View Full Version : Early neuter of pets
I thought that I'd share a point of view that I've picked up in the few years I've been doing bulldog rescue: early neuter of pets can affect their health and physical development.
While it is true that our (the United States) pet population is out of control, and it is generally true that neuter and spay of pets at the right time in their lives works in their favor health-wise, an aggressive societal neuter program will work against some of the individual members of that society. I am learning this as I see early neuter bulldogs cycle thorough our rescue program.
These physique of these dogs just never mature. The bulldog breed is one where heavy bone is essential to "the look" and lack of hormones through juvenile and adolescent development negatively affect bone development. Yesterday we had two dogs into our rescue program, both early neuters, and we theorize that one actually has ambulatory problems dues to early-neuter. Hard to know, for sure. But it is more than just the "look" but is about complete physical development.
As with most social trends, there is a backlash. This trend to neuter/spay all pets (well intentioned!) is generating a backlash from people like me who see some of the unintentional outcome. I think that a reasoned and cautious approach to early neuter is justified. And When I say "early" I don't mean the uber early programs that seem to happen with kittens (and puppies? ) where they are doing it at 3 -4 months, that is insane. I mean specifically, that large boned breeds shouldn't be neutered before approx 2 years old.
I've heard for Newfoundlands not neutering too early can help prevent or delay some later life health issues.
That said, my ex's boy Newfie became the unintentional daddy to a litter at a neighbor's house. So there is some risk involved going this route.
Maybe, but I've heard spaying before the first time the animal goes into heat dramatically reduces the chances of female cancers later on.
All the cats I know have been neutered at a couple of months or so, and most have lived long lives (15-20 years), so I'm thinking this may be a concern with specific species, breeds, or individuals. Is there any literature on this issue? I wonder if some problems with certain breeds aren't puppy mill related.
My bias is toward neutering early and often http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/artists/laie/LaieA_067.gif , but I don't have a problem postponing it as long as no breeding is involved.
Jane, have they really been doing that uber early neutering program for that long? I guess that they have, I just lose track of time. I am talking about the kitten neuter, not adolescent neuter. I remember that it was controversial at the time, and probably still is.
I will say that the cats I most love are built like bulldogs, they are the persian types: big heads, heavy bone, and I suspect that early neuter has the same affect on them as with bulldogs. It inhibits bone development. Probably the cat breeds with juvenile body types (the skinny siamese etc.) are less affected by it. This is just my guess, nothing scientific here.
Someone I really respect makes a case for lack of brain development as well. The rescue dog who was in our house as a foster, the one who caused me the most grief of recent times (actually was more trouble than the poor dog we put down due to temperament) was an addled brained ADHD hyperactive puppy like dog. This guy was sweet but good lord he was sloberly and active. I just do NOT do puppies. He was an early neuter, small headed, and just an incredibly juvenile dog.
Anecdotal evidence only, but the first cat I had as an adult was neutered at about a year and she was also the shortest-lived, dying of cardiomyopathy at eleven. My longest-lived cat almost made it to twenty; she was spayed at eight weeks. A friend had a cobby-bodied cat, also neutered at 2-3 months, who lived to twenty with no skeletal problems--in fact no health problems at all.
Your theory is an interesting one, but maybe hard to prove. Were humans eunuchs healthy, long- or short-lived, I wonder...
ETA: This page describes some skeletal effects of castration on human males:
http://oxford.academia.edu/KathrynReusch/Papers/1294471/Eunuchs_and_Castrati
Bottom line is that neutering anything goes against nature. I don't have any particular reason for believing so...just a sense that waiting until an animal is at least six months old seems a little less drastic. I like the human analogy too. If we "spayed" girls well before they had periods, how would they develop? What effect would having little circulating hormones make? When we adopted our Siamese mix kitten a year ago, I insisted that they let us wait until she was a little older to have her spayed. The adoption agency reluctantly agreed but wouldnt let us go past five months for fear she would come into heat prior.
Is there not an issue about aggressive behaviour in dogs that can be avoided or reduced by neutering at 5 months? O
Our dogs that we had from puppies were neutered at 5 months and lived full and healthy lives. We had a dachshund adopted from first owner that was never neutered but was finally killed when he approached the neighbour's large Lab female who was in heat, got really exhausted and was bitten by a competitior and had to be put down. I would rather neuter at 5 months.
I've had Basset Hounds for decades now. They are mutants, achondroplastic like bulldogs. They don't get their full bone and cartilage development until almost 2 years old. I think it would be an error to neuter them early.
