# Anyone had prosthetics done after neuter?



## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

My little chi, Douglas, was a rescue. If I had the choice I would never have had him neutered (especially so late.. he knows they're gone) and I was actually seeking a whole male in the first place. I ended up with him and love him dearly.

But. He has this weird empty little scrotum and it makes me sad just hanging there. There are prosthetic testicles now and I am seriously considering getting some put in. Has anyone had this done or have any experience with it?

Neuticles.com

From what I have heard the procedure is safe and the dog doesn't know anything has changed.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

He does not know his testicles are gone, in all likelihood. It's not like humans, male dogs don't feel any less whole after neutering and female dogs don't miss not having babies. 

If it is bothering you aesthetically, than by all means do as you please. But it is a 100% unnecessary procedure- he doesn't miss them. Does it require anesthesia? If so, weigh the risks of putting a small chi under anesthesia with the relatively small benefit of the procedure (aesthetic benefit for you). Besides that, what other benefits do you see?

There may be some people that have elected for the procedure but I don't know if anyone on here has. Hopefully if they have they will chime in. 


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## Lisa T (Sep 3, 2010)

I agree with Ashley, also if the neutering procedure was pretty recent you will find that the empty sac will get smaller over time until it has regressed practically to nothing and will be visually invisible if that is what's bothering you the most.


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

He will get use to not having any, it is not like he lost a foot or leg. He will be fine. I have always had my male and female dogs done. None of them ever had a mental problem .


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

I'm sure it's bothering you more than it's bothering him.As Lisa said they will shrink in time,never bothered any of mine


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## joeandruth (Aug 11, 2012)

Lisa T said:


> I agree with Ashley, also if the neutering procedure was pretty recent you will find that the empty sac will get smaller over time until it has regressed practically to nothing and will be visually invisible if that is what's bothering you the most.


.....

I will vouch for that. We took Simcha home from the shelter about two weeks after he had been neutered. The sac was somewhat visible then, but now, 5 months later, it has shrunk to near invisibility.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

Please excuse me for being blunt: but this is YOUR problem, not his!! His scrotal sack will go back up, and be nearly invisable soon. Why would you want to put him under for insertion of fake testicles? JMO


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

Evelyn said:


> He will get use to not having any, it is not like he lost a foot or leg. He will be fine. I have always had my male and female dogs done. None of them ever had a mental problem .


Interestingly, dogs usually function well even after the loss of a limb. I agree - he doesn't miss his testicles. However, if he has been very recently neutered and he is licking that area a lot, I would take a closer look to make sure there I nothing wrong.


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

MiniGrace said:


> Interestingly, dogs usually function well even after the loss of a limb. I agree - he doesn't miss his testicles. However, if he has been very recently neutered and he is licking that area a lot, I would take a closer look to make sure there I nothing wrong.


So true. There's a dog that lives near us and only has the use of three legs. He doesn't know, and doesn't care. Animals are amazing at adapting!


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

I agree that if the neutering was recently done and he is licking the area I would definitely check the area to make sure there is not an infection or something from his licking. 
They don't lick the area because they miss anything after neutering they lick it because it is healing and itches and it feels different. Just like when we have an incision as it heals it gets itchy. 
Personally I like the look of male dogs that have been neutered. Jaxx's area is flat and you cannot tell they were ever there and he definitely doesn't miss them. I think my hubby missed them at first but he even got over it after he saw that you couldn't tell they were ever there. He was not impressed that I got Jaxx neutered but after I explained the health benefits it was okay with him. He actually mentioned the other day that he is glad we neutered Jaxx because his little "thing" does not pop out when you pet him anymore.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

My dog masturbates still. (Literally sits with his whole little thing out, knot and all, sucking on it...boredom behavior)

The incision is healed entirely now and it never caused him discomfort. I've seen enough surgery incisions to know what they should look like. 

However it was not at all what I wanted to have my dog chopped and it really, really bothers me. If I had a female I would have had her spayed but I always have wanted an intact male. I personally think keeping males whole has health benefits as well. 

I am not able to afford anything for him now anyway that isn't a medical necessity but eventually when I can I will discuss it with the vet.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

May I ask why you wanted an intact male? And also, what the health benefits are?


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## Buildthemskywards (Jun 16, 2012)

Can I ask what the difference for you is between neutering a male and a female? Not all dogs will stop things like humping after being neutered. Depending how long ago he was neutered, it may eventually stop as sometimes it can take a little time. My question though would be, why is he exhibiting boredom behaviour in your opinion? It's imperative to ensure that a dog is mentally and physically stimulated or they will firstly be unhappy and secondly engage in undesirable behaviours, such as the one you mentioned or destructive behaviours. If you think he is bored then you need to provide more things that are going to stimulate him. Even if a dog has a lot of space, he needs to go on walks to wear him out, allow him bonding time with you, allow him to sniff and experience new things, meet new dogs and people and some say satisfy his migrating instinct. He will also need lots of things to chew to satisfy his instinct to chew and possibly things like kongs to mentally stimulate him. Teaching him commands and tricks are also good things for wearing him out mentally. 

