Neuter pets at right age for gender

A colleague recently presented me (Dr. Henri Bianucci) with an article discussing the risks and benefits of neutering dogs at an early age. She was inquiring about the validity of the claims it presented.

For clarification, neutering refers to any procedure which renders both male and female dogs reproductively sterile. A male dog is castrated. For females the correct term is spayed, not "spaded" which we hear often in our clinic.

There are two layers to the question of neutering. One is whether to do it at all and the other is at what age?

Humane organizations and rescue groups have an almost single-minded purpose: to reduce the number of stray and impounded animals. There is very good reason for this. You have, no doubt, heard these statistics before, but I find them staggering.

In Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties, approximately 18,000 dogs and cats are euthanized each year. For various reasons, shelter workers are forced to put about 50 dogs and cats to death every day.

Can you imagine how incredibly heartbreaking that is, especially so for people who are working at humane organizations because of their love of animals? That chips away the first layer. There are way too many dogs and cats, and too few responsible people. So yes, you should neuter your pet.

Besides population control, pets should be neutered for health reasons as well.

For example, spaying your female dog prior to her first heat cycle virtually eliminates the risk that she will develop mammary cancer later in life. Uterine infections and prostate infections also are nearly eliminated by neutering.

Early neutering (3 to 4 months of age or younger) has been credited with reducing obesity, separation anxiety, escaping behavior and territorial marking in males and females. But recent studies have looked at some possible risks associated with neutering dogs at an early age.

Neutering dogs at an early age actually removes hormones that would normally have a suppressive effect on bone growth. So, these dogs' bones will grow longer than they otherwise would have. This makes sense as human females tend to stop growing when they hit puberty.

It has been postulated that early neutering increases the risk of hip dysplasia and other orthopedic abnormalities. In one study of more than 1,800 dogs followed for up to 11 year, there was an increased incidence of hip dysplasia in dogs that were neutered early.

These findings were not strong, however, and in another study, no correlation was found between early neutering and the frequency of any musculoskeletal problems in male or female dogs.

In female dogs, it does appear that neutering before 3 months of age is related to an increase in urinary incontinence. This is a lifelong condition requiring medical management. So, the best recommendation would be to spay female dogs at 4 to 5 months, after their vaccinations are complete, but before their first heat cycle.

The flip side to this point is that for population control, many shelters prefer to have their females spayed prior to adoption so as to eliminate the risk of further reproduction. The overall benefits of this policy may outweigh the risks of early spaying.

In male dogs, the risks of causing behavioral or medical problems with early castration appear to be very small. In one study, some benefits of early castrations included reduced chance of unwanted matings, faster healing, fewer complications and reduced cost.

A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2004 found no increased risk of medical or behavioral problems associated with early castration. Therefore, neutering male dogs at 3 to 4 months of age is recommended.

Neutering your pet is a common practice, but it is a serious surgery, especially in females, and it can have long-term ramifications on your pet's health.

This article dealt more with timing, but you should discuss the many benefits and potential risks with your veterinarian, and make a plan that best fits your pet and situation.

Dr. Henri Bianucci and Dr. Perry Jameson are with Veterinary Specialty Care LLC. Send questions to petdocs@postandcourier.com.

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