Long Term Health Risks/Benefits of Spay/Neuter

[Gurgle]

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

I wonder what the feeling is here about the pros and cons of spay or neuter at all. The article linked is from a UK doggy forum. It seems spaying and neutering, even in pet dogs, is not as usually practised as it is here.

The risks/benfits mentionned in the article are convincing but deal only with health and not behaviour. Any opinions are welcome.

[Misty Marsh]

Hopefully someone will have an opinion on this!

[Gurgle]

No takers? It's only 12 pages (of very interesting reading) and despite my UK reference is an American study. The paper is from May, 2007. Here is an excerpt to get you started:


On balance, it appears that no compelling case can be made for neutering most male dogs, especially
immature male dogs, in order to prevent future health problems. The number of health problems associated
with neutering may exceed the associated health benefits in most cases.

On the positive side, neutering male dogs
• eliminates the small risk (probably <1&#37;) of dying from testicular cancer
• reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• may possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive)

On the negative side, neutering male dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a
common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
• increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
• triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
• quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

My concern is my male puppy. My concern is behavioural as well as health. An intact male pet dog can be quite a handful, I know, I had one.

The negatives for females are even greater than for males.

[Anna Scott]

How well was your male socialized? Right now we have 5 intact females and 3 intact males. One by one ther females are coming into season. It takes a bit of co:ordinating but we have experienced no problems. Just have to be sure that none of the boys are let out with the girls.

[Anna Scott]

I obedience trial my intact males and have had no problems with them in the ring but they have been well socialized with a variety of dogs. Right now Willy is in a class with a 200 lb mastiff. I think Willy thinks he is a horse that slobbers. TTWC

[Gurgle]

Thanks Anna. Socialization with other dogs is a problem I posted about earlier. It's been hard to find other dogs to meet. Puppy-boy only got the go ahead from the Vet as of yesterday to mix with all sorts of other dogs. Yesterday was two weeks past the date of his last vac. Today he is 4 months old.

[luvmylabs]

Thanks Anna. Socialization with other dogs is a problem I posted about earlier. It's been hard to find other dogs to meet. Puppy-boy only got the go ahead from the Vet as of yesterday to mix with all sorts of other dogs. Yesterday was two weeks past the date of his last vac. Today he is 4 months old.


That seems a little excessive. The puppy class I have my little girl entered in, is run by a vet clinic and all they ask is that she has her second set of shots including Kennel Cough. She is now 10 weeks old. She is cleared to play at 12 weeks. Did your vet make you wait until after his last puppy shots and add 2 weeks?

Anne

[luvmylabs]

To answer your question, I encourage all my puppy owners to not neuter their pups, especially their males until they are mature, usually 2 years old. If done sooner, they don't seem to muscle up the same and they tend to go straight up. Had one pup that was done at 4 months old. Saw him at 2 and he looked like a black Great Dane.By 3 he had a torn crutiate. None of his brothers or sisters had this problem. Have to think the neutering was a factor. Can't say about temperment. We have 3 intact females and 1 intact male and have never had a problem. As Anna said socialization is the answer.

Anne

[TK'S]

Be careful when the Vet says they are ok around other dogs . About ten years ago I had a pup 18 wks old for a lady had both sets of shot even extra Parvo shot dead 3 days later . A man brought a pup in for me to look at I said what is wrong with that pup O car sick ok didn't think anyting of it.Two weeks later 16 pups dead 4 saved and $1,600.00 Vet bill. 3 mos later seen that man asked where his pup was, dead asked from what didn't know so I told he not in a very nice way. Shots are not 100&#37; but the dead pups and the Vet bills are. BE CAREFULL Terry

[Gurgle]

The Vet said puppy classes were OK as they ask for proof of vacc. at different levels, depending on the class. The Vet said to stay away from places like off-leash dog parks till 2 weeks after vacc. I was not encouraged by some of the conversations I had with some puppy class providers so stayed away. Plus it is a very busy time for me anyway. The breeder urged backyard only outings till vacc.s were complete.

Terry, my last Lab girl got parvo, or a gastro. awfully like it, at six months after being fully vaccinated. She survived. Puppy class leaders told me some absolutely untrue things regarding vacc.s so I did play it safe and stayed away. Current readings also suggest, though, that lack of early socialization is responsible for as many deaths in pet dogs as disease is. I'm sure you've read the Dr. Anderson letter. As a one dog owner it's hard to know what to do when authorities present conflicting opinions. Anyway, that's past for us, puppy-boy has made his debut.

As for growing straight up, my reading suggests that puberty signals the close of the growth plates, in the legs especially, and neutering before puberty means growth continues somewhat longer because of the missed signal puberty provides. I guess that's why neutering "increases the risk of orthopedic disorders."

All the reading suggests that neutering male dogs is the best way to prevent "boy brain" and aggression and a host of other behavioural problems in male dogs. It doesn't seem to be quite as bad with females. My first Lab's brother became nasty and pushy as he approached his first birthday un-neutered. His owner seemed oblivious till a trainer said she'd better get him under control or get him neutered. I don't know if that is a temperament problem or an owner problem. But I do not want to be a problem owner of a dog others seek to avoid. I guess at this point I have some time to work on the little monkey as long as I can find dogs for him to mix with.

[Jojoe]

All the reading suggests that neutering male dogs is the best way to prevent "boy brain" and aggression and a host of other behavioural problems in male dogs.

When Tucker was approacing his first birthday, I too read the many sources that you mention above. Along with these, I came across a number of trainer and owner comments that suggested different.

We decided to have Tucker neutered - there was no appreciable change in his behaviours at all. Age, (our) patients, and socialization has produced the changes that we hoped to encourage through neutering.

In the future I will consider having a dog castrated that I deem unfit to allow to breed but I will wait until after his 2nd birthday and I will not have it done with the expectation of behavioural changes. just my 2 cents.

[Gurgle]

Ron, that's what I'd like to consider as well, waiting till age 2. I do have a spay/neuter contract I'll have to re-read.

Interesting the difference in N. America and the sentiment on the UK chat board I visit. In the UK they seem to deplore that very lack of a change in behaviour noticed with neutering before puberty. Several posters there, on a similar topic about neutering, complain that their dogs remained forever puppies in attitude. Here I think, in the pet population, that we welcome a puppyish outlook in our pets.

The changes I am worried about are those that accompany sexual maturity. Neutering before puberty does not produce that change; it prevents it. Usually.

[warren]

I've read lots of information about spaying. The only thing I could discern for certain was that there is lots of contradictory information with regard to health benefits.
My own personal view after having a number of intact females is that if its not necessary due to circumstances or existing health reasons then you should think long and hard about it. I have the same opinion for males but have only had one male dog so its not much to base my oppinion on.
I currently have a female mix breed. I have been deliberating getting her spayed since she was 6 months, shes now 16 months.
I really don't like the idea, but while I don't mind giving a mix a home, I don't want to be responsible for brining mixes into the world. Saying that, an accidental mating would be just as irresponsible whether the dog was mix or had a fantastic pedigree.

I'l probably get this one fixed before her next season.

[luvmylabs]

I remember reading on another forum where someone got their male fixed and then had all kinds of problems with the other dogs he owned, both male and female, because they couldn't tell what sex he was and so both sexes beat on him. If this is your only dog there will probably not be a problem, but it is something to think about.

Anne