Spay and Neuter: When and If ever?

[gemy]

Golden retriever study suggests neutering affects dog health
February 13, 2013

Neutering, and the age at which a dog is neutered, may affect the animal’s risk for developing certain cancers and joint diseases, according to a new study of golden retrievers by a team of researchers at the University of California, Davis.
The study, which examined the health records of 759 golden retrievers, found a surprising doubling of hip dysplasia among male dogs neutered before one year of age. This and other results will be published today (Feb. 13) in the online scientific journal PLOS ONE.
“The study results indicate that dog owners and service-dog trainers should carefully consider when to have their male or female dogs neutered,” said lead investigator Benjamin Hart, a distinguished professor emeritus in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
“It is important to remember, however, that because different dog breeds have different vulnerabilities to various diseases, the effects of early and late neutering also may vary from breed to breed,” he said.
While results of the new study are revealing, Hart said the relationship between neutering and disease-risk remains a complex issue. For example, the increased incidence of joint diseases among early-neutered dogs is likely a combination of the effect of neutering on the young dog’s growth plates as well as the increase in weight on the joints that is commonly seen in neutered dogs.
Dog owners in the United States are overwhelmingly choosing to neuter their dogs, in large part to prevent pet overpopulation or avoid unwanted behaviors. In the U.S., surgical neutering — known as spaying in females — is usually done when the dog is less than one year old.
In Europe, however, neutering is generally avoided by owners and trainers and not promoted by animal health authorities, Hart said.
During the past decade, some studies have indicated that neutering can have several adverse health effects for certain dog breeds. Those studies examined individual diseases using data drawn from one breed or pooled from several breeds.
Against that backdrop, Hart and colleagues launched their study, using a single hospital database. The study was designed to examine the effects of neutering on the risks of several diseases in the same breed, distinguishing between males and females and between early or late neutering and non-neutering.
The researchers chose to focus on the golden retriever because it is one of the most popular breeds in the U.S. and Europe and is vulnerable to various cancers and joint disorders. The breed also is favored for work as a service dog.
The research team reviewed the records of female and male golden retrievers, ranging in age from 1 to 8 years, that had been examined at UC Davis’ William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for two joint disorders and three cancers: hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament tear, lymphosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma and mast cell tumor. The dogs were classified as intact (not neutered), neutered early (before 12 months age), or neutered late (at or after 12 months age).
Joint disorders and cancers are of particular interest because neutering removes the male dog’s testes and the female’s ovaries, interrupting production of certain hormones that play key roles in important body processes such as closure of bone growth plates, and regulation of the estrous cycle in female dogs.
The study revealed that, for all five diseases analyzed, the disease rates were significantly higher in both males and females that were neutered either early or late compared with intact (non-neutered) dogs.
Specifically, early neutering was associated with an increase in the occurrence of hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament tear and lymphosarcoma in males and of cranial cruciate ligament tear in females. Late neutering was associated with the subsequent occurrence of mast cell tumors and hemangiosarcoma in females.
In most areas, the findings of this study were consistent with earlier studies, suggesting similar increases in disease risks. The new study, however, was the first to specifically report an increased risk of late neutering for mast cell tumors and hemangiosarcoma.
Furthermore, the new study showed a surprising 100 percent increase, or doubling, of the incidence of hip dysplasia among early-neutered males. Earlier studies had reported a 17 percent increase among all neutered dogs compared to all non-neutered dogs, indicating the importance of the new study in making gender and age-of-neutering comparisons.
Other researchers on this UC Davis study were: Gretel Torres de la Riva, Thomas Farver and Lynette Hart, School of Veterinary Medicine; Anita Oberbauer, Department of Animal Science; Locksley Messam, Department of Public Health Sciences; and Neil Willits, Department of Statistics.
About UC Davis
For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 33,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget of nearly $750 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

[KazzyK810]

Never having a male dog myself, I'm curious....Are un-neutered males more likely to run away?

I've been asked to "share" photos/stories on FB this weekend by 3 people and all 3 are non-neutered male dogs that are lost in the area....so it got me thinking.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by KazzyK810

Never having a male dog myself, I'm curious....Are un-neutered males more likely to run away?

I've been asked to "share" photos/stories on FB this weekend by 3 people and all 3 are non-neutered male dogs that are lost in the area....so it got me thinking.

That has not been my experience, but I read it here all the time that un-neutered males mark more, are more aggressive, run-away all the time, etc.

If you are going to let your un-leashed dogs, free in an un-fenced yard, I'd guess many could go a-roaming.

