some reasons to spay/neuter late or not at all - let's talk about it!
For each individual dog the risks and benefits of timing of the procedure or even to do it at all, must be weighed in a discussion between you and your vet. Spaying or neutering most pets can help them live a longer, healthier life, minimizes behavior problems and helps control the population of unwanted pets According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, nearly 12,500 puppies are born in the United States each hour. Spaying or neutering your pet eliminates unwanted litters, which contributes to thousands of euthanasia procedures and millions of stray animals.
If you are shopping around for a competitive price on this procedure, be sure to question the type of anesthetic used, the type of pain management provided, and the monitoring equipment and procedures followed. We use several monitoring devices during your pet’s anesthetic. A veterinary technician continually assesses your pet’s vital signs during the procedure. Although the risk of an anesthetic death in a normal healthy pet is very rare, our monitoring devices and procedures allow us to respond to an anesthetic emergency faster. Faster responses can save lives. Please call or visit our facility to learn more about our neutering procedures.
Your pet’s safety and comfort are our primary concerns when performing a spay or neuter. We use advanced pain management techniques in conjunction with anesthesia to make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible during the procedure and after they are discharged. Our spay and neuter patients receive 2 or 3 different injectable pain medications during the procedure and dogs always go home with oral pain medication cat's pain meds last for 3 days. We also perform local anesthetic blocks at the surgical site. Proper pain management makes the procedure as comfortable as possible and allows for faster recovery.
Spaying
Spaying is a surgical procedure in which both ovaries and uterus are completely removed from your female pet. Also called an "ovariohysterectomy", the surgery is performed while your pet is under general anesthesia. Many shelters now only remove the ovaries but leave the uterus. There are many benefits to spaying your female companion. First, you will contribute to the prevention of the dog and cat overpopulation. Second, spaying will eliminate the sometimes 'messy' heat cycles that attract male dogs to your house from miles away. Third, you will help prevent diseases in your pet such as pyometra (infection in the uterus) and mammary cancer. Additionally, research has shown that pets that have been spayed live longer than pets that have not been spayed.
Neutering
Neutering refers to the surgical procedure in which both testicles are removed. There are many benefits to neutering your male companion. First, you will contribute to the prevention of the dog and cat overpopulation. Second, neutering can help eliminate undesirable and at times, embarrassing behavior in your male companion. Third, you will help prevent diseases in your pet such as prostate disease and testicular cancer.
If you are shopping around for a competitive price on this procedure, be sure to question the type of anesthetic used, the type of pain management provided, and the monitoring equipment and procedures followed. We use several monitoring devices during your pet’s anesthetic. A veterinary technician continually assesses your pet’s vital signs during the procedure. Although the risk of an anesthetic death in a normal healthy pet is very rare, our monitoring devices and procedures allow us to respond to an anesthetic emergency faster. Faster responses can save lives. Please call or visit our facility to learn more about our neutering procedures.
Your pet’s safety and comfort are our primary concerns when performing a spay or neuter. We use advanced pain management techniques in conjunction with anesthesia to make sure your pet is as comfortable as possible during the procedure and after they are discharged. Our spay and neuter patients receive 2 or 3 different injectable pain medications during the procedure and dogs always go home with oral pain medication cat's pain meds last for 3 days. We also perform local anesthetic blocks at the surgical site. Proper pain management makes the procedure as comfortable as possible and allows for faster recovery.
Spaying
Spaying is a surgical procedure in which both ovaries and uterus are completely removed from your female pet. Also called an "ovariohysterectomy", the surgery is performed while your pet is under general anesthesia. Many shelters now only remove the ovaries but leave the uterus. There are many benefits to spaying your female companion. First, you will contribute to the prevention of the dog and cat overpopulation. Second, spaying will eliminate the sometimes 'messy' heat cycles that attract male dogs to your house from miles away. Third, you will help prevent diseases in your pet such as pyometra (infection in the uterus) and mammary cancer. Additionally, research has shown that pets that have been spayed live longer than pets that have not been spayed.
