To
Spay or Not to Spay
Sooner or Later?- those are the questions!
(Medical Pros and Cons of spay/neuter)
|
Overview: Benefits vs. detriments of spay/neuter: It is important to note that the procedures are surgical procedures with the inherent risks of anesthesia and surgery - but also important to realize that spay/neuter prevents a variety of behavioral issues which are a leading cause of pet surrender. |
Health
benefits of spaying your female dog:
With a spay before the 1st heat cycle, there is a 0.5 % risk of mammary tumors,
which is the most common type of cancer in the female dog (3.4 % incidence)
With 2 heat cycles, there is a 26% risk of mammary tumors. There is also documentation
which shows that life span is increased with this surgery.
Detriments:
Slight increased incidence of CCL (craniel cruciate ligament) rupture (overall 1.8 % incidence.)
Minor increased incidence of some types of cancer-osteosarcoma (0.2% incidence) and hemangiosarcoma (0.2% incidence)
Health
benefits of castration of the male dog:
No chance of testicular tumors (2nd most common tumor in the male dog)
Detriments:
Increased incidence of prostatic cancer (0.2%-0.6% incidence) and transitional cell carcinoma (bladder cancer) (less than 1% incidence).Orthopedic issues: Delays closure of the physis (growth plates of long bones), which could result in possible lengthening of bones - not considered significant. There is no increased incidence of hip dysplasia documented in dogs neutered after 5 months of age.
Obesity can be a problem, but that can be controlled with diet. As with any medical issue, there are always various outcomes and with dogs, there are breed specific risk issues. There are some conditions for which there appears to be an increased incidence in the spayed/neutered pet.
There
is no evidence that surgery causes these problems, only that the incidence seems
higher.
This may be due to the fact that owners who spay/neuter are more likely to follow
up with health concerns and are more likely to have those conditions diagnosed.
The overall incidence of those conditions is low - much lower than the incidence
of mammary tumors and testicular tumors which occur in pets that are not neutered.
Have a discussion with your veterinarian about your concerns. A simple rule to summarize is to spay your female dog at 6 months of age or before her 1st estrus. With male dogs, neutering at 6 months is recommended in puppies at risk for behavioral problems. Waiting until 8-12 months is an option if an owner has concerns about potential orthopedic issues, but not at the expense of behavioral concerns.
This summary was prepared
by Dr. Linda Lee H. Wood at Wandermere
Animal Hospital
Source: JAVMA, Vol 231, No. 11, December 1, 2007
See also:
The
Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