[MishyMish]

I am not sure when I will neuter my dog. I am going to hold out as long as possible. I just hate the fact that he may mark and having to deal with it for months trying to reach the 1 year mark. At the very least 6-7 months, but I want to make a year if possible.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Great discussion. There was another article a couple years back about this too...think it was in the Whole Dog Journal....? Really good. At the end of the day, we (creatures in general) all do much better w/ our hormones intact - hormones are so important to our bodies. Overpopulation is a tragic reality w/ devastating consequences - so from that angle, s/n can be viewed as necessary. It *is* sad (to me) to deprive our kiddos from their natural hormones though.

As one who no longer has the hormones of my youth, I can tell you I love it! Look at children; they are plenty happy without hormones cursing through their veins. Teenagers probably have the most hormones, and my guess is that they are the least happy people. Also, let’s not forget that dogs continue to make some hormones even after their primary sexual organs are removed, the adrenal glands make hormones in both males and females. Hormones can lead and dominate the behavior and take free will out of the equation. Anyone who has ever suffered from PMS knows that! Not saying that a few hormones might not be beneficial, but I don't think dogs are that happy having the urge and not being able to satisfy it.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by KazzyK810

Never having a male dog myself, I'm curious....Are un-neutered males more likely to run away?

I've been asked to "share" photos/stories on FB this weekend by 3 people and all 3 are non-neutered male dogs that are lost in the area....so it got me thinking.

Growing up, we had all male dogs and they all ran away, all it takes is one child opening the front door. We had a fenced back yard. Later mom got a female and had her spayed, she had a long life with us. Statistics use to point out that the number one cause of death in unneutered males was death due to injuries caused by car accidents.

[MishyMish]

Originally Posted by gemy

Research the subject. One link was provided. There are many more links, information out there on the subject.

A female accordingly to one researcher is a bit different from the male. The pros/cons are unclear or at most 50/50 for the females, the males are a much different and clearer story.

If you are truly a responsible pet owner, don't let your male dogs roam, keep them on leash when outside,etc then you won't be contributing to the pet over population problem. For males marking is a behaviour, that yes can be trained out of most dogs. My male BRT does not mark in the house, nor does my male Yorkie. It took a lot more training for my male Yorkie than for my BRT. Neither fully intact male is dog aggressive, or for that matter people aggressive.

How did you train him not to mark?

[Clyde_Dexter]

Originally Posted by KazzyK810

Never having a male dog myself, I'm curious....Are un-neutered males more likely to run away?

I've been asked to "share" photos/stories on FB this weekend by 3 people and all 3 are non-neutered male dogs that are lost in the area....so it got me thinking.

I know that it is not the same with every dog (every dog is different), but I didn't have Clyde neutered until he was two years old.

He would run away all of the time. Whenever the door was open he would BOLT out and it would take us forever to catch him. He challenged other male dogs a lot more, no matter the size of the other dog, and when I would take him in public he was only interested in marking and sniffing female dogs. He also didn't listen very well and was extremely reactive.


Two months after having him neutered I noticed a big difference in his behavior. I could leave the door WIDE open and he wouldn't leave the house (with a small amount of training). He did still mark, but not as much and never in the house. He had an interest in playing with other dogs now instead of mating and challenging dogs. He listens to me very well now and is able to focus on me in public. He is still reactive, but not as much.


The only negative thing that came from having him neutered was that he gains weight easily now if not regularly exercised.

[dottiesyrky]

Thank you for the very informative article and reference. It is great that this procedure is being studied seriously and discussed in an open forum.

[gemy]

By Dr. Becker

If you Google the term “benefits of spaying,” you’ll get tens of thousands of results, many of which list protection against mammary neoplasia (breast cancer) as a benefit of early spaying of female dogs.

In fact, according to well-known resource Petfinder.com1:

Spaying before the first heat virtually eliminates the development of breast cancer later in life for both dogs and cats. (If the surgery is performed when the animal is older, this benefit will be lost.)

And the ASPCA2 says this:

Females spayed prior to their first estrus cycle have a significantly reduced risk of developing mammary cancer, a common cancer in unspayed females. The chances of developing this cancer increase if a female isn’t spayed until after her second heat cycle, but they still remain lower than the risk for unspayed females. So if your dog has already gone through her first heat cycle, it’s not too late. Spaying her will still reduce her risk of developing cancerous mammary tumors.

According to Clinician’s Brief, a majority of veterinarians recommend spaying, and about 16 percent encourage performing the procedure before the first estrus cycle in order to receive the alleged added benefit of protection against mammary tumors.

