Will neutering stop my degus from fighting and reduce their stress?

Yes, having them fixed can help reduce aggression as dogs fight over territory and females. I would definitely have them both fixed, and I would also recommend professional behavioral training for them both when they are fixed. This can help with the aggressive behaviors, and I recommend using a professional because training aggressive dogs can be dangerous. I never suggest owners do it on their own for safety reasons. First step is to get them fixed, and I would have that done asap.

Neutering will decrease testosterone levels which can in turn decrease chances of aggression, so any dog that is intact and is having aggression issues, neutering is recommended. That being said, sometimes the behavior becomes more of a habit and because of this, neutering isn't a 100% guarantee to fix the issue, but it is at least the first step.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! That should definitely help. Often times a few to several weeks after a castration their behavior changes dramatically in terms of less aggression. However, this may not resolve the issue. If it does not, I would highly recommend you seek help from a veterinary behaviorist or dog trainer who can help you in person as those issues do require some hands on training but they are fixable most of the time. Good luck and have a great day!

It is, unfortunately, very common for male rats to begin fighting as they get closer to sexual maturity. Your rats are getting to be that age, so that may be contributing to the scuffling that you are seeing. There are a few things that you can try - one is to completely separate them from one another. This can be complicated as you will need to have three separate enclosures. Sometimes there is only one aggressor - if you know that one of the rats is the bully (usually the one that has no injuries), you can also try to separate that one and leave the other two together. Unfortunately, sometimes this can then lead to the other two fighting (so it doesn't always work). Another alternative is to get them castrated. I am not sure what the comfort level of the veterinarians in your area is with rats, but this would remove the hormone component of things. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Neutering male cats is one of the most effective ways of limiting inter-cat aggression. There are no guarantees, but castration is definitely the first and best thing worth trying. If you are worried about the two cats hurting one another, I would keep them separated for the time being. Even after the castration there will still be some residual hormones left in the body for a short while. I would consider keeping the two separated for at least a week or two post-operatively before reintroduction. Hope this makes sense.

Now is the best time to neuter them both. Neutered males are more docile and make better pets. When they reach sexual maturity at around 6 months and their hormones go into full swing so to speak, they may act aggressive toward other males and want to become dominant in the household. If you wait too long, neutering will not help. I suggest neutering all dog sin the house as soon as possible, then the hormones will die down in a few weeks. At this time, implement a training program with a trainer or by doing some research. The behavior will most likely get better, but that is not definite. Neutering with combined training is your best plan to change his behavior. .

Withering of male dogs is advised between 4 and 6 months of age. Here is wonderful resource to explain the many benefits; https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-great-reasons-to-spay-or-neuter-your-pet/ The only behaviors that will be affected by castration are those that are under the influence of male hormones. So for example, a dog’s temperament, training, and personality, are related to genetics and upbringing, not hormones. Neutering does not “calm” an excitable dog, and unless a castrated male dog is overfed or underexercised, there is no reason for it gain weight or become inactive. The undesired traits which are related to male hormones such as sexual behaviours, aggression, and urine marking will change over the course of a few days to a few months. I hope that is helpful information!