Reasons to Consider All Options Before Spaying or Neutering a Puppy
Dr. Benjamin Hart of the University of California, Davis, has been researching the effects of spay-neuter for a decade, with support from the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation. His first paper on the subject, published in 2013, revealed that Golden Retrievers that had been spayed or neutered had a correlation of being three or four times more likely to develop certain cancers, including lymphosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma, and also more likely to develop joint problems such as hip dysplasia and damage to the cranial cruciate ligament. The team later published data on German Shepherd Dogs and Labrador Retrievers, finding that early spaying and neutering had varying effects on these dogs’ likelihood to develop joint disorders, cancers, and urinary incontinence.
Now, Dr. Hart and his team have completed a further round of retrospective research, investigating tens of thousands of dogs from 35 breeds, and focusing on early spay-neuter, carried out before the dog reaches sexual maturity. They found that the procedure’s health consequences vary widely between breeds. “It’s hard to predict which ones will and which ones do not have an increase in cancers or joint disorders with early spay-neuter,” Dr. Hart told me. For instance, the researchers found that in almost all dogs weighing less than 20 kilos (about 45 pounds), there was no increased incidence of the studied joint problems and cancers compared to intact dogs. All, that is, except for the Shih Tzu. Early neutering of male Shih Tzus, the team discovered, was associated with higher rates of some of the cancers studied.
And when it comes to dogs weighing more than 20 kilos, the study found that the impact of early spay-neuter varies hugely across breeds and sexes. For instance, since most small dogs didn’t experience higher rates of the studied cancers and joint problems, Dr. Hart conjectured that at the other end of the scale, Great Danes might suffer them at a high rate. Yet he found that the gentle giants had no increase in joint disorders after early spay-neuter. “That was completely unexpected,” Dr. Hart told me.
And the variability doesn’t end with breed and sex. Negative health outcomes from spay-neuter were often limited to dogs that were neutered early, i.e. before they reach sexual maturity. But this isn’t always the case. For instance, female Golden Retrievers spayed after 12 months of age were four times more likely to develop hemangiosarcoma as intact females and even early-spayed ones, according to Dr. Hart’s 2013 publication.
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Bans at doggie daycare, disapproval at the dog park: the United States public is not fond of dogs that still have their reproductive organs. Spay-neuter — the veterinary surgical practice of removing a dog’s ovaries or testes — is the norm for most U.S. dogs. It’s estimated that 80 percent of U.S. dogs are spayed (in the case of females) or neutered (males), and leaving your dog intact might get you branded an irresponsible dog owner. In fact, many states require all dogs that pass through shelters be spayed or neutered before they’re rescued, often at just a few months old.
Yet a growing body of research suggests that spaying and neutering dogs, especially young dogs, can increase their chances of developing some serious conditions.
10 Reasons Neutering Your MALE Dog Negatively Impacts His Health
#1: Most pets are neutered prior to their first year of age which disrupts proper hormonal processes. Removing the hormone generating organs of the body so early in age will impact other essential growth processes.
#2: Hormonal disruption in neutered male dogs heighten the risks of other growth centers. Neutering may triple the risk of hypothyroidism.
#3: Early neutering of male dogs increases the risk of developing bone cancer. Osteosarcoma is a common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
#4: Male dogs who are neutered are more likely to develop other orthopedic diseases. The potential for hip dysplasia and cruciate rupture rises when male dogs have inadequate time to fully hormonally develop and grow healthy bones.
#5: Neutering male dogs increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma. The likelihood of developing this common cancer in many breeds after neutering rises by a factor of 1.6 and has a very poor prognosis.
#6: Male dogs neutered during their first years have a tripled potential for obesity. Similar to humans, overweight dogs are more susceptible to numerous other health problems.
#7: The originally small risks for prostate and urinary tract cancers increase for neutered male dogs. The risk for urinary tract cancer doubles (<1%) while the risk for prostate cancer quadruples (<0.6%).
#8: The vaccines recommended to pet parents may result in adverse side effects in neutered male dogs. By decreasing the immune stimulation and protection from the testosterone surges during puberty, negative reactions to vaccinations are more likely to occur.
#9: Neutering male dogs may negatively impact their quality of life as they age. Testosterone soaks the brain and provides protection from amyloid deposits, protein deposits that clog brain pathways. The risk of progressive geriatric impairments rises in neutered male dogs.
#10: For the behavioral symptoms pet parents believe will be helped by neutering male dogs, other negative symptoms in behavior may develop. Studies indicate neutered males are susceptible to anxious or fearful behaviors, noise phobias, aggression, and undesirable sexual behaviors.