Benefits of Early Spay and Neuter

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Less severe risks of not spaying and neutering dogs at earlier ages can still have an impact on the dogs overall health. Both ovarian and uterine tumors are rare (Kustritz 1667). The chance that a dog will get ovarian tumors is removed by spaying her (Sanborn). Since the ovaries are completely removed during both an OE and an OHE, no tumors can develop. However, the younger the dog is when spayed will reduce her risk of developing these tumors since the ovaries will not be present long enough to grow tumors. Pyometra, infection of the uterus, is also rare since the uterus is typically removed before the dog can contract the infection (Kustritz 1670). If the dog is spayed at a later age, she has a greater risk of developing an infection in her uterus. Not only are diseases and disorders taken into consideration when thinking about spaying and neutering at an early age, but weight and overall growth are also factors. In many studies, it was questioned whether spaying and neutering at seven or eight weeks of age would affect the overall weight of the dog compared to spaying and neutering at seven months of age; however, no significant difference was found in body weight, food intake, or back fat (Kustritz 1669). Weight is an easily controlled factor in a dog’s life, and if managed correctly, the dog can be at a healthy weight for its entire life. In a study of 1,842 dogs obesity decreased when the dogs were gonadectomized before five months of age compared to being gonadectomized after five months (Kustritz 1669). Earlier spaying and neutering has been thought to increase obesity in dogs, but this rather large study shows the opposite. Not only has weight been taken into consideration, it was also thought that early spay and neuter would stunt a dog’s growth. However, Preston Stubbs conducted an experiment where dogs were gonadectomized at either seven weeks or seven months, and the results showed that no decrease in growth was found in those dogs spayed or neutered at seven weeks (Land). Although these factors are not as life threatening as mammary and testicular cancer, they still play a role in the health of the dog.

Pediatric spaying has been shown to contradict what was previously thought about some diseases associated with spaying. Urinary incontinence, which is the inability to control the flow of urine, causing involuntary urination, is said to be associated with early spaying (Kustritz 1670). Some veterinarians believe that pediatric spaying will increase the chance of urinary incontinence; however, that is not the case. When spayed before six months of age, the risk that the dog will have urinary incontinence is only 12% (De Bleser). Dogs spayed after six months of age had an increased risk of a 67% chance of having urinary incontinence (De Bleser). Spaying a dog before her first estrus also affects her risks of having urinary incontinence. Dogs spayed before their first estrus had a risk of 22%, compared to dogs spayed after their first estrus having a risk of 61% (De Bleser). According to the study done by De Bleser, the most appropriate time to spay a dog when trying to prevent urinary incontinence would be before six months, also before her first estrus. In this study conducted by De Bleser et al. early spaying showed a decrease in urinary incontinence when spaying occurred between four and six months of age (De Bleser). When a dog cannot control its bladder, it is often scolded by the owner, which can lead to an increase of stress on the dog, and cause a decline in health, and trigger bad behavior. Urinary incontinence stresses both the dogs and owners, and requires lifelong medication (De Bleser). Even though this disorder cannot kill the dog, it can affect their health by causing more stress, shortening the dog’s life.

Veterinarians explain the pros and cons associated with pediatric spay and neuter. One veterinarian suggests to the owner of an eight week old puppy that if she is not intended for breeding, she should undergo an OHE before her first estrus (Kustritz 1671). Since the puppy is a Labrador Retriever, some complications can arise from this surgery including CCL injury and hemangiosarcoma (Kustritz 1671). CCL, cranial cruciate ligament, is one of the most important stabilizing ligaments in the knee, and when injured can cause lameness of the hind legs. Hemangiosarcoma is a malignant tumor that forms when endothelial cells lining the vascular tissue multiply rapidly, resulting in irregular vascular channels. However, hemangiosarcoma, is rare, and the dog would be more likely to develop mammary tumors if she were intact than to have a CCL rupture after being spayed (Kustritz 1671). With both of these major cons to having the dog spayed at an early age so rare, the pros highly outweigh them, making it a good idea to have her spayed before her first estrus.

Veterinarians in shelters not only show concern for overpopulation when it comes to a gonadectomy, they actually have an opinion about when the dog should be spayed or neutered as to benefit the dog’s health. Philip Bushby and Brenda Griffin, two veterinarians, recommend spaying and neutering dogs around six weeks of age, so they are still in the shelter and can be monitored (Bushby). By having the dogs spayed prior to adoption, the shelter veterinarians do not have to worry about whether or not he dogs will be gonadectomized. This also ensures that the dogs go through this process at the right age, so they have the best chance in reducing the risk of cancers and other medical problems in the future. They advocate having the puppies spayed and neutered before they reach sexual maturity at five months (Bushby). With preventing the dogs from reaching sexual maturity, most of the hormones that cause medical problems, such as cancer, never have time to be made or accumulate in the dog’s system. Although the shelter cares about overpopulation, it is not the only reason they have the dogs spayed and neutered before adoption; they want to protect the dog’s health in the long run.

A variety of veterinarians are beginning to see how pediatric spay and neuter can benefit a dogs overall health, and help them live a more comfortable, longer life. Many credible veterinarian associations, such as the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the British Small Animal Veterinarian Association, and the American Animal Hospital Association support early gonadectomy (Bushby). Not only are American veterinarians seeing the positive outcomes that can arise from these procedures, but Canadian and British veterinarians are realizing the benefits as well. The American Veterinary Medical Association states that “Just as for other veterinary medical and surgical procedures, veterinarians should use their best medical judgment in deciding at what age spay/neuter should