Neutering a dog

Question
Hi, I have a 3.5 year old west highland terrier dog who is not neutered. When I bought him he did not have the surgery and I did not consider it but now I hear that there may be complications later in the dog's life if the surgery is not done.  What are those complications?  Also, is there a negative side to getting my dog neutered?  I heard he can become obese.  Thank you so much for your time!

Olga Ivanitskaya

Answer
Olga,
I have many male dogs, only one had a minor problem, the others all lived till they were 12 or 14, however, they were bred periodically and that is the deciding factor.  If you don't plan on breeding your dog, then you should have him neutered to prevent prostate cancer.  There is not a big hurry and as long as you have him neutered by about 6 or 8 years you will be fine.   Once he is neutered, you may want to give him more meat and less dog food so he will maintain a healthy coat and weight.  A westie needs a high fat diet. I bred westies for years and never had any skin or coat problem because I fed a high fat diet.  Give him a little chopped beef or chicken (about the size of a quarter) with each meal.  Boil it in a little water and give the water too.
nancy