# Klein going in for rabies, teeth and chemical castration!!



## klein (Dec 17, 2011)

Hello lovely Chi friends,

I am really worried.
Klein is just over 1 years old and although very strong and energetic (full of beans) he is still very small in my eyes, about 2.100kg
He still has his baby teeth and it is now becoming a problem as food gets stuck in between and his gums get inflamed.

The Vet suggested (on a whim) to just come in monday at 9 and she'll have him put under anaesthetics and do it all in one go!! (rabies, teeth and castration that lasts 6 months)


*firstly how safe is it for him to be put under?*

*secondly, should he have chemical castration?*
-he wees EVERYWHERE we go and once hes home he humps his favourite toys NON STOP (thank god it did not start on humans yet)
-the vet said it would get better but I do not want him to calm down completely, he has such good character and is so sociable, I would not want that to stop...


thanks for any suggestions!:daisy:


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

Jaxx did not calm down after he was neutered. He became a little bit more lovable (if that is possible) but he is still full of pee and vinegar as my grandmother would have called it. He has such a loving and hyper personality that I was worried about this too but in the end I can't really tell a big change in him. He didn't suddenly get lazy or anything. He still bounces around the house and is excited to see and meet everyone. He would still play fetch for hours on end if he could and he loves his long walks.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

intent2smile said:


> Jaxx did not calm down after he was neutered. He became a little bit more lovable (if that is possible) but he is still full of pee and vinegar as my grandmother would have called it. He has such a loving and hyper personality that I was worried about this too but in the end I can't really tell a big change in him. He didn't suddenly get lazy or anything. He still bounces around the house and is excited to see and meet everyone. He would still play fetch for hours on end if he could and he loves his long walks.


Toby is the same. He has mellowed with age but so has my moms chi Rocky who is not neutered.


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

I find it very interesting that you chose the chemical castration, I can't
comment since I have not tried it yet on any of our dogs. If you don't mind 
me asking, what are your reasons for choosing it over traditional neutering?


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

~LS~ said:


> I find it very interesting that you chose the chemical castration, I can't
> comment since I have not tried it yet on any of our dogs. If you don't mind
> me asking, what are your reasons for choosing it over traditional neutering?


I have a really silly question but what is the difference? I have never heard of chemical castration. I thought the only way to do it was traditional neutering with a little cut and snip snip so to speak. (Okay that sounds bad but not sure how else to say it.)


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

If the 'chemical' castration only 'lasts 6 months', why would you do that? You have to redo it every 6 months? I have read about this, and most of the dogs are sterile, BUT they still have the testosterone that makes marking and behavioral issues. I would neuter him period, JMO!


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## BlueJax (Jun 25, 2012)

I wouldn't do chemical castration, I'd do a regular neuter. His personality will not change, however it might reduce some of his humping. And I'd wait a few weeks post-op for the rabies vaccine. Giving a dog under anesthesia a vaccine increases vaccine reactions.

Good luck to your boy.


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## klein (Dec 17, 2011)

thanks for all your opinions, all very helpfull!

so the vaccine would be done BEFORE going under, but straight before the vet said.
i suppose i enquired about chemical castration as i feel terrible snipping something away from him and from what i understood the chemical, he has a sort of implant put under in his skin...
his main "problem" is that he is growling at random people (if he decides he does not like them) and some kids in strollers and other dogs.
and it just came all of a sudden, he is super sociable and is always surrounded with new people amongst the people he knows already, every day. but for some reason he suddenly started growling and occasionally barking.

i like to mention that most of the time he is very lovable and loves cuddles from whoever gives him some love and attention.
so i guess this behaviour put me a little out of the loop.

i am welcoming anymore opinions of yours, they are valued a lot!

the appointment is for monday so i really want to be 100% sure of what i would like the vet to do to Klein and only what is best for him!

THANK YOU!


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

intent2smile said:


> I have a really silly question but what is the difference? I have never heard of chemical castration. I thought the only way to do it was traditional neutering with a little cut and snip snip so to speak. (Okay that sounds bad but not sure how else to say it.)




Amy, here is a link that explains it, and has a little demonstration video as well.
This is relatively new, so don't feel bad for not knowing.

Zeutering: Now FDA Approved Chemical Castration for Dogs | The Dogington Post


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I don't understand this. The video clearly says a 'lifetime' neuter. However the poster orginallly told us 6 months? Also it doesn't stop the behavior of an intact male. Just makes him sterile. I vote for surgical castration!

Racing greyhound females are kept on hormones to prevent them from ever coming into heat.? I adopted 2 female greys from the track, and had to have them spayed myself.


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

~LS~ said:


> Amy, here is a link that explains it, and has a little demonstration video as well.
> This is relatively new, so don't feel bad for not knowing.
> 
> Zeutering: Now FDA Approved Chemical Castration for Dogs | The Dogington Post


Thank you LS! I had never even knew it was available. I think it is a great idea for shelters and people that may not be able to afford the surgical neuter to make sure that accidental pups do not occur.
Personally after reading that page and several others I do not think I would go the chemical route. Since it is such a new procedure they do not know the ramifications in the future that it could cause to our dogs. Also one page I read said that the testosterone level was only decreased by the chemical castration by 42-51 percent. In my head that tells me that there is still a higher risk for testosterone cancer and that with testosterone still going through the system the unwanted behavior that surgical neutering has a tendency to fix will have a higher chance to still be present.
I also prefer male dogs looks that have been neutered. I know it is silly but honestly I don't like the look of the danglies. Jaxx's little bug used to pop out every time you touched him. For approximately 90 days after neutering it still did because he still had testosterone in his system but after that his little bug has never popped out again and I prefer it that way.
Surgical neutering does require anesthesia but most dogs bounce back within one to two days. Jaxx had stitches but he didn't have to go back in for followup or anything the stitches just vanished over time on their own.
If given a choice I would definitely choose surgical because I know what to expect and I know that the testosterone after surgical neutering goes down to almost 0.
I am glad that it is an option that is cheaper and hopefully people who can't afford surgical neutering will do this instead to reduce the amount of unwanted animals in shelters but I would still definitely go with surgical neutering myself.


