Hi, my boy has just had the chop, bless him. I just wondered, as I forgot to ask the vet when he went for his stitches out, how long til he's clear of anything potent? My youngest bitch won't be long til she comes into season, so I'm not sure if I'll still need to keep them apart regardless of him having the chop.

Thanks,

Jo

It is a while until they become infertile after castration, but I can't remember exactly how long (sorry!)  I think it's a matter of a couple of months but I'd give your vet a buzz if I were you. 

How's the poor lad doing?

OK, thanks :)  He's not too bad now. Last week was not good, he had to wear the lampshade as he kept licking, he wasn't impressed. Nor was he impressed that the 2 girls thought it was great fun to hang off of his lampshade ;) LOL He's much better now!

I believe Sam it may have been posted about a dog being proved the sire of a litter many months after castration.

Looking at it from a different view point, a dog can prove to be infertile three months after he has been ill or subject to excessive heat. This means if you think about it that sperm production at the time of the illness or exposure to heat are still available for ejaculation three months after the event. Would expect this to mean that sperm stored at the time of castration, which may be viable, would also be available after three months.

Think the case Brainless speaks of was 11 months. Even if your dog can't father a litter he can mount and penetrate your bitch so I would advise separating until it is obvious that he will not mount even if encouraged to do so by the bitch or you could have a tie in an unsupervised situation and damage to both could result.

i thought it was 6 months like in humans

i ask while i am at the vet today with the girls.

> i thought it was 6 months like in humans

I know don't think human males volunteer for castration, in the dog the testes are removed, with vasectomy the tubes are simply cut.

just got back forgot to ask the question at the vets sorry.

with humans vasectommy the tube is cut. with a 1 inch off ,  then tight off each end
but the sperm that still in the tubes is still active up to 6 months

OMG, you lot have got me worried now!  Our dog was castrated at the end of May and our bitch is just finishing her season now.  When we went out for a drink (a rare occasion!) just over a week ago, our son phoned to say the dogs were "attached".  I've just looked on the calendar and there were 9 weeks in between castration and said tie - do you think there is any risk of our bitch being pregnant?  We were planning on having her spayed after this season.

I had assumed that no balls (sorry) meant no sperm and the vet (knowing that we also have a bitch) didn't advise otherwise.  Eek!

Well I finally got around to phoning the vet today, and they've told me 3 weeks. It's been 3 weeks now, and my bitch isn't in season yet, though it won't  be long (fingers crossed she can wait til after Bournemouth on Sunday!) so maybe we'll be OK.

Kate - well, going on what my vet says, then you should be fine, but I'm still not certain 3 weeks is enough... I think I'm gonna do some googling, see what else I can find out ;)

Well I would not take any chances, vets have been known to be wrong and there are positive recorded examples of castrated dogs siring litters long after 3 weeks.

I will keep an eye on things and hopefully they haven't managed to procreate - maybe bring forward her spay a little just in case.

I tried googling the subject but I didn't really find anything concrete, more anecdotal than anything.