Spaying/Neutering, do the benefits always outweigh the risks? (Not about pet overpopulation but for the dog)?
This is not a controlling pet overpopulation but about the individual dog. So forget for a moment that pet overpopulation is an issue.
I was reading this:
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
And it got me wondering if the benefits of spaying/neutering really do outweigh the risks.
This right here is enough to make me want to do more research or atleast hold out on spaying/neutering until my dog is older:
" The evidence shows that spay/neuter correlates with both positive AND adverse health effects in dogs. It also suggests how much we really do
not yet understand about this subject.
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%) 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
For female dogs, the situation is more complex. The number of health benefits associated with spaying may exceed the associated health problems in some (not all) cases. On balance, whether spaying improves the odds of overall good health or degrades them probably depends on the age of the female dog and the relative risk of various diseases in the different breeds.
On the positive side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 2.5 years of age, greatly reduces the risk of mammary tumors, the most common
malignant tumors in female dogs
• nearly eliminates the risk of pyometra, which otherwise would affect about 23% of intact female
dogs; pyometra kills about 1% of intact female dogs
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• removes the very small risk (0.5%) from uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors
On the negative side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis
• increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by
a factor of >5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many
associated health problems
• causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
• increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
• increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs
spayed before puberty
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations."
So when do the benefits outweigh the risks and when do the risks outweigh the benefits?
How to know what the best decision for your individual dog is?
ADD: I’ve always had my dogs spayed/neutered by 6 months of age so this is an eye opening question for me
What is better for my dogs health is a bigger concern to me then pet overpopulation at the moment? (A responsible pet owner can keep an intact dog and not have any accidental litters)
All my dogs come from shelters so chances are I won’t face this because they usually come to me spayed/neutered
Good question. The truth is that spaying/neutering isn’t the healthiest thing for dogs. But the truth that tops that one is that about 98% of the population isn’t nearly responsible enough to prevent their intact dogs from breeding. That’s why people on here preach spaying and neutering. Hang out here for a while and read the dozens of questions daily by backyard breeders who haven’t a clue how to do anything breeding related, yet they blithely put their b1tch’s life at risk.
For a responsible dog owner, there’s no reason to spay/neuter. The only dogs I’ve ever owned who’ve been spayed/neutered have been rescues who came that way. I’ve also spayed older b1tches because it does cut down on the chances of cancer and pyometra.
I’ve never neutered any of my males and have also never had an accidental litter.
I know alot of people are going to disagree with me on this, but I would avoid spaying/neutering if you can. Especially if the dog is already an adult. Before my dog got spayed she was energetic and fun, but since I had it done she has put on weight and hardly ever wants to play. She just isn’t the same dog. It probably wouldn’t have been such a drastic change if I had had it done when she was little.
References :
From personal experience I definitely feel that the benefits of spay/neuter is well worth the risk. There is very little medical risk during the surgery if the dog is in good health, but for the male he is much less aggressive and not prone to developing prostrate cancer later in his life, plus he makes a much more well behaved pet.
For the female, spaying prevents the cycle every 6 months and the chance she will be caught by a male and have unwanted puppies, plus as she gets older she is less likely to develop cancer in her milk ducts.
References :
Good question. The truth is that spaying/neutering isn’t the healthiest thing for dogs. But the truth that tops that one is that about 98% of the population isn’t nearly responsible enough to prevent their intact dogs from breeding. That’s why people on here preach spaying and neutering. Hang out here for a while and read the dozens of questions daily by backyard breeders who haven’t a clue how to do anything breeding related, yet they blithely put their b1tch’s life at risk.
For a responsible dog owner, there’s no reason to spay/neuter. The only dogs I’ve ever owned who’ve been spayed/neutered have been rescues who came that way. I’ve also spayed older b1tches because it does cut down on the chances of cancer and pyometra.
I’ve never neutered any of my males and have also never had an accidental litter.
References :
your research seems to have conflicting info. i guess if you research anything enough you will find evidence for and against (which is probab why you turned to Yahoo Answers)- trusted vet told us that neutering male dog reduced risk of cancer.
References :
vet
The only instance when I would keep an intact dog is if the dog was a show-quality animal and/or breeding stock. That’s my personal decision.
Yes everyone thinks they’re responsible pet owners. Some are and some aren’t, and accidents happen. And when dogs feel the urge to mate strongly enough, there’s only so much you can do. I’ve heard of male dogs breaking through doors and windows to get to a female. You can’t automatically dismiss unwanted litters as a consideration, sorry.
You can talk to your vet about any concerns you have, and find out just how common some of those conditions are. For example, something increasing by a factor of two can sound scary, until you find out that the condition was rare to begin with. Your vet should able to talk frankly with you about your dog’s risk for these conditions based on his age, weight, breed, past health problems, etc. Then you can make an informed decision. But I’m not sure that counting up the number of "negatives" vs. "positives" on that site is the best way to go.
References :
The RISKS FAR outweigh the benefits.
I will never EVER neuter a male dog again.
There is ZERO "benefit" to neutering a male dog.