Neutering
Neutering refers to the surgical procedure in which both testicles are removed. There are many benefits to neutering your male companion. First, you will contribute to the prevention of the dog and cat overpopulation. Second, neutering can help eliminate undesirable and at times, embarrassing behavior in your male companion. Third, you will help prevent diseases in your pet such as prostate disease and testicular cancer.
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 were published 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 been one place where people are bettering humanity and our natural world while seeking solutions to some of our most pressing challenges. Located near the state capital, UC Davis has more than 33,000 students, over 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget of over $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 Nur
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 were published 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 been one place where people are bettering humanity and our natural world while seeking solutions to some of our most pressing challenges. Located near the state capital, UC Davis has more than 33,000 students, over 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget of over $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 Nur
A study with Rottweilers.
A1-year-old Rottweiler puppy,“Kaiser,” was playing rambunctiouslyin the backyard withanother dog. Owner Janice Deojay vividly recalls Kaiser’s painful cry. “I heard him yelp,” says Deojay, who breeds under the Von Janger
prefix in Thompson, Pa. “I went out to the yard, and he came limping toward me.” A trip to the veterinarian determined that Kaiser had ruptured the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) in his right hind leg. The injury was considered somewhat routine since Rottweilers and other large-breed dogs are prone to CCL ruptures. Surgery repaired thetorn ligament in the dog’s stifle (knee joint), and after rehabilitation, Kaiser was fine for about six months. “Then, he blew his left rear ligament,” Deojay says.The second rupture was also considered
somewhat routine since a tear in one stifle is often followed by a tear in the other ligament. At 2 years of age, the otherwise healthy Rottweiler had suffered two major orthopedic traumas. Though Deojay was unaware of a possible correlation between Kaiser’s neuter surgery at 6 months of age and the CCL tears, she is now convinced that the early neuter surgery contributed to the dog’s susceptibility to the injuries.
For decades, veterinarians recommended neutering or spaying dogs from 6 to 9 months of age, when most dogs
are considered mature and capable of breeding. Then, in 1993, the American Veterinary Medical Association passeda resolution supporting prepubertal spaying and neutering from 8 to 16 weeks of age. The intention was to
promote faster recovery time, higher owner compliance and reduced pet overpopulation.
More recent research raises questions about early sterilization surgeries and suggests delaying them until
a dog is 1 year of age or even as old as 6 years of age to maximize the health benefits of sex hormones.
Among the research, a 2004 study conducted at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center found that
sterilized male and female dogs had a significantly higher prevalence of CCL ruptures than sexually intact dogs.
“It is important for owners to be informed and to carefully weigh the benefits and risks of spay/neuter surgeries,” says C. Scott Bailey, D.V.M.,DACT, assistant professor of therio gen -ology at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
“There is insufficient evidence tomake a blanket statement regardingthe best age to spay or neuter most
breeds,” he says. “It should be a decision an informed owner makeswith his or her veterinarian.”
Orthopedic injuries are not the only adverse health consequences associated with early neutering or spaying. According to research, other problems include increased risks for cancer, hypothyroidism, urinary incontinence and obesity, the No. 1 nutritional disorder in dogs. Among the health benefits of spaying and neutering are reduced risks of testicular and ovarian cancer and of hormone related cancers, such as mammary cancer. The prevention of unwanted litters and pet overpopulation are the main drivers for some owners.
Growth & Development in Large Breeds Spaying or neutering, also called gonadectomy, involves surgically
removing the gonads, or sex glands.In males, the testes are removed, and in females, the ovaries. Removing these glands halts the production of sperm and eggs, making reproduction impossible. The testes and ovaries also produce hormones — estrogen in females and testosterone in males — that influence growth and development.
Rottweilers can reach puberty as early as 6 months of age, though females generally do not experience their first heat cycle until 12 to 18 months of age. The breed is not considered fully grown until 24 months of age, and not until a dog reaches maturity
Weighing In on the Risks & Benefits of Early Sterilization in Rottweilers
Beyond avoiding unwanted pregnancies, spay and neuter surgeries can have other benefits for dogs. More recent research has shown that early spaying and neutering can have future health risks; however, the effects differ for each dog depending on physical condition, age and other factors. The best choice for an individual dog regarding spaying and neutering should be made in concert with your veterinarian. Among the potential benefits of early spaying or neutering are:
• Protection from hormone-related cancers, such as
mammary cancer in females;
• Elimination of the risk of testicular cancer in males
and ovarian cancer in females;
• Elimination of uterine disease in females;
• Fewer behavioral problems, such as aggression and
roaming;
• Reduction in urine marking in males; and
• Elimination of hygienic issues experienced with
females in heat.
