The problem of canine overpopulation is on the mind of everybody these days. From pet owners to animal rights activists, everybody is calling for spaying or neutering your pet. It’s both for your peace of mind and the health of the domestic animal populations. Your Belgian Malinois won’t be humping your leg all the time and you won’t have to worry about your dog getting pregnant.
Dog breeds vary in the ideal age you should spay or neuter them. The Belgian Malinois is one of those breeds that you need to get this operation over with as early as you can. It’s recommended that you spay or neuter your Belgian Malinois between the ages of 4 to 8 months. The sooner you do it the less complicated and fewer side effects it has on the puppy.
As we said it’s a crucial process that impacts the life of the Belgian Malinois and the owner at the same time. If everything goes well, there won’t be any complications and you’ll have a happy dog enjoying their life. So what do you need to know about this process? And how should you prepare your dog for such a crucial change that will transform their life for the better?
The Best Age to Spay/Neuter Your Belgian Malinois (Male and Female )
When it comes to spaying your female Belgian Malinois of neutering your male Belgian Malinois, it’s always important not to delay this process. You are in a race against time. With every new day, the dog’s body is growing and changing. Their inner organs are developing and their reproductive system is inching closer to maturity. Once that happens, then neither spaying nor neutering will help much.
For the male Belgian Malinois, you need to start as soon as the pup turns 4 months old. Their hormones are still latent and they are blissfully enjoying the innocence of their young age. But the clock is ticking. Their glands are developing at a fast pace. Before the end of the first year of their life, the complexities of puberty is waiting for them. So you don’t want to wait for that to happen. Some people make an appointment with the vet on the same day they bring their new pup home.
As with the female Belgian Malinois, you have more leeway. The female dog develops at a slower pace than the male. That doesn’t mean you have nothing to worry about. Again, her internal organs are growing every day. And unlike the male Belgian Malinois, the female’s development is more subtle. She might look like a happy and innocent puppy but her female body is getting ready for motherhood. Pretty soon, all those hormones will break out and she turns into a well-developed female.
So don’t delay spaying your female Belgian Malinois beyond her eighths month. As usual, it’s better you set the date on the calendar once you get the new pub home. Make the appointment and get it over with. Your dog, your family, and your guests will thank you for it.
Health Benefits of Spaying/Neutering Your Belgian Malinois
But why would your dog thank you for neutering or spaying them? How about your family and your guests? This calls for a rundown of the many benefits of spaying or neutering your Belgian Malinois. The most prominent of all those benefits has to do with the dog itself. Just think of the burden of all those raging hormones driving the dog to do the most ridiculous things.
They will go on a rampage destroying everything in sight. And it’s not their fault. Their body is developing and they need release. So the dog will take it out on the plants, the sofa, dig up in the garden, and even start fights with other pets. But when you neuter or spay them, all of that tension dissipates. They become the peaceful and loving, happy go lucky dogs that you want them to be.
Of course, a peaceful and friendly Belgian Malinois means you have peace at home. Your family won’t have to put up with the stress the dog is creating. You’ll go back to spending quality time with the dog, just bonding and not cleaning up the destruction they leave in their wake. The same applies to your guests. Instead of having a puppy who humps their legs and exposes itself to them, your spayed or neutered Belgian Malinois is a friendly dog who approaches them to be petted not to hump their feet.
In short, everybody enjoys their life in peace and everyone gets along well in a house where the Belgian Malinois is spayed or neutered.
Cons to Neutering/Spaying
That’s all good and dandy. So everyone should have their Belgian Malinois spayed or neutered, right? Yes, of course. But then there are some adverse effects of this operation. Mostly they are health risks that could impact the dog. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it. It just means that you need to take precautions and choose a licensed vet to perform this operation.
Most of the health effects that result from neutering or spaying the Belgian Malinois have to do with the age of the dog at the time this operation is performed. As we mentioned, the younger the dog the better the operation goes. Their body hasn’t developed yet, so it’s easy for the vet to neuter or spay the dog without many complications. But a grown dog already has their internal organs and glands developed. So neutering or spaying them might not be that effective.
Another issue has to do with the vet themselves. If you try to cut costs and go with an unlicensed vet or a guy your brother in law heard about from a mutual friend. Then you’re asking for trouble. Spaying or neutering are invasive procedures and only a certified medical professional should be allowed to perform it.
Risks Associated with Spaying/Neutering Too Early or Too Late
That said, there’s always the risk of spaying or neutering your Belgian Malinois at the wrong time. This can mean you either do it too early or too late. So let’s see the difference and what that could do to your dog.
A young Belgian Malinois pup is still underdeveloped. Its body is still growing. It might not be ready for such an invasive operation. The internal organs that need to be removed (their reproductive system) are still not fully developed. Not to mention that their vital organs may not handle the anesthetics that the vet needs to administer. This is why you have to wait until they are at least 4 months old.
On the other hand, a fully grown Belgian Malinois going under the knife can face some health risks. For one thing, their glands have already developed and the hormones are raging through their body. The vet will not be removing these glands. That means the procedure will have limited success. Your dog might be neutered or spayed, but that doesn’t mean they will not act wild.
Tips to Prepare Your Belgian Malinois Before Surgery
So you got your Belgian Malinois puppy home. Being the smart pet owner that you are, you also set up an appointment with the vet and you watch for that day to come. As the day approaches you need to prepare your Belgian Malinois for this major step in their life.
Extra care needs to be bestowed on the dog before this important procedure. Ask the vet whether the dog needs to eat or not. Most likely the dog will have to go through it on an empty stomach, although some vets don’t require that.
Also give your Belgian Malinois pup a general health check up before the procedure. Take the results of the checkup to the vet to see if the pup is ready or not.
Tips to Take Care of You Belgian Malinois after Surgery (Environment, Diet, Recovery, Mood, etc)
It’s normal after spaying or neutering the Belgian Malinois to go through a phase after the surgery. This can affect their appetite, moods, and ability to have a normal life. However, this is only temporary. If you look after the Belgian Malinois post surgery, they’ll have a speedy recovery and get back on their feet in no time.
The first thing you need to do is provide a peaceful environment for the dog. Their movement is hampered by the operation so they can’t run or jump. So you need to make their life as easy and comfortable as possible. Don’t play loud music or disturb the dog as they convalesce.
The dog’s diet should focus on protein packed meals that help the dog’s body recover and fight infections. Avoid fats or complicated food. During the first week, you should focus on dog food exclusively with some easy dog treats. Once the dog recovers its stamina and shows signs of recovery, you can go back to its normal diet and its favorite treats.
Allow the Belgian Malinois time to rest. It might sleep more than usual the first couple of days after the surgery. That’s normal as the body needs rest to heal. Keep an eye on the dog’s progress and report any issues to the vet.
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