[pileofmoss]

DISCLAIMER; please don’t turn this into a thread where people argue over subjective opinion. I’m looking for experienced opinions. Uninformed absolutist thinking based on a single anecdotal experiences are not helpful. Also, I have Autism so if I sound rude please understand that I am not trying to be rude. My social skills are not the best. I apologize.

Hi there- looking for some seasoned experienced advice from long term beagle owners.

This is mainly to those of you who have a very seasoned Beagle life. Beagle owners who have owned MANY beagles or even breeders…

My wife and I have been considering whether or not to neuter our Beagle. I have spent hours researching the more recent scientific literature to find that there are benefits in not doing it as well as benefits in doing it. It seems at this moment- that neutering them is actually worse for their health overall…

But- some of my research also suggests that Beagles are particularly prone to Prostate cancer.

All of my reading and researching has left us with little confidence over what to do.
Getting to the point- I’m looking for first hand experiences from people who breed, or who have had beagles both neutered and not neutered.
Did you find the neutered pups to have developed any illness, did they live longer, shorter, get prostate cancer? Etc etc… I don’t care about behaviours. He can be what he is even if it inconveniences me. I am just concerned about giving him the happiest longest best life possible.

I don’t want to make the choice so lightly. If neutering him can cause issues I would be very sad… However; if NOT doing it causes him to die of ass cancer or something I’ll be just as mortified.

It is a small life that I’m responsible for and we love him very dearly. To make the wrong choice would kill me too.

Any experiences to share that you think might help, please do.
Thank you for reading and for your help.

 

[allymcbeagle]

DISCLAIMER; please don’t turn this into a thread where people argue over subjective opinion. I’m looking for experienced opinions. Uninformed absolutist thinking based on a single anecdotal experiences are not helpful. Also, I have Autism so if I sound rude please understand that I am not trying to be rude. My social skills are not the best. I apologize.

Hi there- looking for some seasoned experienced advice from long term beagle owners.

This is mainly to those of you who have a very seasoned Beagle life. Beagle owners who have owned MANY beagles or even breeders…

My wife and I have been considering whether or not to neuter our Beagle. I have spent hours researching the more recent scientific literature to find that there are benefits in not doing it as well as benefits in doing it. It seems at this moment- that neutering them is actually worse for their health overall…

But- some of my research also suggests that Beagles are particularly prone to Prostate cancer.

All of my reading and researching has left us with little confidence over what to do.
Getting to the point- I’m looking for first hand experiences from people who breed, or who have had beagles both neutered and not neutered.
Did you find the neutered pups to have developed any illness, did they live longer, shorter, get prostate cancer? Etc etc… I don’t care about behaviours. He can be what he is even if it inconveniences me. I am just concerned about giving him the happiest longest best life possible.

I don’t want to make the choice so lightly. If neutering him can cause issues I would be very sad… However; if NOT doing it causes him to die of ass cancer or something I’ll be just as mortified.

It is a small life that I’m responsible for and we love him very dearly. To make the wrong choice would kill me too.

Any experiences to share that you think might help, please do.
Thank you for reading and for your help.

How old is your beagle?
I've read similar literature but my opinion is not whether to neuter or not but make sure it occurs at an appropriate time in the beagles lifespan. My beagle was female so I can't speak to the actual experience. The appropriate age depends on the breed and it is when the growth is finished. Early neutering can prevent appropriate bone formation and make them prone to dysplasia.

I can give an example with my son's Yorkie. My son chose not neuter and he developed testicular cancer. At age 11, he underwent neutering. As an older dog, recovery was very difficult and he is very sensitive to pain. He had to come home with a drain and developed an infection around the drain despite a cone. Then he was on antibiotics and that upset his tummy. All in all recovery took about a month. However, so far so good, no signs of return of the cancer.

For what it's worth, I will let my next female beagle have her first heat before I will spay. The breeders I have talked with have advised at 8-12 months. Ally was spayed at 6 months, but if I had to do it all over again, I would wait.

What has your vet advised? I suggest calling your vet or several vets in your area (if you don't have one) and ask their opinion. Please take your beagle to a vet for neutering so it is a safe procedure under anesthesia and sterile environment (I say this not to offend but because of my experience having been born and raised in a small town in northern WV, beagles were hunters and there are some that did their own neutering with clamping or tying devices; I can't image the pain the beagles may have suffered).

 

[Mollys Mom]

All of my beagles have been neutered or spayed. I have found no cons at all to having it done. They have all lived to about 15 years old (Oliver is 14 now). They are calmer, less apt to run away, less amongst each other. I really don't see any reason to not neuter unless I had planned to breed which I don't. They were all rescues - Oliver had been neutered by his previous owner (adopted at 6 years old by us). Two were spayed at 2 years old and my first beagle Benny was neutered around 6 months old.