Obviously I'm not insinuating that you do not do any or all or these things, but these are my suggestions of what is important for a dog and if you believe he is exhibiting boredom behaviour then a good place to start would be introducing or upping the amount of time spent on these things.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

I had a better article but I can't find it.. but here is a good one also.

Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering a Dog

I disagree with the idea that males should always be altered. I think it is good for most pet owners, however I personally want a whole dog and all of the good/bad that comes with it. I wanted to show my boy and there is no chance of that since they chopped him. 

It's personal preference really.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

He gets walked every day and I work at a groomer. He comes to work and interacts with dogs and people all day long. But when it is quiet at the shop he likes to lay down and suck on himself. We think it is a habit like a pacifier in a child, something he does when he isn't being directly interacted with that comforts him.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

I have heard of show dogs in the USA having prosthetic testicles, it would not be allowed in the UK. (Cosmetic veterinary procedures are prohibited, and it would be against kennel club regulations I think.)
If your dog is from a shelter would you still be able to show him? Does he have all his paperwork? (Pedigree, KC registration)


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

The article you posted discusses the problem with neutering a dog too young. If you wait until they have reached sexual maturity, their hormones will help them grow properly. This is true. 

However, in the long term the benefits of neutering greatly outweigh the risk. The risk of testicular cancer goes to near 0%, behavioral issues and aggression can often be addressed, etc. Unless you want to show or breed (breeding is a whole other debate) there is no need to have an intact male, IMO. Obviously, that is a matter of opinion. 

As far as what you call "mastrubation"- it sounds like a boredom behavioral issue. I would up the amount of exercise he gets before and after work. Give him something to occupy his time, such as a kong filled with kibble or a bully stick. Something to occupy his time. It could also be a cleaning thing- some dogs like to stay clean. There doesn't seem to be anything sexual behavior wise in these actions. The physiological action occurs whether a dog is neutered or not- neutered dogs can even tie if they wanted to. It simply reduces that behavior by eliminating the hormones that encourage it. At what age was he neutered? This could be a behavior he had from before he was neutered. 


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## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

No way, I would never have that done. It seems really unnecessary to put your dog under just for a cosmetic procedure. I would rather save the money for a future vet bill.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

Moonfall said:


> I had a better article but I can't find it.. but here is a good one also.
> 
> Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering a Dog
> 
> ...


I read back over your previous posts. He is really a cute little guy and it is admirable that you adopted him from the pound. Since he is a rescue, when you mention showing him, I assume you mean in obedience trials? If that is what you had in mind, neutered animals are still eligible. And there is a special limited registration you can apply for if a dog is visibly a purebred which would at least allow you to show him in AKC sanctioned obedience trials. I do not remember the exact procedure, but you can check on the AKC website.

As for the neutering, I am beginning to wish I had waied until a later age to have my shepherd done as the article o gave a link to is not the first time I have read some of that information. For myself, I prefer to have pets neutered bu I might have waited later to do it.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

He was neutered at a year and a half. 

I do not have papers but want to do obedience. I would love to do confirmation in small shows in my area but I think they are just for whole dogs..don't know if papers are required or not.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

Moonfall said:


> He was neutered at a year and a half.
> 
> I do not have papers but want to do obedience. I would love to do confirmation in small shows in my area but I think they are just for whole dogs..don't know if papers are required or not.


I have not shown in many years but I believe in order to do conformation at an AKC sanctioned show, the dog must be registered with the AKC. Makes sense because the conformation shows are meant to judge how close a dog comes to standard physically , thus deciding whether a dog is suitable for breeding or not. Since he is not registered, that is out, whether or not he was neutered. 

But you can obtain a PAL/ILP number for a neutered, unregistered purebred from the AKC which would allow you to compete in companion dog events such as obedience and rally. Here is a link for information on how to do this:

American Kennel Club - Dog Registration Questions

It would be very cool if you did this. Chis are smart little dogs and there are many who do well in these events. Good luck if you decide to try it. It is great fun and I always enjoyed the folks I met at obedience trials. I found them to be. Little more relaxed than the folks doing conformation. Conformation showing is an expensive, time consuming thing to do.


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## joeandruth (Aug 11, 2012)

Goodness, this whole long thread about Chihuahuas and neutering. How amazing that not once has the word _cojones_ cropped up in all the postings! Let's all remind ourselves that dogs are not people, and they suffer no serious psychological damage from loss of sexuality.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

joeandruth said:


> Goodness, this whole long thread about Chihuahuas and neutering. How amazing that not once has the word _cojones_ cropped up in all the postings! Let's all remind ourselves that dogs are not people, and they suffer no serious psychological damage from loss of sexuality.


+ 1000 

I completely agree. 


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

joeandruth said:


> Goodness, this whole long thread about Chihuahuas and neutering. How amazing that not once has the word _cojones_ cropped up in all the postings! Let's all remind ourselves that dogs are not people, and they suffer no serious psychological damage from loss of sexuality.