Owners that actualy care about their dogs long term health will learn as you have, will make the correct decision for their pet.
I am only sorry you did not learn of this before you subjected your dog to the most dangerous procedure of all- the juvenile spay/neuter.
The long term health risks you face are frightening.
I KNOW. I used to subject my dogs to this, and they paid the price with THEIR LIVES.
My longest lived dogs were either left intact or spayed very late in life.
Here is another article you may find enlightening. Showing female dogs live longer if they retain their ovaries. (which of course are removed in a spay)
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Retaining ovaries may be a key to prolonged life in women and dogs
Dec 5, 2009
DVM NEWSMAGAZINE
West Lafayette, Ind. — We know that women tend to live longer than men, but a new study shows that the same may be true in dogs, especially if a female dog’s ovaries are not surgically removed early in life.
A study conducted at the Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation compared the medical histories, ages and causes of death in 119 long-lived rottweilers with a longevity of at least 13 years with 186 rottweilers with a normal longevity of about 9 years. The study was published in the December issue of the journal Aging Cell.
"Like women, female dogs in our study had a distinct survival advantage over males," said the lead researcher David J. Waters, associate director of Purdue University’s Center on Aging and the Life Course and a professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences. "But taking away ovaries during the first four years of life completely erased the female survival advantage. We found that female rottweilers that kept their ovaries for at least six years were four times more likely to reach exceptional longevity compared to females who had the shortest lifetime ovary exposure."
This study’s findings are in line with those of a study conducted earlier this year at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, Calif., of 29,000 who had hysterectomies because of benign uterine disease. Although those women whose ovaries were removed before 50 years of age were protected against ovarian, uterine and breast cancer, increased mortality from other causes was noted compared with those who had their ovaries for at least 50 years.
Both studies call into question the automatic removal of the ovaries when hysterectomies are performed in dogs and women.
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Here is an easy to read article for those that find medical terminology hard to follow
http://www.civilizednature.com.....neuter.asp
References :
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.c.....ail/646838
I would ALWAYS have a b*tch spayed before her season. IMO the health benefits from spaying are well worth it.
I think it’s different with a male though, I researched a lot about spaying and neutering mainly because my boyfriend didn’t want my dog to have his nuts off (I guess it’s a man thing?) but I did. Anyway, we decided against it after reading up for health reasons, and that I wanted my boy to mature naturally. That being said, I will still always reccomend it simply because most people couldn’t cope with an intact dog. He was a complete nightmare behaviour wise on and off up until he was about 14 months old, I guess because of hormones racing round. Every couple of months he’d take a step back with training and just turn into a manic ignorant dog. I understood this and tried to take it my stride and be patient with him, I think most people would have handed him into the shelter.
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That is also a question I have been asking myself lately. I also neutered my puppy at 6 months, blindly thinking it was the right thing to do because he was a pet.
I am not in the position where I have to make a choice, but when I do get my next puppy, I will seriously be considering not neutering. Honestly I am leaning towards not.
I KNOW that I can be responsible enough to prevent matings and there is little to no benefit from neutering. I currently have a working dog who is intact. There is no issue with behavior or "accidental" matings.
I believe it is still the best choice for the majority of the population out there because many cannot seem to manage an intact dog, but for those responsible enough, I see nothing wrong with leaving a dog intact.
I will still recommend it depending on the situation. But whenever a question about benefits/risks, I direct them to that link. Many on here will claim there are no risks and it is healthier.
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2 GSDs and a Lab
I did a ton of research on this, not just the article quoted, but also some of the original sources, and some others I found. I opted to NOT spay my young dog, who has a career as an agility dog, although I may do it when she is around 5-6 years old, as pyometra becomes an increasing risk for older unspayed females, especially those that weren’t bred.
Hormones are an important element of body chemistry, and influence other systems in important ways, not all of which we understand yet. I’m not sure why its such a difficult concept to understand, except that spay/neuter is a "sacred cow" to which many people, including vets, have been indoctrinated. Yes, reducing pet overpopulation is important, and actually, I have no problem with shelters requiring dogs to be spayed or neutered. An additional factor for males is that behavioral issues arise for intact males that not everyone is able to deal with, and once in evidence, don’t necessarily go away when the dog is finally neutered (spraying, wandering)- and behavioral issues are as likely to cause a dog to show up in a shelter as unplanned breedings. So most people should neuter males. I do wish more "responsible breeders" would be more flexible on when and if the dog needs to be spayed/neutered, especially if going to a sports home where we are concerned about the skeletal issues of doing it before full maturity, and for females, doing it at all.
For an interesting online blog discussing responsible breeding, read the current post on http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com
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Right now, and probably to some degree in the future, I have rescues. I do not expect rescues to sell intact dogs.
If I buy from a breeder, I will wait until 2 years of age before I start considering spaying or neutering. I do think that in some cases having a dog fixed is a good idea, but not before they are fully developed and sexually mature. Basic biology is all you really need to understand that hormones play a huge role in development and that if you remove the primary source of those hormones it will have a profound effect.
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