Should you neuter your pet? New study shows how complex the decision is.
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Neutering (including spaying) of male and female dogs in the first year after birth has become routine in the U.S. and much of Europe, but recent research reveals that for some dog breeds,
neutering may be associated with increased risks of debilitating joint disorders and some cancers, complicating pet owners' decisions on neutering.
The joint disorders include hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament tear or rupture, and elbow dysplasia.
The cancers include lymphoma, mast cell tumor, hemangiosarcoma, and osteosarcoma
Neutering previous studies on the Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd Dog, neutering before a year of age was associated with increased risks of one or more joint disorders, 2–4 times that of intact dogs
There were major breed differences in vulnerability to neutering, both with regard to joint disorders and cancers. In most cases, the caregiver can choose the age of neutering without increasing the risks of these joint disorders or cancers.
Small-dog breeds seemed to have no increased risks of joint disorders associated with neutering, and in only two small breeds (Boston Terrier and Shih Tzu) was there a significant increase in cancers.
To assist pet owners and veterinarians in deciding on the age of neutering a specific dog, guidelines that avoid increasing the risks of a dog acquiring these joint disorders or cancers are laid out for neutering ages on a breed-by-breed and sex basis.
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Certainly I recommend you DO NOT have a larger breed dog >25kg adult weight neutered until she is fully developed physically - which can be well over a year
Consider sterilisation: vasectomy or surgery to remove uterus but not the ovaries if you want to avoid unwanted pregnancies