Among the potential risks of early spaying and neutering
are:
• Weight gain and obesity;
• Hypothyroidism, a disorder of the thyroid gland causing
thyroid hormone deficiency and affecting metabolism;
• Orthopedic problems, including cruciate ligament rupture
and hip dysplasia;
• Urinary incontinence; and
• Increased risk of cancer development.
Modified from information by the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org/animal_health/
brochures/spay_netuer/spay_neuter_brochure.asp) and
Vetinfo (www.vetinfo.com/dneuter.html).
Spay-Neuter Facts to Consider rity do the growth plates, the soft tissue at the ends of limb bones, close.
These plates, which are responsible for bone growth, are replaced by solid bone as a dog matures. Before
then, the plates are susceptible to injury, which is particularly problematic for large, rapidly growing dogs,
like Rottweilers, which can reach 27inches in height and weigh more
than 100 pounds. Growth-plate closure is signaled by communication between the sex hormones and other growth hormones. Without the sex hormones, growth plates may close late or incompletely, causing the bones to continue to grow. Continued growth leads to longer, heavier bones that can increase stress on joints and ligaments and can change joint anatomy, causing undesirable limb angles. Besides the increased risk of CCL
rupture noted in the Texas Tech University study, spaying and neutering before 5½ months of age was associated
with a higher incidence of hip dysplasia. The research was published in the February 2004 issue of the
Journal of the American VeterinaryAssociation.
Other studies have shown that early sterilization can increase the risk of orthopedic problems, such as slipped
capital femoral epiphysis in which the ball of the hip joint separates from the thighbone. Weight gain, which increases stress on bones and wears down joint cartilage, is another healthrisk. Early spay and neuter surgeries
can also prevent peak bone density. Sterilization Affects Life Span
Recent research on aging suggests that female Rottweilers with intact ovaries may live longer than spayed
females. The study, published in Aging Cell in December 2009, analyzed the medical histories of 119 Rottweiler
bitches that lived to 13 years of age, about 30 percent longer than average, and compared them with 186
Rottweiler bitches with an average life span of about 9 years of age.“We found that how long females keep their ovaries determines in part how long they live,” says lead investigator
David J. Waters, D.V.M., Ph.D.,
DACVS, director of The Center for
Exceptional Longevity Studies at the
Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation
in West Lafayette, Ind. “Importantly,our study showed that bitches that kept their ovaries until they were at least 6 years of age were 4.6 times more likely to reach exceptional longevity than those with the shortest ovary exposure.”
The researchers also studied 237 Rottweiler females that died before 13 years of age and found that
removing the ovaries before 4 years of age reduced longevity by an average
of 1.4 years and reduced threefold the likelihood of reaching exceptional
longevity. The results suggest that ovaries may have a protective effect on the body and that removing the
sexual glands puts bitches at higher risk for developing diseases. “Our recent observation that dogs with intact ovaries live longer is counter to four decades of standard clinical practice, which advocated early elective ovary removal,” Waters says. “We hope to identify exactly what the ovary-related processes are that influence aging and to learn the optimum length of time the ovaries should be retained to maximize health benefits. The ovary story is the first of many research results to follow in the field of aging and longevity thatdog owners and their veterinarians
will have to sift through.”Keeping dogs intact longer maycontribute to reduced risk of certaincancers. For example, in Rottweilers, the prevalence of osteosarcoma and hemagiosarcomais greatly reduced in
intact dogs. Several studies have found that neutering or spaying at younger than 1 year of age increases the incidence of both cancers, Bailey says. An aggressive bone cancer common in large dogs, osteosarcoma is
among the most frequently occurring cancers and leading causes of death in Rottweilers. Likewise, hemangiosarcoma, a cancer that develops in the lining of blood vessels, is one of the three most common cancers in largedogs and is highly prevalent inRottweilers.
