1. Boxer puppy from imported german working lines, both parents shIII
2. We wanted to train him for personal protection and do schutzhund with him.
3. he had a retained testicle, that per advice I was going to have taken care of after 24 mo.
4. Fouled up subluxating patella.
5. Signed what I was told was a "anesthesia" waver and pre surgical blood work release, that they later changed listing the patella AND neuter.
6. Dear, but out of the net hubby drops off dog and they tell him that I signed all the paperwork and approved the neuter and patella surgery. (Hubby has no knowledge of working dog training and the dog is mine and my project. I was sick hence the hubby transporting the dog)
7. I find out that they neutered the dog and freak.
8. Vet informs me that puppy doesn't need his balls for PP work or schutzhund, or to finish growing, and anything else is "dark ages" thinking and "old school".
9. Newly informed and horrified hubby goes to talk to the vet, and is blown off and told that we can give puppy testosterone shots if we are worried about it (at our expense).
10. I somehow refrain from visiting said vet with my sig or as we call it "siggie" as a educational tool.

My questions:
1. How important are the testosterone shots at this point for his development as a working dog?
2. If they are, for how long?
3. Is the lack of testosterone worth possibly going to court over?

I'd go to court on principle alone!

I don't know anything about testosterone shots. I was told by my vet NOT to neuter our male GSD until 24mths. so he would get the hormones he needed. Are you being charged for the neuter surgery? I think if this was my pup I would seriously look into the legal aspects of this "mistake"!!!

If i were you I'd really be angry, too. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> That vet needs to be neutered. Sounds like he's trying to cover his a**. Hopefully, one of the lawyers on this board will respond. I hope there is something you can do (like suing or getting the jerks license suspended, or SOMETHING).
As far as the hormone thing, I am clueless, but I think you are very smart to at least persue this option.

Are you saying that they changed the paper work after you signed it?

Beth : yes I am being charged for the neuter.
Emily: yes they changed the paperwork after I signed it, now the "waiver" lists the patella and neuter at the top under procedure. this was blank, they told me that it was an anesthesia release. It was just that, and a blood work request. I obviously should have drawn a line through the blank, but I didn't ever think that would be a consideration, that they would change it. (I was upset at having found out about the need for patella reconstruction and not thinking clearly.)
Just as imsportant to me is the testosterone issue. How important is it for him to have it for his develpoment as a working dog? I need to know this before I confront the vet.

Contact an attorney, tell them you had hopes of breeding the dog some day and now all your hopes and dreams of breeding a finely imported boxer from nice titled working lines are shattered because your vet is an idiot.

I don't know anything about testosterone shots, I'm not crazy about any of that stuff in humans though. If you do get em, get em done by a different vet. I would never return to that particular vet again, that's an unforgivable and possibly a very intentional mistake. Maybe the vet or someone in the office didn't agree with your decision to not neuter the dog and decide to take matters into their own hands.

Willy,

I don't know how this would affect your dogs working ability, but, mine was spayed too early and I had to put her on hormones to help her bladder finish developing because she peed uncontrollably. I went to my vet for the urinating and she recommended the hormone therapy. It did work for the developmental issues with her bladder (or so it would seem <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ).

Do you have a copy of the original contract showing the blank portion of the document?

Mike, good idea about the breeding thing, .... however it is my understanding that dogs with retained testicles are not used for breeding because it passes on to the puppies. He shouldn't be used for breeding due to this.
This is the only reason I could afford him, his littermates sold for $2000.00 each. The breeder wanted him to go to a working home, so he discounted him, and sold him with out breeding rights, due to the need to have him neutered AFTER 24 months. I was ok with him being neutered after the 24 mo mark due to my research on this board.
To complicate matters more, the pup's brother also retained a testicle.... but it dropped after the pup was 5 months. The looser vet assures me that this is impossible. (The kind breeder was even willing to work out the breeding rights thing if my pup's testicle dropped.)
My pup's testicle was in the ingunal(sp?) ring.
I really hope some of the breeders that have experience with this will respond.
I would love to hear from anyone who could speak to the testosterone thing and of course from any legal advisors.
I would like to thank everyone who has responded, the support helps. This has really upset me.

Did the vet give you a copy of the paperwork? If so, threaten to take it to the board of veterinary medicine. Most vets won't want to deal with that kind of hassle.