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I have a maltese puppy aged 12 weeks due for his vaccination. My question is, is castration necessary ? I have recently read in a book called "Maltese" by Kathy di Giacomo and Barbara. J. Bergquist that castration prolongs the life of the dog. Please could you give me information about this subject?? And at what age is it necessary to do this?
Lindsey.

• I believe castration is easier to do on puppies than adults. But spaying tiny puppies, although not difficult, may be more daunting because there's just not as much dog to work with. Sometimes a little larger incision is necessary in comparison to body size.
  However, the tissue is more fragile, so the surgeon must be more careful that something doesn't break. There's much less fat in the abdomen of puppies than older animals, which means less bleeding, and less slippery manipulation inside the abdomen. Recovery rate for puppies is about the same as for older animals; both adults and puppies seem to bounce right back.
  Dr. Ken Lawrence

• One of the reasons neutering will prolong the life of your Maltese is that he would be of less risk for developing prostate infections or prostate cancer. In male dogs, the sex hormone testosterone increases aggressive behaviour. The lower level of testosterone following the neutering procedure will reduce your Maltese aggressive tendencies toward other dogs If you have your Maltese neutered at six months of age before the testosterone levels get high, you should not see any change in your Maltese's behaviour related to the surgery.
  Jay