Neutering Makes Dogs Vulnerable to Cancer and Joint Disease

One of the kindest things a pet owner can do to his dogs is to spay or neuter the pet. This procedure is known to reduce the chances of overpopulation, prevent diseases and also reduce aggressive behavior.

But this health decision has to be implemented at the right time, or else it can prove to have a disastrous effect on the pets.

According to a latest study by researchers at the University of Davis, the age at which a dog is neutered is important, as it may increase the risk of developing cancers and joint disease. They came up with this finding after evaluating the health records of nearly 759 golden retrievers.

They examined the records of male and female retrievers belonging to the age group of 1-8 years. These dogs have been examined for two joint disorders and three cancers at the UCD's William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Joint disorders include hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament tear; while cancer includes lymphosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma and mast cell tumor. The dogs were later divided into three categories, namely intact (not neutered), neutered early (before 12 months age), or neutered late (at or after 12 months age).

The health records showed that those male dogs that were neutered before 1 year of age had a higher risk of hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament tear and lymphosarcoma. While females had a risk of cranial cruciate ligament tear.

But the new study clearly depicts a 100 percent rise or doubling of hip dysplasia among those males who have been neutered early.

"The study results indicates that dog owners and service-dog trainers should carefully consider when to have their male or female dogs neutered," lead investigator Benjamin Hart, professor in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine said in a press statement.

He continues to say that, different dog breeds have different vulnerabilities to various diseases. Based on the breed, the effect of early or late neutering varies. He states that the association between neutering and diseases is a complex issue.

While people in the U.S. overwhelmingly choose to neuter their dogs, at the same time, people in Europe avoid this procedure. And neither do the animal health authorities emphasize on the need of neutering.

The study has been published in the online scientific journal PLoS ONE.