Under the circumstances, it would seem there must be ample scientific evidence that spayed female dogs, and especially those spayed before their first estrus cycle, have less incidence of breast cancer … right?

Not So Fast … What Evidence Supports the Link Between Spaying and Reduction in Mammary Tumors?

Results of a study published last year in the Journal of Small Animal Practice3 were unable to validate the theory – a theory that is widely assumed to be a fact – that early spaying protects female dogs from mammary neoplasia.

The study was a systematic review conducted by members of the Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health Group of the Royal Veterinary College in the U.K. A systematic review is an examination of several studies for the purpose of summing up the best available research on a particular subject. For the study, peer-reviewed analytic journal articles in English were eligible and were assessed for risk of bias by two reviewers independently.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the quantity and veracity of evidence that spaying, or the age at which a dog is spayed, has an effect on the risk of mammary tumors.

There were over 11,000 search results on the subject, of which 13 were English-language, peer-reviewed reports focused on the link between spaying/age of spay and mammary tumors. Of those 13, nine were deemed to have a high risk of bias, and the remaining four had a moderate risk of bias. (For more information on how bias was assessed and how the researchers screened the results, the full study can be found here.)

Of the four moderate-risk-of-bias studies, one found a link between spaying and a reduced risk of mammary tumors, two found no evidence of a link, and one suggested “some protective effect,” but no specific details were offered.

The Royal Veterinary College reviewers concluded that:

Due to the limited evidence available and the risk of bias in the published results, the evidence that neutering reduces the risk of mammary neoplasia, and the evidence that age at neutering has an effect, are judged to be weak and are not a sound basis for firm recommendations.

Simple translation: the idea that spaying, and early spaying of a female dog before her first estrus cycle, removes or reduces her risk of breast cancer is at the present time a theory rather than a fact.

The methodology used in the U.K. study was based on Cochrane Review guidelines, which are internationally recognized for their high standards in evidence-based medicine for humans. According to Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a veterinary oncologist, results of this study highlight the need for quality research in veterinary medicine. Dr. Hohenhaus goes on to say:

“Despite lack of evidence found to support early spaying as preventing mammary tumors, veterinarians may continue to recommend it to prevent estrus cycles, unwanted litters, and pyometra. Clinical experience may suggest that early spaying decreases the risk of mammary tumors, but without additional well-designed trials, scientific evidence to support this is lacking.”

Spay/Neuter Decisions Should Be Based on Your Pet’s Health and Quality of Life

For the record, I’m not advocating leaving female dogs intact indefinitely, nor am I suggesting dogs should not under any circumstances be spayed or neutered at a young age.

My goal with regard to pet sterilization is simply to provide information to pet owners about the risks, since there is much information readily available about the benefits. In this case, where early spaying has been widely promoted as a way to prevent mammary tumors in female dogs, in light of the findings of the U.K. systematic review, I feel compelled to let pet owners know there is scarce scientific evidence available to back up that widely held belief.

If your dog is not yet spayed or neutered, I can offer some general recommendations for timing of the procedure:

Your dog should be old enough to be a balanced individual both physically and mentally. For the majority of dogs, this balance isn't achieved until a dog has reached at least one year of age. Although some breeds reach maturity faster than others, many giant breed dogs are still developing at two years of age.
Other considerations include your dog's diet, level of exercise, behavioral habits, previous physical or emotional trauma, existing health concerns, and overall lifestyle. If your pet is emotionally balanced (has no behavior problems) consider investigating a vasectomy or tubal ligation instead.
I encourage you to learn all you can about surgical sterilization options and the risks and benefits associated with each procedure.

And the link: We’ll Call This Neutering Myth Busted…

[gemy]

Determining The Best Age At Which To Spay Or Neuter | AKC Canine Health Foundation

Tables from the article above:

Tables

Table 1. Breeds predisposed to various disorders
CONDITION
BREEDS PREDISPOSED
Mammary neoplasia
Boxer, Brittany, Cocker Spaniel, Dachshund, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, German Shepherd Dog, Maltese, Miniature Poodle, Pointer, Toy Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier
Transitional cell carcinoma
Airedale Terrier, Beagle, Collie, Scottish Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog, West Highland White Terrier, and Wire Fox Terrier
Osteosarcoma
Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, Irish Setter, Irish Wolfhound, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard
Hemangiosarcoma
Boxer, English Setter, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, Pointer, Poodle, Siberian Husky
Hip dysplasia
Chesapeake Bay Retriever, English Setter, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Samoyed, Saint Bernard
Cranial cruciate ligament injury
Akita, American Staffordshire Terrier, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Poodle, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard
Obesity
Beagle, Cairn Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Dachshund, Labrador Retriever
Urinary incontinence
Boxer, Doberman Pinscher, Giant Schnauzer, Irish Setter, Old English Sheepdog, Rottweiler, Springer Spaniel, Weimeraner
Pyometra
Bernese Mountain Dog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chow Chow, Collie, English Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard
Diabetes mellitus
Miniature Poodle, Miniature Schnauzer, Pug, Samoyed, Toy Poodle
Hypothyroidism
Airedale Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Dachshund, Doberman Pinscher, Golden Retriever, Irish Setter, Miniature Schnauzer, Pomeranian, Shetland Sheepdog