“Rottweilers are prone to hemangiosarcoma and osteosarcoma based partly on their genetics,” says Bailey.
“In the overall dog population, these highly malignant tumors occur with a very low frequency of two dogs in
1,000. However, certain breeds, including Rottweilers, have a much higher incidence of these cancers.” More than a decade ago, researchers performed a study showing that spayed females had a five times greater risk
of developing hemangiosarcoma than intact females and that neutered males had a 2.4 times greater risk than intact males. A study published in the July 1998 issue of The Veterinary Journal showed that neutered dogs have a
2.2 times greater risk of osteosarcoma than intact dogs. Meanwhile, Waters and his researchteam at the Murphy Cancer Founda -
tion and Purdue University reportedsimilar findings in 2002. The investigatorsstudied the medical histories of 683 Rottweilers and found that the risk for developing bone cancer was greatly influenced by the age when neuter or spay surgeries occurred.
Male and female dogs that were neutered or spayed before 1 year of age had a two to three times higher
risk of developing bone cancer than sexually intact dogs. Spay & Neuter Surgery Alternatives Sterilization alternatives to traditional spay and neuter surgeries include vasectomy for dogs and tubal ligation for bitches, in which the testes and ovaries are retained. Another alternative for bitches is hysterectomy in which the uterus is
removed but the rest of the female sexual organ stays intact.
Though canine birth control and hormone-replacement therapy is being studied, more information is needed.
“Further research is needed to determine whether any form of birth control could effectively decrease the risk of
unwanted pregnancies without increasing the risk of cancer,” Bailey says. Hormone-replacement therapy is
controversial due to the risk of prostate disease in males and mammary tumors and uterine diseases, such as pyometra, in females.” Deojay, who lost Kaiser about 15 years ago, attributes the dog’s CCL ruptures as the beginning of her quest to learn more about the causes and what could be done. “I have had no subsequent orthopedic problems with my dogs,” she says. “I now wait until my Rottweilers are fully grown before considering spay or neuter surgeries. I even put this in my puppy contract.” The best advice, Bailey says, is to approach spaying and neutering of dogs on an individual basis. “Owners should consult their veterinarian about the most appropriate age to spay or neuter based on the unique physical condition of the dog. There is a clear need to expand our knowledge of the overall effects of reproductive hormones in both male and female dogs.”
prefix in Thompson, Pa. “I went out to the yard, and he came limping toward me.” A trip to the veterinarian determined that Kaiser had ruptured the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) in his right hind leg. The injury was considered somewhat routine since Rottweilers and other large-breed dogs are prone to CCL ruptures. Surgery repaired thetorn ligament in the dog’s stifle (knee joint), and after rehabilitation, Kaiser was fine for about six months. “Then, he blew his left rear ligament,” Deojay says.The second rupture was also considered
somewhat routine since a tear in one stifle is often followed by a tear in the other ligament. At 2 years of age, the otherwise healthy Rottweiler had suffered two major orthopedic traumas. Though Deojay was unaware of a possible correlation between Kaiser’s neuter surgery at 6 months of age and the CCL tears, she is now convinced that the early neuter surgery contributed to the dog’s susceptibility to the injuries.
For decades, veterinarians recommended neutering or spaying dogs from 6 to 9 months of age, when most dogs
are considered mature and capable of breeding. Then, in 1993, the American Veterinary Medical Association passeda resolution supporting prepubertal spaying and neutering from 8 to 16 weeks of age. The intention was to
promote faster recovery time, higher owner compliance and reduced pet overpopulation.
More recent research raises questions about early sterilization surgeries and suggests delaying them until
a dog is 1 year of age or even as old as 6 years of age to maximize the health benefits of sex hormones.
Among the research, a 2004 study conducted at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center found that
sterilized male and female dogs had a significantly higher prevalence of CCL ruptures than sexually intact dogs.
