The Dark Side Of Neutering

Animal welfare groups strongly support neutering and spaying your dog. That is because they are aware of the fact that literally millions of dogs are put to death every year in this country alone, due to the pet overpopulation problem. The amount of homeless dogs is staggering, and can be overwhelming for those trying to save them. I get that. It's easy to see why spaying and neutering is considered a solution to this most difficult problem. I also believe that everyone needs to be well informed of the facts, before ever agreeing to have any surgery performed. I hope I don't make anyone upset with this post, but I want to explore the negative side of having your dog neutered...

Neutered dogs are three times more likely to suffer from malignant prostate cancer and eight times more likely to get bladder cancer according to studies at the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Missouri.

This is an excerpt from a post made by Dr. Dressler on the Dog Cancer Blog:

Here is some information that has been more or less kept under wraps, or has not been spread in the veterinary community for whatever reason:

If a male Rott is neutered before a year of age, his rate of osteosarcoma ALMOST QUADRUPLES. If a female Rott is spayed before a year of age, her rate of osteosarcoma MORE THAN TRIPLES. If a purebred dog is spayed or neutered before a year of age, his or her rate of osteosarcoma MORE THAN DOUBLES. This information has massive ramifications, especially among owners of Rotts.

These figures were taken from an article in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, Nov. 2002.

Here is an excerpt from an MSN article discussing why some people are upset that their may be new laws requiring mandatory spaying and neutering for all pet owners.

Margaret V. Root Kustritz, a veterinary reproduction specialist at the University of Minnesota, reviewed 200 studies and found that while spay/neuter surgery has benefits, it is also linked to increases in the incidence of certain diseases and conditions such as bone cancer, heart tumors, hypothyroidism and canine cruciate ligament (CCL) injuries, as well as prostate cancer in male dogs and urinary incontinence in females. The extent of the risk can depend on the problem, as well as the size and sex of the dog, and the age the surgery is performed.

The risk of a type of cardiac tumor called hemangiosarcoma is five times higher in spayed female dogs than unspayed females, noted Kustritz. And neutered males have 2.4 times the risk of unneutered males. The risk was also higher for osteosarcoma (bone cancer): Dogs spayed or neutered before age 1 were up to two times as likely to develop the disease than those that hadn’t been altered.

Spaying and neutering may also heighten behavior problems such as aggression in some breeds and noise phobias in dogs altered at less than 5 months of age, she found.

The pet overpopulation is a serious concern, but I actively oppose mandatory spay and neuter legislation. In addition, I would suggest that veterinarians provide full disclosure regarding neutering, so that we can all make an informed decision.