum here either, just the testis, seems the term ‘fixed’ is just a euphemism, although the skin of the scrotum does shrink back in time and looks as if it has been removed. Have heard that in the USA some people have the dog castrated and then have false testis put in so the dog ‘looks’ intact. Think the main deference is most vets will not, or do not like doing the dogs before it is fully grown, because the removed of glands that form part of the total hormone system and are needed if the dog is to reach it’s full potential. Must say that I did notice that there seems to be a few vets that are following suit in the UK and trying to get people to have the pups done very young but there seems to be resistance to doing this, it seems to be only the newly trained vets that are keen to do this, although there are a few vets that will do anything asked of them providing the owner signs the form.

Glad to hear he is home and doing well.

I have to say that since having Phoebe spayed and how fast she recovered and what a tiny little cut there is (about an inch) I have been swayed far more toward getting a bitch spayed than I was before....it seems the whole process has become far more efficient than before

Yeah chloe its funny you should say that!!when i had ben neutered 0ver 10 years ago he had tons of stitches and was in so much pain for days!!Buds on the other hand has only 3 tiny stitches and is racing around all over!!maybe they have improved their surgery techniques in the last few years!!Glad phoebe is ok too, it is a worry though when they are going in isnt't it!! ps did she get any painkillers to bring home or did they giv her a long lasting painkilling jab like bud?

Hi - glad he's doing well Phoebe had no pain killers (perhaps they gave her that jab?) and she walked over to the car and got in no problems - I was expecting to have to carry her out on a stretcher! She was sleepy on the day she had it done, but she has been back to normal since....I have to keep reminding myself she just had major surgery!

lol she sounds to have had the same fantastic wonder drug as bud.anyway glad they're both on the right side of it now, thank god!!