“It is important for owners to be informed and to carefully weigh the benefits and risks of spay/neuter surgeries,” says C. Scott Bailey, D.V.M.,DACT, assistant professor of therio gen -ology at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
“There is insufficient evidence tomake a blanket statement regardingthe best age to spay or neuter most
breeds,” he says. “It should be a decision an informed owner makeswith his or her veterinarian.”
Orthopedic injuries are not the only adverse health consequences associated with early neutering or spaying. According to research, other problems include increased risks for cancer, hypothyroidism, urinary incontinence and obesity, the No. 1 nutritional disorder in dogs. Among the health benefits of spaying and neutering are reduced risks of testicular and ovarian cancer and of hormone related cancers, such as mammary cancer. The prevention of unwanted litters and pet overpopulation are the main drivers for some owners.
Growth & Development in Large Breeds Spaying or neutering, also called gonadectomy, involves surgically
removing the gonads, or sex glands.In males, the testes are removed, and in females, the ovaries. Removing these glands halts the production of sperm and eggs, making reproduction impossible. The testes and ovaries also produce hormones — estrogen in females and testosterone in males — that influence growth and development.
Rottweilers can reach puberty as early as 6 months of age, though females generally do not experience their first heat cycle until 12 to 18 months of age. The breed is not considered fully grown until 24 months of age, and not until a dog reaches maturity
Weighing In on the Risks & Benefits of Early Sterilization in Rottweilers
Beyond avoiding unwanted pregnancies, spay and neuter surgeries can have other benefits for dogs. More recent research has shown that early spaying and neutering can have future health risks; however, the effects differ for each dog depending on physical condition, age and other factors. The best choice for an individual dog regarding spaying and neutering should be made in concert with your veterinarian. Among the potential benefits of early spaying or neutering are:
• Protection from hormone-related cancers, such as
mammary cancer in females;
• Elimination of the risk of testicular cancer in males
and ovarian cancer in females;
• Elimination of uterine disease in females;
• Fewer behavioral problems, such as aggression and
roaming;
• Reduction in urine marking in males; and
• Elimination of hygienic issues experienced with
females in heat.
Among the potential risks of early spaying and neutering
are:
• Weight gain and obesity;
• Hypothyroidism, a disorder of the thyroid gland causing
thyroid hormone deficiency and affecting metabolism;
• Orthopedic problems, including cruciate ligament rupture
and hip dysplasia;
• Urinary incontinence; and
• Increased risk of cancer development.
Modified from information by the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org/animal_health/
brochures/spay_netuer/spay_neuter_brochure.asp) and
Vetinfo (www.vetinfo.com/dneuter.html).
Spay-Neuter Facts to Consider rity do the growth plates, the soft tissue at the ends of limb bones, close.
These plates, which are responsible for bone growth, are replaced by solid bone as a dog matures. Before
then, the plates are susceptible to injury, which is particularly problematic for large, rapidly growing dogs,
like Rottweilers, which can reach 27inches in height and weigh more
than 100 pounds. Growth-plate closure is signaled by communication between the sex hormones and other growth hormones. Without the sex hormones, growth plates may close late or incompletely, causing the bones to continue to grow. Continued growth leads to longer, heavier bones that can increase stress on joints and ligaments and can change joint anatomy, causing undesirable limb angles. Besides the increased risk of CCL
rupture noted in the Texas Tech University study, spaying and neutering before 5½ months of age was associated
with a higher incidence of hip dysplasia. The research was published in the February 2004 issue of the
Journal of the American VeterinaryAssociation.
Other studies have shown that early sterilization can increase the risk of orthopedic problems, such as slipped
capital femoral epiphysis in which the ball of the hip joint separates from the thighbone. Weight gain, which increases stress on bones and wears down joint cartilage, is another healthrisk. Early spay and neuter surgeries
can also prevent peak bone density. Sterilization Affects Life Span
Recent research on aging suggests that female Rottweilers with intact ovaries may live longer than spayed
females. The study, published in Aging Cell in December 2009, analyzed the medical histories of 119 Rottweiler
bitches that lived to 13 years of age, about 30 percent longer than average, and compared them with 186
Rottweiler bitches with an average life span of about 9 years of age.“We found that how long females keep their ovaries determines in part how long they live,” says lead investigator
David J. Waters, D.V.M., Ph.D.,
DACVS, director of The Center for
Exceptional Longevity Studies at the
Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation
in West Lafayette, Ind. “Importantly,our study showed that bitches that kept their ovaries until they were at least 6 years of age were 4.6 times more likely to reach exceptional longevity than those with the shortest ovary exposure.”
