This question is for those who have raised GSP's for a number of years.

A Vet Tech told my wife that unless I was going to breed my two year old GSP I should have him neutered; because this breed was known for developing Testicular Cancer at 5 -7 years old.

Please enlighten me?

I haven't heard this before but I never had a GSP. I was told by Vets, a male dog that isn't neutered , can develop prostate cancer. That's one heck of a way for us human males to cut the risk!
I did have a Golden Retriever who developed Testicular Cancer at 10 years of age. After being neutered to get rid of the cancer, he lived to be a month short of 17 years.

My old Dog Sig had a testosterine driven tumor along his colon at the rectum (Swelling visualy how it was found)at about age 10, castrated & he lived to 14.

My vet suggested nueturing my wifes small dog,rescue dog. [bleep]/carinterrier? Saying it would help prevent aggresiveness, & cancer. He is plenty agressive to Raider in playing & protecting his treats. You can look up articles on internet, probably can find what ever you want to believe or find conflicting views, you know the internet. It seems to be more of a political correct thing to do.

Here is one of the first articles I found with search. It certainly is not a glowing case for castration. Wish I had seen this before Ian got the knife, I would have said no! If he didn't have Raider to harass him & keep him active, I believe he would certainly fit the sluggish more weight. He was 6 months when they were taken well "at an early age".

I have always & still do trust my vet, but think I missed the boat on this one. I think he has an attitude (& can't fault him as I believe also) that most dogs that are not used for breeding, furthering a breed shouldn't just be left to have that Opps! moment that keeps dog shelters full of unwanted pups.

http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/breedvet/castrationindogs.html

This article says you are going to increase the rate at which he will get Prostate cancer, one of the worst, testicular is rare & mostly benine. I am no vet, just an article I found.

Its Summary is:So, the bottom line is:
1. Never castrate your dog because it is Politically Correct
2. Only castrate your dog if his home life is at risk due to dog-to-dog
aggression, or if, at the age of 11 years or so, he develops a perianal adenoma.

Here is another:
http://www2.dcn.org/orgs/ddtc/sfiles/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf


Surely there are some Vets that will weigh in on this, wont you? We would all like to know.

You know what they should do is Vasectomy / tubial ligations on them if you don't plan to breed them. Is there some reason they can't?

Siggy32. What a great question!

I do know that there are testicule implants for dogs.

They got to find the tubes to take them out or cut them, they should be able to leave the testicles or ovaries in for the hormones they produce & eliminate the OOPs pregnancies, fullfilling the Political Correctness of it all. Would think it would be less traumaitc, reduce healing & risk of complications, etc. IF there is an aggresive problem, then maybe.

I am going to ask my vet next time I see him.

Reba I been rasing dogs for many years and this is the first I have ever heard of the GSP breed having such a problem as you posted. I have 7 dogs right now that are 7 and 8 years of age and going strong.

Now 4 of those dogs are out of different bloodlines: 5 time NFC Heide Mighty City Slicker and "Hall Of Famer" for the GSP breed, 3 time NFC Rawhides Clown and also "Hall Of Famer" for the GSP breed, NFC Magnums Touch Of Gold, FC True Blues Kicking UP Dust (#2 dog at the nationals and Quail Champion.

Now in all the litters we have raised, only 2 pups have ever even develop a hernia. One at birth and one at 20 weeks old. Never had anything like cancer period.

Thanks Tonk! I've been waiting for your reply.

Life is good:-)=

I asked my vet & he said yes they can do vasectomy vs. total castration. The dog will remain the same as he "is" just can't breed, if being castrated for agressiveness the vesectomy won't stop that, again leaves them the same as they are. He in fact said a person found a stray brought it in to be neutered & it had actually had a vasectomy, the first he had seen, so it does happen.

He said the idea of an increase in testicular cancer from not neutering is (my words) nonsense. Castration is not necessary for that alledged resoning & confirmed that short of the normal odds of getting a bad agressive growing cancer, usually castration at the time of the discovery of testicular cancer, usually takes care of it, just as Tronskie related above.

I had a GSP neutered to prevent testicular cancer and he ended up getting prostrate cancer which the vet told me is virtually unheard of after being neutered! I lost one hell of a dog at eight years old!

here is what I tell my clients (veterinarian for 26 years, hunter for 4)

For most families it makes sense to neuter a dog, as much as we want to think we are going to hunt all the time, the majority of the dogs time is as a pet. Neutering will help prevent interdog aggression, in my experience cut down drastically on prostate enlargement (benign or cancerous) and mostly eliminate other types of cancer ( perianal adenomas and adenocarcinomas which are "butt" tumors, testicular cancer is rare enough I dont worry about that). Typically the wife is all for it and the guy is thinking "why would I cut my best friends nuts off?" I tell him, dogs do not use those bad boys for pleasure and besides what has gotten you in more trouble in your life than testicles?. It wont change his personality, if your dog is stupid he will still be stupid after the surgery etc. In my opinion the best way to assure a long lived healthy pet is to neuter. Obviously if you have a PROVEN dog.field trail champ etc that will actually IMPROVE the breed go ahead and breed but that is rare.

should have read hunter for 40 years not 4

Gentlemen I tend to say things without giving thought perhaps to others needs, when we discuss dogs. I run a kennel for the GSP breed! Out dogs are never going to be neutered but once again our stud dogs are NOT playmates nor family pets.

I truly believe if you have children and especially if there is more than one dog in the family, it is an excellent idea to have them worked on by your VET. The worse thing you want is a child getting into the middle of a friggin dog fight. I have several times and it is not always the best turnout for yours truely. I have been bitten at least a dozen times in 40 years.

To no one in particular but I'm serious:

It seems to me that female vets are usually the most eager to castrate. Go figger.

YMMV