A little research into spay/neuter
Veterinarians almost always suggest for dogs to be spayed or neutered around 6 months of age or, in females, prior to their first estrus (heat cycle). Understandably, many owners do not question this suggestion because, after all, veterinarians did spend a good part of their adult lives in school being taught how to care for our animals.
Early spay and neuter has become increasingly popular with veterinarians and those working in animal rescue to help reduce the number of unwanted animals who find themselves in animal shelters around the world. The idea is that if these animals are adopted and already altered there is no chance of that animal reproducing and adding back to the numbers that it was once a part of.
We have all heard that spaying and neutering our pets reduces the risks of cancers, curtails aggression and a whole host of other benefits. Unfortunately, that is not entirely true based on countless research studies published by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and many other veterinary sources.
According to one article by the AVMA published in 2007, the incidence of noise phobias and submissive urination occurred more commonly in animals altered before 5 months of age. An increase in reactivity to humans and strange dogs as well as family member aggression has a higher incidence in spayed female dogs in several studies.
Mammary cancer can and does occur in both intact and altered females and are the most common type of malignant tumors in dogs. Females that are spayed prior to their first estrus have a 0.5% chance whereas after 2 cycles the chances increase to 26%. The average age of diagnosis is just shy of 10 years and spaying later in life, even as late as 9, still reduces the risk. The article also states that one study indicated a higher incidence of mammary neoplasia in intact females who had pseudopregnancies more than 3 times in their lifetimes.
Prostatic cancer occur in intact and castrated dogs but castrated dogs are a range of 2.4 to 4.3 times more likely to be affected with an average age of 10 years at diagnosis.
Testicular tumors are the second most commonly diagnosed tumors in dogs, has an average age of 10 years at diagnosis and is not often malignant. Castration after diagnosis is most often effective.
Ovarian tumors, according to the text, is uncommon and metastasis is rare. Spay upon diagnosis is typically curative.
Transitional Cell Carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed tumor of the urinary tract and spayed/neutered dogs are at 2 to 4 times the risk of intact dogs.
Sexually altered dogs are at 1.3 to 2 times the risk of developing Osteosarcoma, a highly malignant tumor of the bone. One article mentions a study of purebred Rottweilers that indicated a higher incidence of osteosarcoma in male and female dogs altered prior to one year of age.
Spay or neuter prior to growth plate closure leads to longer growth periods resulting in lengthening of the long bones. In Danes this results in a very tall, leggy dog that appears out of proportion the rest of the body.
Hip dysplasia is a hereditary condition but can be attributed to environmental factors as well. One study indicated a higher incidence in dogs spayed or neutered prior to 5 months of age.
CCL ruptures have been shown to be more prevalent in altered dogs.
Read the entire article here:
https://www.avma.org/News/Journals/Collections/Documents/javma_231_11_1665.pdf
I highly recommend reading the additional links below:
http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/January-2012/Is-Early-Neutering-Hurting-Pets/
http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/spay_neuter_considerations_2013.pdf
The following has many links to other studies throughout.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02078.x/full
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
http://crescopublications.org/pdf/JEAH/JEAH-1-002.pdf
http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/determining-the-best-age-at.html
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/golden-retriever-study-suggests-neutering-affects-dog-health
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/early-neutering-poses-health-risks-german-shepherd-dogs-study-finds/
http://www.askthedogguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Downside_To_Neutering_Viszlas.pdf
After reading everything above, one might wonder why we alter our dogs at all and why, as breeders, we require it for puppies sold as pets.
The truth is, regardless of the higher incidence of various diseases and conditions mentioned above, most people aren't prepared to face the challenges of caring for an intact pet over the course of its lifetime. Female dogs are messy when they come into season and can ruin carpet, blankets, furniture, etc.. Yes, you can get diapers or underwear to prevent this from happening but many do not know they are available. Aggression due to hormonal changes often occurs when a family has multiple intact dogs within the home. This also can be prevented by supervision and separation but is not fail proof and in my experience, most do not want to have to separate their 'family' for any amount of time. It's just easier for them to have their pet altered and not have to worry. In today's world it is common for dogs to go to daycare while the family is away at work or school and most of those places require the pet to be spayed or neutered by 6 months.
We, as breeders, also have the responsibility to ensure that puppies placed into pet homes remain just that, pets. That's not to say that breeders don't consider their breeding animals as pets, because we do, but for one reason or another that puppy was placed in that home as a pet because it didn't meet our requirements for a show prospect or breeding. Or the family expressly indicated they did not want breeding rights regardless of breeding quality. We also have the responsibility to preserve the lineage we have created by not allowing all puppies produced to become breeding animals, accidentally or otherwise, so we require spay and neuter.
Our contract requires spay or neuter AFTER 18 months of age but NO LATER than 26 months of age. By doing so the growth plates are closed and the dog was allowed to grow at a normal rate thereby, hopefully, curtailing some of the orthopedic conditions talked about above.
We do offer families the option of having an ovary sparing spay (OSS) or a vasectomy on their bitch or dog should they decide they just cannot wait until the recommended age IF they are able to find a veterinarian willing to perform the procedures. Both options allow the dog to keep their hormones as if they were intact but they are unable to reproduce,
Failure to abide by the terms of the contract by traditional spay or neuter prior to 18 months of age voids the health guarantee!