The researchers also studied 237 Rottweiler females that died before 13 years of age and found that
removing the ovaries before 4 years of age reduced longevity by an average
of 1.4 years and reduced threefold the likelihood of reaching exceptional
longevity. The results suggest that ovaries may have a protective effect on the body and that removing the
sexual glands puts bitches at higher risk for developing diseases. “Our recent observation that dogs with intact ovaries live longer is counter to four decades of standard clinical practice, which advocated early elective ovary removal,” Waters says. “We hope to identify exactly what the ovary-related processes are that influence aging and to learn the optimum length of time the ovaries should be retained to maximize health benefits. The ovary story is the first of many research results to follow in the field of aging and longevity thatdog owners and their veterinarians
will have to sift through.”Keeping dogs intact longer maycontribute to reduced risk of certaincancers. For example, in Rottweilers, the prevalence of osteosarcoma and hemagiosarcomais greatly reduced in
intact dogs. Several studies have found that neutering or spaying at younger than 1 year of age increases the incidence of both cancers, Bailey says. An aggressive bone cancer common in large dogs, osteosarcoma is
among the most frequently occurring cancers and leading causes of death in Rottweilers. Likewise, hemangiosarcoma, a cancer that develops in the lining of blood vessels, is one of the three most common cancers in largedogs and is highly prevalent inRottweilers.
“Rottweilers are prone to hemangiosarcoma and osteosarcoma based partly on their genetics,” says Bailey.
“In the overall dog population, these highly malignant tumors occur with a very low frequency of two dogs in
1,000. However, certain breeds, including Rottweilers, have a much higher incidence of these cancers.” More than a decade ago, researchers performed a study showing that spayed females had a five times greater risk
of developing hemangiosarcoma than intact females and that neutered males had a 2.4 times greater risk than intact males. A study published in the July 1998 issue of The Veterinary Journal showed that neutered dogs have a
2.2 times greater risk of osteosarcoma than intact dogs. Meanwhile, Waters and his researchteam at the Murphy Cancer Founda -
tion and Purdue University reportedsimilar findings in 2002. The investigatorsstudied the medical histories of 683 Rottweilers and found that the risk for developing bone cancer was greatly influenced by the age when neuter or spay surgeries occurred.
Male and female dogs that were neutered or spayed before 1 year of age had a two to three times higher
risk of developing bone cancer than sexually intact dogs. Spay & Neuter Surgery Alternatives Sterilization alternatives to traditional spay and neuter surgeries include vasectomy for dogs and tubal ligation for bitches, in which the testes and ovaries are retained. Another alternative for bitches is hysterectomy in which the uterus is
removed but the rest of the female sexual organ stays intact.
Though canine birth control and hormone-replacement therapy is being studied, more information is needed.
“Further research is needed to determine whether any form of birth control could effectively decrease the risk of
unwanted pregnancies without increasing the risk of cancer,” Bailey says. Hormone-replacement therapy is
controversial due to the risk of prostate disease in males and mammary tumors and uterine diseases, such as pyometra, in females.” Deojay, who lost Kaiser about 15 years ago, attributes the dog’s CCL ruptures as the beginning of her quest to learn more about the causes and what could be done. “I have had no subsequent orthopedic problems with my dogs,” she says. “I now wait until my Rottweilers are fully grown before considering spay or neuter surgeries. I even put this in my puppy contract.” The best advice, Bailey says, is to approach spaying and neutering of dogs on an individual basis. “Owners should consult their veterinarian about the most appropriate age to spay or neuter based on the unique physical condition of the dog. There is a clear need to expand our knowledge of the overall effects of reproductive hormones in both male and female dogs.”