Table 2. Conditions associated with ovariohysterectomy (spay)
CONDITION

INCIDENCE
HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE
INCREASED OR DECREASED WITH GONADECTOMY

Mammary neoplasia

High
High
Decreased

Ovarian and uterine neoplasia

Low
Low
Decreased

Pyometra

High
High
Decreased

Transitional cell carcinoma

Low
High
Increased

Osteosarcoma

Low
High
Increased

Hemangiosarcoma

Low
High
Increased

CCL injury

High
High
Increased

Obesity

High
Moderate
Increased

Urinary incontinence

High
Low
Increased

Diabetes mellitus

High
Low
Increased

Hypothyroidism

High
Low
Increased

Table 3. Conditions associated with castration
CONDITION

INCIDENCE
HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE
INCREASED OR DECREASED WITH GONADECTOMY

Testicular neoplasia

High
Low
Decreased

Benign prostatic hypertrophy

High
Low
Decreased

Prostatic neoplasia

Low
High
Increased

Transitional cell carcinoma

Low
High
Increased

Osteosarcoma

Low
High
Increased

Hemangiosarcoma

Low
High
Increased

CCL injury

High
High
Increased

Obesity

High
Moderate
Increased

Diabetes mellitus

High
Low
Increased

Hypothyroidism

High
Low
Increased

- See more at: Determining The Best Age At Which To Spay Or Neuter | AKC Canine Health Foundation

[gemy]

Tables

Determining The Best Age At Which To Spay Or Neuter | AKC Canine Health Foundation

This article is based on rather dated research approx. 10yrs old.

What is very interesting are the tables they provide at the bottom of the article.

Showing breed pre disposition to certain health conditions and by health conditions those that are increased from either the spay or neuter or those that are decreased from the spay or neuter.

I copied what this researcher overall "conclusions were" from the above link onto this post:

Conclusion So how do you reconcile all this information in helping make decisions for individual animals? Considerations must include evaluation of incidence of various disorders, breed predisposition, and health significance of the various disorders (Table 2 and Table 3). For female dogs, the high incidence and high percentage of malignancy of mammary neoplasia, and the significant effect of spaying on decreasing its incidence make ovariohysterectomy prior to the first heat the best recommendation for non-breeding animals. The demonstrated increased incidence of urinary incontinence in bitches spayed before 3 months of age and possible effect of CCL injury in bitches spayed before 6 months of age suggest that spaying bitches after 6 months of age but before their first heat is most beneficial. For bitches of breeds predisposed by ovariohysterectomy to highly malignant tumors and for breeding animals, spaying at a later age may be more beneficial. For male dogs, castration decreases incidence of disorders with little health significance and may increase incidence of disorders of much greater health significance. For non-breeding animals, evaluation of breed and subsequent predispositions to disorders by gonadectomy should guide when and if castration is recommended. As dog breeders, you are a source of information for people seeking a dog for companionship, to show or work as a hobby, or to grow up with their children. As veterinarians, we are one of the guardians of safety and good health for all animals in our society. It behooves all of us to thoughtfully consider why we recommend spay or castration for dogs, to ensure we are not putting our own convenience above their good health. For every individual bitch or dog, careful consideration of their breed, age, lifestyle, and suitability as a breeding animal must be a part of the decision as to when or if they should undergo gonadectomy. - See more at: Determining The Best Age At Which To Spay Or Neuter | AKC Canine Health Foundation


Please note what I have highlighted in red.

More research is very necessary specifically breed specific research. Some of course has been done but not nearly enough.

[gemy]

Pet spay-neuter studies spotlight health risks, benefits - VIN

Also refers to the GR study plus a Univ of Georgia Study

[gemy]

http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/...tions_2013.pdf

[theporkieyorkie]

Very interesting articles!!

There's always a flip side to everything. I still think, in most situations, I'd rather see dogs spayed/neutered. It may, however, be better for owners to hold off until the dog is a little older.