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## klein (Dec 17, 2011)

Wow,thanks to all for your opinions! And the video is a great help too!
My Vet did however stress it only lasted 6 months..
To be honest I only came across the chemical castration through friends who had their dogs neutered that way and they highly recommended it (they have much bigger dogs though that overall are more "problematic")
Also my partner just does not want to cut his precious pieces away, as he says it is not reversible and he just feels if there are other less invasive methods then why not do that over the full on neutering.

But as you can see I am still in between 2! I really do not know what to do.
What if one I would like to add on to the family with a female chi and consider them having babies?


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## Smith (Jun 7, 2010)

I personally would opt for regular, surgical neutering. Zeuterin has been on the market before in 2003 under a different name (Neutrosol, I believe), and was then voluntarily pulled 2 years later for 'business reasons'. Now it's back as Zeuterin. I'd really want to wait a while before I had it done on one of my dogs, as we don't really know what the long-term adverse effects are. 

I would also ask your vet to explain how this injection lasts only 6 months, because Zeuterin is chemical castration using zinc gluconate. Once it's injected, it causes irreversible scarring of the testicles and sterility over the next 30 days.

Whatever you decide to do by way of neutering, please please _please_ don't get the rabies vaccine at the same time your pup is about to undergo surgery. Vaccines are intended to be administered to _healthy pets only_. Animals recovering from surgery (plus, if his teeth are very bad, he may also be sporting a mild infection) are recuperating, and not in full health. Even if the vaccine is administered before he's anesthetized, the process of a vaccine taking effect occurs over 5-7 days. I really urge you to wait a few weeks after he's healed from the surgery and off any antibiotics prescribed from the dental before he gets his rabies shot.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

I vote for regular neutering. If your partner doesn't like the look of a castrated dog, your vet can implant prosthetic testicles. That way he looks exactly the same, but he is free of hormones and the risk of cancer.

Neuticles.com


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## BlueJax (Jun 25, 2012)

Neutering is pretty non-invasive and only requires a very small incision. Recovery time is extremely fast as well, Percy was back to his normal self just hours after the procedure. I think it is much safer in the long run than injecting chemicals into their testicles. Plus, if you are trying to curb some of his male-behaviors I would recommend surgical neutering as there is still a pretty good level of testosterone left after chemical altering.


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## klein (Dec 17, 2011)

thanks again to all of you!

I gathered that I will definitely NOT do the rabies vaccine for now and most possibly also wait for the neutering.

His teeth are a priority for now and I will def have the vet remove those on Monday.

As for the neutering, from what I understand the full on way is the better way?!
If partner agrees I will have Vet do that as well as the teeth in one go.

I still need to do some more research this weekend on the differences and pros and cons, so until then ALL suggestions/opinions are most welcome!


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

I don't know much about chemical castration, but I agree with everyone else on the surgery. Angel had one testicle that never descended so his surgery was a bit more involved. The next day, you would never have known he had surgery! I know they're all different, but I don't think he'll have a problem.

As for your BF not wanting to "snip" him, whose dog is it? If it's his dog, then maybe he should make the call. But, what if he ends up needing to have it done for whatever reason, wouldn't it be harder on him? And yes, there's always neuticles! (spelling?) 

Postponing it is a good idea. It will give him time to research it and for you two to have future discussions.


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## klein (Dec 17, 2011)

THANKS AGAIN to each and everyone of you!:daisy:

I did opt out of everything but the 'teeth removal' for now.
I would say Klein is our dog but he spends more time with the boyfriend these days so he has his say i suppose...
Either way, I decided to wait.

So Klein has just returned from his teeth removal and is still very sedated and drowsy (sleeping all the time)

I am so glad that went well, now it is all about soft food and NO bones of course.
I wonder when he will be able to eat, the Vet said around 8pm.
She also did not prescribe any meds, is there anything I need to look out for after such an intervention?


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

klein said:


> THANKS AGAIN to each and everyone of you!:daisy:
> 
> I did opt out of everything but the 'teeth removal' for now.
> I would say Klein is our dog but he spends more time with the boyfriend these days so he has his say i suppose...
> ...




You didn't get antibiotics? The dogs usually bounce back 
quickly after teeth extractions, so he should be able to 
eat his wet food tonight, no problem. If he doesn't want 
to, then it's fine to wait until tomorrow morning.

Also, if you have any questions regarding this, don't be
shy to call your vet & ask some questions, many will help
answer over the phone.


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## klein (Dec 17, 2011)

nope, how strange!
She did not prescribe ANY meds, no antibiotics.
I called back and asked and she said there is no need and if he does not eat tonight, he can start tomorrow.
I asked what about pain killers? I don't want to be stuck in the middle of the night with him being in pain.. she said he will be fine!


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

You don't need pain meds. I was given antibiotics in case of infection. 
Perhaps, if the teeth extracted were not infected, there was no need 
for antibiotics. Just a guess.


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## klein (Dec 17, 2011)

i suppose so.
he did not have any infections so all is good 
he is up now ready to be mischievous but too sedated still to do much.. hehe.
will see if he will eat anything in a little bit.


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## BlueJax (Jun 25, 2012)

Usually if it is just pulling the baby teeth, antibiotics aren't given. Just keep an eye on the area, it should be fine.


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