Complications from dog castration

RE: Complications from dog castration

David Scarff — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:13:55 GMT

Most serious complication I saw was in a spaniel which was being used heavily in dog food adverts etc. Had the common coat changes after castration ( was done as he kept escaping from film sets) with a fluffy, dead looking coat which never recovered and he lost his career! Was referred as a dermatologist case; no-one had warned the owner the coat might change.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Ann Hopkirk — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:55:34 GMT

I've seen a urethral injury. The dog had had revision surgery after haematoma formation but unsure when the urethral trauma took place.. Never did get to the bottom of how it could have happened-several colleagues involved in both the orriginal and revision surgery seemed to close ranks. Long time ago. Dog eventually did fine

RE: Complications from dog castration

Clive Ansell — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:55:26 GMT

[quote userid="8038" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration/248933#248933"]as a result of the surgeon not using tranfixing ligatures on a closed castration.[/quote][quote userid="8038" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration/248933#248933"]I am still a closed castration advocate as I think there are a lot fewer minor complications with this technique.[/quote]

I prefer closed castration for the same reason. I usually transfix the ligature through the cremaster muscle, with the exception being small dogs. Some double ligate, but I only use one ligature. In older or larger dogs I will usually ligate or cauterize vessels within the scrotal ligament too.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Paul Harris — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 05:37:41 GMT

I have seen one death in a Great Dane as a result of the surgeon not using tranfixing ligatures on a closed castration. Blood vessels retracted into the abdomen and bled out. 36 years ago, as a new grad, I had the pleasure of the postmortem exam. I am still a closed castration advocate as I think there are a lot fewer minor complications with this technique.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Alasdair Hotston Moore — Sun, 31 May 2026 19:15:13 GMT

I suspect not lifting the testes into the incision and then cutting deeper than intended in one case (leakage). In another, it looked like the surgeon had sutured into the ventral spect of the urethra during closure, causing partial obstruction (presented with dysuria)

Every day, a new complication

RE: Complications from dog castration

Clive Ansell — Sun, 31 May 2026 10:56:50 GMT

[quote userid="8663" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration/248930#248930"]Plus a couple of urethral injuries (hard to imagine but its also been reported by others)[/quote]

How?

RE: Complications from dog castration

Alasdair Hotston Moore — Sun, 31 May 2026 07:49:59 GMT

seen all of these. Plus a couple of urethral injuries (hard to imagine but its also been reported by others)

These are for scrotal castrations of course. For cryptorchids there are others

RE: Complications from dog castration

bevs2251 — Sat, 30 May 2026 22:14:13 GMT

Might be different genetically here in Australia wrt Greyhounds. See a lot of post-op bleeders, standard to use TXA now for any surgery. Plus we test routinely every 20-30 minutes for hyperkalaemia if under GA longer than an hour.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Clive Ansell — Sat, 30 May 2026 10:54:27 GMT

[quote userid="12930" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration"]but really struggling to decide what a bad outcome looks like[/quote]

Depends what you mean by bad I suppose?

My take on bad would be where revision surgery is required, severe infection, or death.

Post op complications following routine castration are very rare I find, the biggest being wound interference and increased inflammation or infection. Most of these will heal with more time +/- antibiotics, although in most of those where I have taken a swab for bacteriology, they have come back negative/sterile.

One practice I locumed for had a run of cases of reaction to cheap imitation vicryl, although all settled with time. Could add suture reaction to your list?

RE: Complications from dog castration

Clive Ansell — Sat, 30 May 2026 10:47:14 GMT

[quote userid="12274" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration/248925#248925"]TXA all greyhouds as scrotal haemmorhage can be quite profound - injectable at Sx and 3-5 days tablets TGH on.[/quote]

Never had an issue with greyhounds, and I used to neuter a lot of them when we did work for a local greyhound charity.

Had a run of cases of mild Scrotal haemorrhage in XL Bully types in the rush of getting them neutered prior to the exemption deadline. Even with careful surgery, ligating the scrotal ligaments and cauterizing small vessels, some did develop scrotal swelling. After a while we stated giving TXA to all Bully types for routine castration and spays. All settled and none needed revision surgery. A few were tested for clotting times and for lungworm, but all were normal/negative.

I've had one case in 30 years, a SBT that had post castration scrotal haemorrhage, that tested positive for lungworm. 2 similar cases in bitch spays too.

RE: Complications from dog castration

bevs2251 — Sat, 30 May 2026 01:05:47 GMT

Clipper rash - avoid with application of Neocort or similar around the wound (not on it) post-op, E-collar, if needed or ACP tablets if overly active.

TXA all greyhouds as scrotal haemmorhage can be quite profound - injectable at Sx and 3-5 days tablets TGH on.

Ligate tunica alba vessel, especially large dogs, as can bleed/seep post-op (open castration technique).

I don't recommend scrotal ablation as standard for bigger (young) dogs as have seen quite a few complications with infections/irritation/bruising/pain. Scrotum shrinks up with time.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Gillian Mostyn — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:15:49 GMT

I'd agree - IMHO overzealous clipping and/or scrubbing with gauze swabs causes more issues than anything else!

I'd add rermoval of sutures and total wound dehiscence to wound complications - both usually due to self trauma! So, leading on from that, the need for further surgery to resuture.

Although I've only ever seen it once, I'd add severe haemorrhage. It was in a dalmation whose ligatures weren't tight enough - but it was dramatic and required surgery approx 3 hours post op to both stop the haemorrhage and carry out a scrotal ablation.