Is there not an issue about aggressive behaviour in dogs that can be avoided or reduced by neutering at 5 months?
some dogs with very dominant personalities that aren't properly handled by owners calm down when neutered, yes. It can help.
I've got an 11 year old in full blown heat cycle right now and I do wish that she had been neutered. I worry endlessly about her getting pyro, something French bulldogs are subject to. Yet, she is old and surgery is a risk. I really dislike this dilemma.
Bottom line is that neutering anything goes against nature. I don't have any particular reason for believing so...just a sense that waiting until an animal is at least six months old seems a little less drastic. I like the human analogy too. If we "spayed" girls well before they had periods, how would they develop? What effect would having little circulating hormones make? When we adopted our Siamese mix kitten a year ago, I insisted that they let us wait until she was a little older to have her spayed. The adoption agency reluctantly agreed but wouldnt let us go past five months for fear she would come into heat prior.
Pretty much everything we do for/with our pets is unnatural, from feeding them grain-based food to locking them inside away from sunshine and fresh air. Based on my experience, I would still spay or neuter my next cat fairly early (though I'll likely just rescue an adult, so the point is moot), but I would try to provide a secure outdoor area and provide a higher-quality diet--wheat and soy free with a percentage of raw meat--than I have in the past.
I switched my guys to grain-free (and raw) and they are like two entirely different dogs. I'm a believer, Jane.
We neutered our smaller dog at about 8 months, and aren't sorry. He didn't develop a heavier frame like his father had, and that was a good thing, as he was a much faster agility dog svelte, and has no structural problems at 10+. I think it really depends on the species, the breed, etc.
I see a conspicuous absence of factual evidence here. I see impressions and hearsay.
Ask your vet.
My vet believes if you spay after the first heat, the dog has all the advantages of that level of maturation and less likely to get cancer. The boys can have a testosterone kick-up a few weeks after neutering, so just expect that.
None of the disadvantages of spaying and neutering are as horrible as what animals go through due to overpopulation-my vet's and my opinion; I wouldj't go to a vet who thought otherwise. All our dogs (we have four) were in horribly abusive situations before we took them in, all requiring surgery, have various forms of PTSD, and could have avoided all that if their parents had been spayed and neutered. I love them and glad to have them; knowing what they went through is a nightmare.
Since the US destroys millions!!!!! of perfectly healthy and adoptable dogs and cats every year, I am a proponent of the absolute earliest spay/neuter that can be done. Individuals can control when they want to spay neuter their own purchased pets but every reputable rescue group should do it before any animal is adopted out and puppies and kittens this must be done early before adoption while still in that "cute" adoptable state.
We cannot hope, assume, think, or require spay/neuter at some future date from adopters since there are just too many that are not done and too many "mistake" litters.
Almost all my donation money goes to our local high volume spay/neuter program that does around 10,000 every year and hoping to get bigger next year.
I have had cats for 40 years and never had any issues with early spay neuter. In fact, none of my boys has ever sprayed (thank heaven) or had any serious territorial issues.
http://www.aspcapro.org/pediatric-spayneuter.php
Good article.
That article was helpful. Its bottom line:
Conclusion
As with all veterinary procedures, there are potential complications and both advantages and disadvantages to any spay/neuter procedure. Each patient should be evaluated on an individual basis and the veterinarian should discuss both the benefits and risks for spay/neuter surgery with the client. Pediatric spay/neuter is important for humane societies and shelters because with these procedures, almost every animal can be sterilized prior to adoption, which helps prevent the birth of unwanted litters that often end up at the shelter. Private practitioners should also consider performing pediatric spay/neuter on their patients because of the many medical advantages as well.
After reading this, I have to revise my earlier estimate of when my cats (and my friends' cats) were neutered. It was probably closer to six months than two for all but one, with no adverse health outcomes.
Sweetana, that was a good summary of neuter/spay today. It caught me up on a couple of things.
It kind of reminds me of the debate about inoculations for children. For the good of the community blanket inoculation is good. For the individual, there are risks (probably tiny.)
Shelter animals undergo the operation, but pets in private homes where the owners are extremely responsible and focused on the pets health will always trump shelter decisions where one size fits all.
I've got a dog in heat right now, an 11 year old She is old and brachychephalic and is a surgery risk, but is also a risk for pyrometriitus. It's a huge dilemma for me at this point with her.
"One size fits all" doesn't work in pantyhose or anywhere else, IMO.
but is also a risk for pyrometriitus
Sadly, we had to put down our older female unspayed Dachsund when she got this condition. I had never heard of such a thing so it caught us by surprise. She was 9. She had one litter at age 6 but we were afraid to have her spayed at that age. Lesson learned.
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