Prostate cancer in dogs...any vets out there?

[Lady V]

Will castration prevent my dog from getting prostate cancer? Many veterinary websites say that castration can prevent testicular cancer, but that it will not prevent prostate cancer...is this true? I am not sure whether or not I want to castrate my dog. He is not an aggressive dog, I don't allow my dog to breed with other dogs and he is perfectly healthy...honestly, I do not see the point of castrating my dog if it is not actually going to be of any benefit to him in terms of his health...can anyone advise me?I'm particularly afraid of the effects that anesthesia may have on my dog during surgery (however small the possible, any surgery involving general anesthesia may be fatal) and that he will become overweight after castration. Though I don't mind having a fat dog, I am concerned that being overweight will put him at greater risks of other medical problems (heart problems, etc.). Also, and I know this may sound silly, I don't want him to feel depressed afterwards.

[Jupe]

No castrating won't prevent prostate cancer but it will prevent other more common prostate diseases, as-well as preventing testicular cancer and anal and perineal tumours.On average a neutered dog lives 2-3years longer than a dog left entire.

[JanelleRVT]

I have seen dogs get testicular cancer from not being neutered and an uncomfortable inflammation of the prostate called prostatitis. I have also seen tumours of the prostate on unneutered males - whether or not it is directly related to being intact or not i'm not sure. Unneutered males are more likely to urinate in the house as well & have aggressive tendancies.Added: its better to have him go under general anesthesia as a puppy rather than an older dog to have his testicles removed because of cancer, much less of a risk there. Usually after a neuter the dogs go bouncing out of the clinic just like they came in that morning, I have never seen a dog get depressed (they aren't like humans and will not miss them). It is quite a simple procedure and will save you a lot of greif in the future.Being overweight comes from overfeeding and lack of exercise, neutering will not cause obesity. I have seen many thin neutered dogs and extremely obese intact males - it all depends on the owners.

[La Comtesse]

Your vet should be able to go through things like this with you, talking to you about the health and emotional benefits of neutering to your dog. In un-neutered males, the levels of testosterone present in the region commonly leads to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) in older male dogs. It isn't a cancerous condituion, but the enlarged gland tends to be more prone to infections (prostatitis) because the blood flow through the enlarged gland tissue area is less efficient, and if bacteria lodge here, the infection can be difficult to control and clear. The prostate gland of an intact male dog is known to be more susceptible to cancer. This has been confirmed in scientific studies, and because of the delicate location of this gland around the junction of the bladder and the urethra (the tube leading to the outside via the penis), the cancers can be difficult to control or cure in this locationEarly neutering, before two years of age can greatly reduce the risk of BPH and prostate cancers, and neutering at any age can completely eliminate the risk of testicular problems and cancers. Over 50% of unneutered males develop testicular cancer or prostate problems or both, and though neutering does not remove the risk of the latter, it certainly helps.You'll also adapt your dogs' behaviour for the better; regardless of how careful you are to keep him under control, a male who smells a female in heat thinks of nothing else and can be very difficult to control and contain. Whilst you see no reason to castrate a healthy male, there's also no reason to keep the average healthy male intact and plenty of reasons why it's often best not to.