I completely agree! 
Okay and I feel silly that I had to look up the word cojones! I guessed what it what it was before I looked it up but I had to look it up to make sure I was right.
I think some people think that dogs have a psychological problem with being neutered but I have never seen it. Sometimes Jaxx does like his private area but I think that is mostly him trying to stay clean. I personally think it is for the best especially if you have a dog that is going to be around other dogs (accidents happen and I would rather neuter a dog then have an unplanned litter of puppies) but I also think it is a personal decision.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

joeandruth said:


> Goodness, this whole long thread about Chihuahuas and neutering. How amazing that not once has the word _cojones_ cropped up in all the postings! Let's all remind ourselves that dogs are not people, and they suffer no serious psychological damage from loss of sexuality.


True, but the entire thread is not about the psychological damage of neutering.


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

LOL...seriously I had to laugh at this thread. Dogs do NOT know when they are spayed/neutered. If he was recently neutered his scrotum will shrink. Have you ever owned an intact dog before? Chihuahua specifically? They are NOT all that enjoyable to have around (there are exceptions but that doesn't happen all that often). I'm glad your boy is neutered & for his sake I hope you decide against the implants. I mean...whatever floats your boat but you certainly won't be helping him out in the least bit.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

When I was young we kept a whole golden and I am around an intact pug all the time. I also work in grooming. Unaltered dogs are in and out every day. It is not about the testicles, it is about training and the way a dog is handled.

I also own and ride a cryptorchid horse, who is sterile but acts and thinks like a stallion none the less (the external testicle was removed the internal one was left behind). I have a lot of experience with unaltered creatures and I bet you any amount of money a chihuahua would never have the potential for the trouble my horse can cause when he gets mad or is around a mare he likes. God forbid she is in heat, he's even worse. I can handle him and compete around mares with lots and lots of training and work and I am sure a 5 pound dog could not be harder to handle or train than a testosterone driven hunk of muscle 10 times my size.


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## BlueJax (Jun 25, 2012)

I think there is a huge difference in deciding not to have a dog neutered (whether it be for medical or personal reasons) and taking an already neutered dog and inserting implants.


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## Aquarius (May 8, 2009)

On any level I just don't get what the benefit to the dog is - and if you perceive there are any benefits they are far outweighed by the risk of putting the dog under anaesthetic for what could be considered "cosmetic surgery"


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## omguthrie (Oct 13, 2009)

The vet clinic I used to work at as a vet tech did insert a couple of sets of neuticles while I was there. I seem to remember them saying that it must be done at the time of neutering while the scrotum is still flexible and open. After neutering the scrotum begins to shrink and the open area inside closes up almost immediately, that's why it becomes harder and harder to see over time. 

If your dog has already been neutered and healed I don't think it would be feasable to have neuticles done and even if your vet was willing to try it I don't think it would be fair or kind to your dog. Why would you want to try to stretch out and force prosthetics into an area that isn't prepared for them? It would be like the women who get breast reconstruction surgery after having mastectomies. They have to have skin stretching procedures done first that are very painful and a lot say that they would not have done it if they had known how painful it would be.

If you want to show in conformation then purchase a registered, show bred, conformation dog and show. Let this boy be what he is and enjoy him. Register him on ILP and show him in obedience, rally or agility and have a blast. It doesn't matter one bit to him that he is neutered. If he is licking himself obsessively then give him something else to do, teach him things and redirect his attentions. Don't just sit and watch him obsess.


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## joeandruth (Aug 11, 2012)

The great 'balls' debate continues on, unabated. As a 74 year old guy, I do not wish to be drawn too deeply into discussions of faded sexuality, but then I do have the capacity for abstract thinking, something which dogs do not. I remember an acquaintance of many years ago; she and her husband had an intact male basset hound. When walking up a flight of stairs, his testicles would hit every step. It was quite amusing. There's an argument for neutering, at least for low-slung canines.


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## Jennifer89 (Nov 27, 2012)

I have a beautiful dog, but if his appearance ever took a hit I would never do a surgery just for the sake of making him cuter.

For future reference, not getting a male dog fixed can result in "marking" indoors, humping and 2 different types of cancer! Getting him fixed isn't just for the overpopulation crisis, it's for his health and your sanity.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

joeandruth said:


> The great 'balls' debate continues on, unabated. As a 74 year old guy, I do not wish to be drawn too deeply into discussions of faded sexuality, but then I do have the capacity for abstract thinking, something which dogs do not. I remember an acquaintance of many years ago; she and her husband had an intact male basset hound. When walking up a flight of stairs, his testicles would hit every step. It was quite amusing. There's an argument for neutering, at least for low-slung canines.


You should have put a warning on this post! I am at work and had a hard time not laughing out loud! The only thing I can add is that there are days when I wish I did not have the capacity for abstract thinging....er, uh, thinking.


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## nabi (Nov 25, 2004)

joeandruth said:


> The great 'balls' debate continues on, unabated. As a 74 year old guy, I do not wish to be drawn too deeply into discussions of faded sexuality, but then I do have the capacity for abstract thinking, something which dogs do not. I remember an acquaintance of many years ago; she and her husband had an intact male basset hound. When walking up a flight of stairs, his testicles would hit every step. It was quite amusing. There's an argument for neutering, at least for low-slung canines.


 That rumble in the distance is me laughing ..thanks joeandruth


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