Imagine you have just reached your home holding your newly adopted Border Collie. You are feeling like the happiest person on earth and can’t wait to squeeze and cuddle them all day long. You don’t care if there is a lockdown and no one else is there in your home. You are just happy that you have this dog.
But no matter what is going on, you need to visit the vet in the first couple of months of having a new pet. You should know when to neuter a border collie. You need to check its health status and might also need to give injections. In the middle of all these, the final question that arises is whether to let them stay how they are or to get them neutered.
I know you are probably thinking that it is a very big decision to take and you get only one chance of making it. We are here to make your decision-making easier for you.
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When Do I Need To Get My Border Collie Neutered or Spayed?
I know that now you are wondering when to spay border collie. Many people say different things and give different opinions about the time you should get your pet neutered but almost all the vets suggest doing it within 4 to 9 months after the pet has been born. You may ask why the time is so broad and trust me there are reasons for this.
Depending on the sexual orientation of the dog, some vets say that the timing has a very important effect on them.
No one can answer it with definite certainty but most of the experts suggest that males of the Border Collie species should be neutered after it has reached puberty. They also say that it has long-term benefits for health and not just that, it also helps to control some behavioral traits, for example, aggression and marking.
The case is not the same for females of the same species. There isn’t any hard and fast rule about when to do it with the females of them. Some say that neutering should be done as early as possible; even as early as when it is just five months old. Others say that neutering this early may cause mammary tumors. I would say, consult your vet because they can say what’s best for your puppy with knowledge and proficiency.
Some scientific studies show that neutering or castration is directly related to prolonging a dog’s life and they usually reduce the risk of problems in the future. Castrating the males would lower the high risk of testicular and prostate cancer.
Key Reasons You Should Neuter A Male Border Collie!
When they reach puberty, they show a lot of signs and traits of aggressive and dominating behaviors. You would notice them in both the male and female members of the Border Collie. So, you need to pay attention to what they are doing inside or outside of the house.
Both male and females show this kind of abnormal behaviors that need to be dealt with whenever is the right time. Neutering them would save you lots of hassle.
Look at the criteria I have listed here to know whether to neuter them or not:
- Non-neutered males are very independent and dominating
- It takes a lot less money to do it with the help of the local council
- The male neutered puppies are very sweet, almost like a female puppy
- Usually, the male dogs are far more dominating than the ones that have been neutered
- Normally a male Border Collie will sense if another female is available in an adjacent area but neutered ones will abstain from looking for one
- Neutering has a guarantee of neutralizing your pet from the risk of having testicular cancer or other perianal tumors and prostate diseases
Why Spay A Female Border Collie?
Trust me, the thought of keeping your female dog entire may seem promising if you want a cute little puppy of your own but this is not the way to do it. The odds of breeding Border Collie are too low and you might never get it right and also the owner of the puppy where you got it may not even let you do it if your Border Collie is purebred. Rather it is really difficult to deal with a female member of Border Collie in your house when they reach puberty.
Look at the criteria I have listed here to know whether to spay them or not:
- Spaying will reduce the risk of having breast cancer
- It takes a lot less money to do it with the help of the local council
- Neutering has a guarantee of neutralizing your pet from the risk of having uterine infections that can be deadly for the female species
- During the season, the female members shed blood everywhere which usually attracts the males in the neighboring areas and you can avoid these by spaying them
- Without spaying, the female members are often very aloof and moody during the season but this is not the case for the ones that had been spayed at the right time
Key Risks With Neutering or Spaying a Border Collie!
No medical procedure is risk-free 100% of the time so there is risk in neutering or spaying too. You just have to weigh the good and bad to decide if it’s the right choice. So, here are the risks of these procedures for you:
- Obesity – It’s the most common drawback. If they are neutered or spayed, they often go through a hormonal imbalance and it affects their metabolism. So, the usual amount of food makes them obese. They need less food for maintaining a healthy range of weight.
- Anesthetic – Medical procedures require anesthesia to go through the procedure in a pain-free manner but this comes with its own set of risks
- Cost – It can be as costly as $300 to neuter your pet
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you know when to neuter a border collie. Countering common faith, neutering is not a painful procedure. Your pet will be under general anesthetic for the whole time so they wouldn’t feel any pain during doing it.
They will not become lazy or fat if they go through the procedure. You just need to see that they stay on a balanced diet and they take enough walks or exercises or activities so that they stay healthy.
You will be surprised to know that the females of the Border Collie species are eligible for reproduction when they are just 4 months old whereas the males can do it when they are just 6 months old. So do not worry about neutering them at a young age. Your vet knows better.