Link to information on Ovary Sparing Spay:
https://www.parsemusfoundation.org/projects/ovary-sparing-spray/
Link to information on Vasectomy:
http://hunterpetcare.com/about-us/services/canine-vasectomy.html
Early spay and neuter has become increasingly popular with veterinarians and those working in animal rescue to help reduce the number of unwanted animals who find themselves in animal shelters around the world. The idea is that if these animals are adopted and already altered there is no chance of that animal reproducing and adding back to the numbers that it was once a part of.
We have all heard that spaying and neutering our pets reduces the risks of cancers, curtails aggression and a whole host of other benefits. Unfortunately, that is not entirely true based on countless research studies published by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and many other veterinary sources.
According to one article by the AVMA published in 2007, the incidence of noise phobias and submissive urination occurred more commonly in animals altered before 5 months of age. An increase in reactivity to humans and strange dogs as well as family member aggression has a higher incidence in spayed female dogs in several studies.
Mammary cancer can and does occur in both intact and altered females and are the most common type of malignant tumors in dogs. Females that are spayed prior to their first estrus have a 0.5% chance whereas after 2 cycles the chances increase to 26%. The average age of diagnosis is just shy of 10 years and spaying later in life, even as late as 9, still reduces the risk. The article also states that one study indicated a higher incidence of mammary neoplasia in intact females who had pseudopregnancies more than 3 times in their lifetimes.
Prostatic cancer occur in intact and castrated dogs but castrated dogs are a range of 2.4 to 4.3 times more likely to be affected with an average age of 10 years at diagnosis.
Testicular tumors are the second most commonly diagnosed tumors in dogs, has an average age of 10 years at diagnosis and is not often malignant. Castration after diagnosis is most often effective.
Ovarian tumors, according to the text, is uncommon and metastasis is rare. Spay upon diagnosis is typically curative.
Transitional Cell Carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed tumor of the urinary tract and spayed/neutered dogs are at 2 to 4 times the risk of intact dogs.
Sexually altered dogs are at 1.3 to 2 times the risk of developing Osteosarcoma, a highly malignant tumor of the bone. One article mentions a study of purebred Rottweilers that indicated a higher incidence of osteosarcoma in male and female dogs altered prior to one year of age.
Spay or neuter prior to growth plate closure leads to longer growth periods resulting in lengthening of the long bones. In Danes this results in a very tall, leggy dog that appears out of proportion the rest of the body.
Hip dysplasia is a hereditary condition but can be attributed to environmental factors as well. One study indicated a higher incidence in dogs spayed or neutered prior to 5 months of age.
CCL ruptures have been shown to be more prevalent in altered dogs.
Read the entire article here:
https://www.avma.org/News/Journals/Collections/Documents/javma_231_11_1665.pdf
I highly recommend reading the additional links below:
http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/January-2012/Is-Early-Neutering-Hurting-Pets/
http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/spay_neuter_considerations_2013.pdf
The following has many links to other studies throughout.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02078.x/full
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
http://crescopublications.org/pdf/JEAH/JEAH-1-002.pdf
http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/determining-the-best-age-at.html
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/golden-retriever-study-suggests-neutering-affects-dog-health
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/early-neutering-poses-health-risks-german-shepherd-dogs-study-finds/
http://www.askthedogguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Downside_To_Neutering_Viszlas.pdf
After reading everything above, one might wonder why we alter our dogs at all and why, as breeders, we require it for puppies sold as pets.
The truth is, regardless of the higher incidence of various diseases and conditions mentioned above, most people aren't prepared to face the challenges of caring for an intact pet over the course of its lifetime. Female dogs are messy when they come into season and can ruin carpet, blankets, furniture, etc.. Yes, you can get diapers or underwear to prevent this from happening but many do not know they are available. Aggression due to hormonal changes often occurs when a family has multiple intact dogs within the home. This also can be prevented by supervision and separation but is not fail proof and in my experience, most do not want to have to separate their 'family' for any amount of time. It's just easier for them to have their pet altered and not have to worry. In today's world it is common for dogs to go to daycare while the family is away at work or school and most of those places require the pet to be spayed or neutered by 6 months.
We, as breeders, also have the responsibility to ensure that puppies placed into pet homes remain just that, pets. That's not to say that breeders don't consider their breeding animals as pets, because we do, but for one reason or another that puppy was placed in that home as a pet because it didn't meet our requirements for a show prospect or breeding. Or the family expressly indicated they did not want breeding rights regardless of breeding quality. We also have the responsibility to preserve the lineage we have created by not allowing all puppies produced to become breeding animals, accidentally or otherwise, so we require spay and neuter.
Our contract requires spay or neuter AFTER 18 months of age but NO LATER than 26 months of age. By doing so the growth plates are closed and the dog was allowed to grow at a normal rate thereby, hopefully, curtailing some of the orthopedic conditions talked about above.
We do offer families the option of having an ovary sparing spay (OSS) or a vasectomy on their bitch or dog should they decide they just cannot wait until the recommended age IF they are able to find a veterinarian willing to perform the procedures. Both options allow the dog to keep their hormones as if they were intact but they are unable to reproduce,
Failure to abide by the terms of the contract by traditional spay or neuter prior to 18 months of age voids the health guarantee!
Link to information on Ovary Sparing Spay:
https://www.parsemusfoundation.org/projects/ovary-sparing-spray/
Link to information on Vasectomy:
http://hunterpetcare.com/about-us/services/canine-vasectomy.html