After watching
Dr Lise Hansen DVM MRCVS,
Dr Brendan Clarke BVetMed VetMFHom MRCVS and
Dr Nick Thompson BSc (Vet Sci) Hons, BVM&S, VetMFHom, MRCVS
on a RawPetMedics Facebook live earlier this week, I felt compelled to review the original papers referred to in the Live and in the Letter written to the Vet Record in June of this year. (1)
Despite, in the UK, neutering of both male and female dogs being almost the cultural norm, there is a fast growing, well researched body of evidence to support leaving both boys and girls intact. The benefits of the hormones the testicles and the ovaries supply are enormous. Speaking as a woman in Perimenopause I can certainly vouch for the importance of human ovarian hormones!
In practice, most of us veterinarians recognise issues with obesity, coat changes and increased risk of urinary incontinence after neutering.
There is now a growing body of evidence to show that longer exposure to gonadal (sex) hormones is associated with fewer general health problems. Dogs with their gonads have been demonstrated to have a longer lifespan, lower odds of orthopaedic problems, cancer and obesity, and fewer problematic and nuisance behaviours. (2)
The routine neutering of dogs has been linked to increased incidence of health problems such as cruciate ligament rupture, hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism and many cancers (including haemangiosarcoma, mast cell tumours, lymphosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder). (2)
If you have concerns about pyometra, ovary sparing spay (removal of the womb but not the ovaries) is available in two locations in the UK now - ask your vet about this and they may go and learn more. Vasectomising of males is also possible.
Regarding mammary tumours, if detected when still small, they are more often benign and can be removed with surgery. (remember carbohydrates feed tumours - hint - check out subsequent blog posts).
In the UK over 65 per cent of dogs are neutered, as are 80 per cent of dogs in the USA, but in Norway, neutering healthy dogs is illegal. Rehoming of dogs was found to be negligible in Norway relative to international trends, suggesting neutering is more of a cultural habit than a necessity for population control. (3)
In contrast, the number of dogs entering UK welfare organisations during 2009 was estimated as 129,743. (4).
The Letter in the Vet Record concludes with
"For the welfare of the animals in our care and to keep the trust of the dog-owning public, we call on colleagues and all professional bodies to update their advice and guidance to the pet-owning public".(1)
STOP THE CHOP - spare the ovaries and testicles!
Please share using the social media buttons or link below to friends and relations who have a young dog, yet to make the decision regarding neutering.
Please share to Vets, Trainers, Rescue centres, Groomers, Doggie Day Care, Pet Shop owners- anyone involved with dogs.
https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vetr.3195#
Zink C, Delgado MM, Stella JL. Vasectomy and ovary-sparing spay in dogs: comparison of health and behavior outcomes with gonadectomized and sexually intact dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2023 Jan 19;261(3):366-374. doi: 10.2460/javma.22.08.0382. PMID: 36656681.
Lund HS, Eggertsson S, Grøndahl AM, Eggertsdóttir AV. Views on euthanasia and the rehoming of dogs in Norway and Iceland. Vet Rec. 2010 Jun 12;166(24):749-52. doi: 10.1136/vr.b4856. PMID: 20543165.
Clark CC, Gruffydd-Jones T, Murray JK. Number of cats and dogs in UK welfare organisations. Vet Rec. 2012 May 12;170(19):493. doi: 10.1136/vr.100524. Epub 2012 Mar 28. PMID: 22589036.
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