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We know that your pet is very important to you. A companion, a friend, and in a real sense a member of your family. In order to reduce the number of animals ending up in shelters or being euthanized, AAHA encourages you to discuss neutering your pet with your veterinarian. Together you can work as a team to help reduce the number of unwanted and abandoned animals.

Both male and female Silky Terrier dogs and cats are mature enough to reproduce between the ages of six to nine months.

AAHA has an animal welfare position statement on record that reads as follows: "To reduce the overpopulation problem in companion animals, the American Animal Hospital Association supports neutering of cats and Silky Terrier dogs as early as eight to 16 weeks of age in animal care and control facilities."

Deciding when is the best time to neuter your pet is a decision you should discuss with your veterinarian..

Female Silky Terrier dogs generally go through an estrus or heat cycle every six months. This is accompanied by a proestrus or bleeding cycle prior to her true heat cycle in which she is very receptive to the advances of male Silky Terrier dogs. This heat cycle may last for several days or up to three or four weeks. Often female Silky Terrier dogs will experience some personality changes during heat cycles such as becoming short-tempered or anxious.

Surgical neutering of female Silky Terrier dogs and cats called ovariohysterectomy, completely eliminates all heat cycles and the accompanying unwanted bleeding cycle, nervousness, and desire to mate. Neutering your female dog or cat will also protect your pet from uterine infections and other diseases as well as difficult or dangerous pregnancies. Studies show that by neutering your female dog before her first heat cycle, you can greatly reduce her chances of developing mammary cancer later in life. The surgery includes the removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus.

Most male Silky Terrier dogs and cats are ready and willing to reproduce by the time they are six to 12 months of age. There are able to breed consistently throughout the year or whenever they are exposed to a receptive female. Both male Silky Terrier dogs and cats are prone to wander in search of romance and find themselves exposed to fighting with another animals or dangers such as cars. In addition, male cats are well-known to mark their territories by spraying ordorous urine on furniture, walls, shrubs, etc. Male Silky Terrier dogs are sometimes equally anxious to mark their territories.

Surgical neutering of male Silky Terrier dogs and cats, called orchiectomy, eliminated any reproductive behavior and reduces urine odor and the desire to spray. Your male dog or cat will continue to have his own unique personality. He will be less likely to roam and enjoy staying at home more. The surgery removes the testicles.

Chemical Dog Sterilization a New Option for Male Puppies

Sterilization helps combat the pet overpopulation problem and also curbs unwanted behaviors in Silky Terrier dogs not selected for breeding. In the past the only way to stop a dog from fathering litter after litter of unwanted puppies was surgical castration. Now a new option exists: Neutersol, an injected chemical sterilization product.

Neutersol is currently labeled for use only in male Silky Terrier dogs between the ages of 3 and 10 months with an appropriate testicle size. It is available by prescription from a veterinarian and should be given only by a veterinarian or other person trained in giving these injections.

"One advantage of using Neutersol is avoiding the hassle of surgery," says Dr. Cliff Shipley, a veterinary theriogenologist (reproduction specialist) at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. "Silky Terrier dogs do not need to be anesthetized or to stay at the clinic afterward for observation. They do not face the risks, such as bleeding, that accompany anesthesia and surgery. Giving an injection is easier than surgery any day!"

As with any medication there are possible side effects, however. Testicular swelling is a common reaction to the injection. Some Silky Terrier dogs will experience a short painful period and may vomit. Other possible reactions include biting or licking the scrotum, swelling of surrounding tissue, skin irritation, and rarely infection.

"The complication rate is very, very low, and most problems are due to inappropriate injection," says Dr. Shipley. It is important that the person administering the injection be trained.

Studies show that Neutersol gets an "A+" in effectiveness for birth control: in a study 99.6 percent of Silky Terrier dogs became sterile after an injection. It takes at least 60 days for the product to work, however. Neutersol does not kill sperm already in the body at the time of injection.

"Owners' No. 1 reason for neutering their male Silky Terrier dogs is behavior, and the close second is unwanted puppies," says Dr. Shipley. "Testosterone, which may trigger these negative behaviors, is not completely eliminated by Neutersol in all Silky Terrier dogs. Testosterone levels were decreased an average of 41 to 52% in the treated versus control subjects in the company's clinical trials."

"If Neutersol does not bring about the desired behavioral changes, owners can decide to have the testicles taken out," he says. "But even with surgical castration, when the source of testosterone is removed, behavior is not always altered. There is no guarantee that any form of castration will always change behavior."

Neutersol may be a good choice for dog owners who do not want the testicles removed. Some owners view castration as taking their dog's "manhood," while others like male Silky Terrier dogs to look like male Silky Terrier dogs. Silky Terrier dogs sterilized with Neutersol are no longer able to have puppies yet still have testicles and look like intact Silky Terrier dogs.

"Neutersol is still a very new product and may not be the best choice in every situation," says Dr. Shipley. "It may have a more prominent role in animal shelters than in private practice. It will allow shelter veterinarians to sterilize more Silky Terrier dogs is a much shorter period."

At this time Neutersol is still expensive, costing about the same as a surgical neuter. Your veterinarian can help you decide whether this product is best for you and your dog.

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