# Post-neuter behavior change expectations in an adult dog (5.5 yo)?



## tiffnk (Aug 15, 2013)

We have a 5.5 year old male, intact golden retriever with an overheating disorder. He is VERY excitable. He is non-aggressive and non-anxious, but LOVES other people and dogs and has through the roof energy levels in the evenings. He does have a tendency to hump other dogs when excited. Excitement is also trigger for his overheating.

He is going under anesthesia for the first time to get an infected sweat gland tumor removed, and the vet suggested we consider neutering him given that he's well past puberty. Theres a small chance it will help the overheating problem (which would be a HUGE improvement for us), but no certainty on that front. We really never planned on neutering him (early and at all) because of anesthesia risk, his good behavior, and physical well-being of not early-neutered males.

I've read through some of the previous threads here (and scientific publications) about post-neutering behavior potentially causing aggression, anxiety, or over excitability. He'd obviously be a late-age neuter, and I was wondering if anyone had experienced an increase in these behaviors, particularly in the excitability department, after neutering?

Has anyone had a decrease in these behaviors post-neutering?

Edit: in case it's not clear, we are not considering neutering him because we want his behavior to change. We love him just the way he is and would rather him not change.


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## Maggie'sVoice (Apr 4, 2018)

He's gonna be angry! 

Seriously though, I've only have 1 male dog previously, a Great Dane from '94-'05, and he was neutered at 18 months and didn't change at all for us.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Wait...neutering to prevent overheating? This is a first for me. Exactly what are you hoping to prevent? Is overheating a euphemism for something else? 



Rereading your post I think that you are describing excessive panting which in your case is not from overheating. It is in fact something that reactive (I do not mean aggressive) dogs do. It is an indicator that the dog is stressing and is probably over threshold with whatever triggers/stimuli are in the environment. I think neutering will do nothing for this. You need behavior modification for this. 



I would like to recommend for you the following books:
CLICK TO CALM
WHEN PIGS FLY
FIRED UP, FRANTIC, AND FREAKED OUT 



There are other books out there too. A behaviorist would be a good idea too.


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## Otter (Feb 23, 2011)

I'm not an expert nor a doctor, but I agree with gdgli. I don't see the point in neutering him.

Our Barkley (RIP) was neutered late. He was being shown so wasn't even going to be neutered, but he had issues with other dogs and the breeder/handler said he couldn't be shown anymore - couldn't be trusted in the ring around other males. I think he was around 3 or 4 when he was neutered. Had I known then what I know now, he would not have been neutered. It made zero difference in his behavior.

Our next boy (from a soon to happen breeding  ) will not be neutered unless there is a specific medical reason to do so.

Sorry, that probably doesn't help much...


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## tiffnk (Aug 15, 2013)

gdgli said:


> Wait...neutering to prevent overheating? This is a first for me. Exactly what are you hoping to prevent? Is overheating a euphemism for something else?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Overheating is not a euphemism for anything and he has a real overheating disorder. He's been seen at the UC Davis medical center a couple of times and they're not sure what causes it. After ~20 min of dog play or activity an air conditioned space,his body temperature can reach nearly 108 degrees and he seems no worse for wear. Yes, you read that right. The vets are shocked that he's not dead too. In any event, it was potentially suggested he be neutered in the event that it's metabolically related, but it would be a shot in the dark. 

Really, he's just an excitable dude. Generally very well behaved, and we like his personality. I was mostly referring to studies I looked at that suggested neutering may increase excitement behaviors and anxiety behaviors. I don't consider him to be anxious dog, just excitable. 

In any event, we've mostly decided to forgo neutering for now.


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## Barlosh (Sep 1, 2018)

I'm very guarded now with neutering and would not have it done again. My last two malamute boys were neutered - one at four years old the other at two and both developed hypothyroidism which is more prevelant in neutered dogs (The Canine Thyroid Epidemic by Dr Jean Dodds) and I would not interfere with the hormonal chain again as I'd not seen the complaint in 40 years of entire dog ownership before. Plus it could change him negatively in other areas and increase his weight and increase a cancer risk also. We all need these hormones and dogs are no exception, vets will always advocate neutering regardless of research, it's what they've always done. How it will stop overheating is beyond me, was it ever suggested by his previous vets at the UC Davis centre? If not I'd take what this vet has said with a pinch of salt because if they don't know the cause how does this vet know how to treat the unknown?
Just my opinion here.


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## Mistle (May 27, 2018)

More aggressive behaviour did coincide with neutering our dog at about 14 months. He was showing aggression to other dogs before and it seemed to get worse after. I thought he was acting more fearful. Our other dog had no change.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

tiffnk said:


> Overheating is not a euphemism for anything and he has a real overheating disorder. He's been seen at the UC Davis medical center a couple of times and they're not sure what causes it. After ~20 min of dog play or activity an air conditioned space,his body temperature can reach nearly 108 degrees and he seems no worse for wear. Yes, you read that right. The vets are shocked that he's not dead too. In any event, it was potentially suggested he be neutered in the event that it's metabolically related, but it would be a shot in the dark.
> 
> Really, he's just an excitable dude. Generally very well behaved, and we like his personality. I was mostly referring to studies I looked at that suggested neutering may increase excitement behaviors and anxiety behaviors. I don't consider him to be anxious dog, just excitable.
> 
> In any event, we've mostly decided to forgo neutering for now.



Thank you for explaining this for me. This really is something I have not heard of before. It does sound like you have done your homework. I am hoping for the best and am looking forward to hearing updates on this. Now I understand the neutering too.


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## tiffnk (Aug 15, 2013)

Barlosh said:


> How it will stop overheating is beyond me, was it ever suggested by his previous vets at the UC Davis centre? If not I'd take what this vet has said with a pinch of salt because if they don't know the cause how does this vet know how to treat the unknown?
> Just my opinion here.


It was actually also suggested by the vets at UCD. We actually live in Davis, and our regular vet did her degrees there so she's in close contact with them. 

I think the idea is that testosterone causes increased muscle mass and high metabolism which may be contributing factors. He is definitely overly muscular for a pure bred golden.?‍♀

We did not go ahead with neutering, we felt much the same as other posters in this thread, plus it seemed like a lot to heal from at once.

His surgery was very successful, no overheating, and he did great! Laryngeal paralysis was also ruled out before he was intubated so that eliminated the prevailing theory. 

The mystery continues...


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