If and when to neuter your dog

This article is aimed at male dogs only.  Female dogs should be spayed before their first heat due to the dramatic reduction in their risk for mammary tumors.  Aside from the fact that mammary tumors are common and up to 50% of them are malignant, I can tell you that I've seen many mammary tumor surgeries and it is heartbreaking to see an animal undergo and recover from surgery to remove an entire chain of mammary glands.  They are cut from their chest to their groin which results in a painful recovery and a lot of management to control swelling.  It's not fun for the animal or the owner.

Males are a little different.  The benefits of neutering a male are:

• eliminates the risk of testicular cancer
• decreased risk of prostate disorders (up to 80% of unneutered males develop some sort of prostatic disease or cancer although it is usually not malignant)
• decreased risk of perianal fistulas (lesions and abscesses that occur around the anus which tend to recur and become chronic, if surgery is necessary there is a risk of fecal incontinence)
• decreased risk of hernias
• fewer behavioral problems (decreased aggression, roaming, and shorter attention span)

The risks of neutering are:

• anesthesia (very low risk for healthy dogs, even lower with proper pre-surgical bloodwork)
• early neutering MAY increase the risk of osteosarcoma (malignant bone cancer) in giant breed dogs
• increased risk of hemangiosarcoma (cancer of the blood vessels, that's an increase of 3% chance to 4.5% chance AT MOST)
• increased risk of osteosarcoma (the earlier the castration the higher the risk; the average lifetime risk of Great Danes is 4%)

To me the benefits and risks, medically, are about even.  But, as a frequent dog park visitor I can tell you that the behavioral benefits of castration are quite great.  The majority of the aggressive dogs I've met at dog parks are intact with most of them being 9 months old.  That seems to be a time when male dogs start feeling that testosterone and testing the waters with the people and dogs around them. 

PS:
I know seeing cancers in the "risks" column is quite scary, but keep in mind that these are small increases of already small risks.  And keep in mind that people tend to write to catch your attention online.  A headline of "Neutering doubles the risk of cancer" would strike fear in the heart of any pet owner, but can be quite misleading if the risk goes from 0.01% to 0.02%.  Sure, the risk doubled, but it's still incredibly low. 

An owner's guide to "bloat" or "GDV".

If you own a Great Dane, German Shepherd, English bulldog, Weimaraner, Rottweiler, or other deep chested breed you should probably be familiar with the signs of bloat.

Signs:

• Restlessness (pacing, trying to sit or lay down and then getting back up, generally acting uncomfortable)
• Drooling
• Retching (attempting to vomit, but nothing comes out)
• Looking bloated (the abdomen or stomach looks larger than normal

What to do:

The above signs are very general and could mean a number of other things besides bloat, but because bloat can kill a dog very quickly it's important to not take the signs lightly.

• Check gum color:  Bloat causes shock and a sign of shock is pale or dark red mucous membranes.  The easiest way to check for this is to take a look at your dog's gums.  They should be nice and pink like your own gums.  Some dogs naturally have brown or black gums, in this case you can take a look at their tongue and/or the inside of their lower eyelid.  The key is to pick a place to look and make sure you know what normal looks like so that if something happens you can recognize the change.
• If you have the slightest concern that your dog is bloating you need to take it to the nearest vet immediately.  Bloat is a life-threatening condition.  The sooner you can get the dog in the more likely it will survive.

Prevention:

The cause of bloat is unknown, so much of the advice about prevention is unproven:

• Feeding more than once a day:  its better to feed two or three smaller meals rather than one large meal a day.
• Do not allow gulping of food or water. 
• Put food and water bowls on the floor rather than using raised bowls.
• Limit exercise for an hour before and after feeding.
• Don't encourage the dog to roll over.  Dogs roll over on their own all the time, and it is low-risk, but it's best not make that part of any games or teach them to do so as a trick.
• If you own a Great Dane talk to your vet about stomach tacking.  It's not a guarantee against bloat, but it does improve your dog's chances of surviving if bloat does occur.

Planning ahead:

In my opinion, any Great Dane owner should have a plan in place for dealing with bloat.  Studies show that 25% - 40% of Great Danes will bloat in their lifetime.  Being prepared will help you stay calm and improve your dog's chances of survival.

• The #1 thing to do is: know where your nearest emergency vet is and how to get there.  If your vet isn't open 24 hours/365 days a year you should find the nearest vet who is and have the address and directions pre-printed.
• If the nearest emergency vet is more than 20 minutes away or so you may want to talk to your vet about measures you can take yourself to relieve the pressure in the stomach while transporting the dog for further treatment.  This often involves having a soft rubber or plastic tube that can be put down the dog's throat and into the stomach to release the gas.  Extreme caution must be used when doing this, however, because when bloat advances the stomach often twists which closes it off so the tube cannot pass.  Attempting to push the tube into the stomach with any force can tear the esophagus and kill the dog.  Again, if this is something you feel you might have to do, please speak with your vet to find out how to do this properly or to discuss the risks vs benefits of doing this at all.