Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete
One Veterinarian’s Opinion
© 2005 Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP
www.caninesports.com
Those of us with responsibility for the health of canine
athletes need to continually read and evaluate new
scientific studies to ensure that we are taking the most
appropriate care of our performance dogs. This article
provides evidence through a number of recent studies to
suggest that veterinarians and owners working with
canine athletes should revisit the standard protocol in
which all dogs that are not intended for breeding are
spayed and neutered at or before 6 months of age.
Orthopedic Considerations
A study by Salmeri et al
in 1991 found
that bitches spayed at 7 weeks grew significantly taller than those spayed
at 7 months, who were taller than
those not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had
closed).(1)
A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and
1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and
neutered at less than a year of age were significantly
taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of
age.(2) The sex hormones, by communicating with a number
of other growth-related hormones, promote the
closure of the growth plates at puberty (3), so the bones
of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty
continue to grow. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered
well before puberty can frequently be identified by
their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests
and narrow skulls. This abnormal growth frequently
results in significant alterations in body proportions
and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certain
bones relative to others. For example, if the femur has
achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8
months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia,
which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of
age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop
at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the
lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier
(because it is longer), and may cause increased stresses on the
cranial cruciate ligament. In addition, sex hormones are
critical for achieving peak bone density.(4) These
structural and physiological alterations may be the
reason why at least one recent study showed that spayed and
neutered dogs had a higher incidence of CCL
rupture.(5) Another recent study showed that dogs spayed or
neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher
incidence of
hip dysplasia
than those spayed or neutered
after 5 1/2 months of age, although
it should be noted that in this study there were no standard criteria for
the
diagnosis of hip dysplasia.(6) Nonetheless, breeders of
purebred dogs should be cognizant of these studies and
should consider whether or not pups they bred were spayed
or neutered when considering breeding decisions.
Cancer Considerations
A retrospective study of cardiac tumors in dogs showed
that there was a 5 times greater risk of
hemangiosarcoma, one of the
three most common cancers in dogs, in spayed bitches than intact bitches and
a
2.4 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma in neutered
dogs as compared to intact males.(7) A study of 3218
dogs demonstrated that dogs that were neutered before a
year of age had a significantly increased chance of
developing bone cancer.(8) A
separate study showed that neutered dogs had a two-fold higher risk of
developing
bone cancer.(9) Despite the common belief that neutering
dogs helps prevent prostate cancer, at least one study
suggests that neutering provides no benefit.(10) There
certainly is evidence of a slightly increased risk of
mammary cancer in female dogs after one heat cycle, and
for increased risk with each subsequent heat. While
about 30 % of mammary cancers are malignant, as in
humans, when caught and surgically removed early the
prognosis is very good.(12) Luckily, canine athletes are
handled frequently and generally receive prompt
veterinary care.
Behavioural Considerations
The study that identified a higher incidence of cranial
cruciate ligament rupture in spayed or neutered dogs also
identified an increased incidence of
sexual behaviours in
males and females
that were
neutered early.(5) Further,
the study that identified a higher
incidence of hip dysplasia in dogs neutered or spayed before 5 1/2 months
also
showed that early age gonadectomy was associated with an
increased incidence of
noise phobias and
undesirable sexual
behaviours .(6)
A recent report of the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation
reported
significantly more behavioural
problems in spayed and neutered bitches and dogs. The most commonly observed
behavioural problem in spayed females was
fearful behaviour
and the most common problem in males was
aggression .(12)
Other Health Considerations
A number of
studies have shown that there is an increase in the incidence of
female urinary
incontinence
in dogs
spayed early (13), although this
finding has not been universal. Certainly there is evidence that ovarian
hormones
are critical for maintenance of genital tissue structure
and contractility.(14, 15) Neutering also has been
associated with an increased likelihood of
urethral sphincter incontinence in males.(16) This problem is
an
inconvenience, and not usually life-threatening, but
nonetheless one that requires the dog to be medicated for life.
A health survey of several thousand Golden Retrievers
showed that spayed or neutered dogs were more likely to
develop hypothyroidism.(2) This
study is consistent with the results of another study in which neutering and
spaying was determined to be the most significant
gender-associated risk factor for development of
hypothyroidism.(17)
Infectious diseases
were more common in dogs that were spayed or neutered at 24 weeks or
less as opposed to those undergoing
gonadectomy at more than 24 weeks.(18) Finally, the AKC-CHF report
demonstrated a higher incidence of
adverse reactions to
vaccines
in neutered dogs as
compared to intact.(12)
I have gathered these studies to
show that our practice of routinely spaying or neutering every dog at or
before
the age of 6 months is not a black-and-white issue.
Clearly more studies need to be done to evaluate the effects
of prepubertal spaying and neutering, particularly in
canine athletes.
Currently, I have significant concerns with spaying or
neutering canine athletes before puberty. But of course,
there is the pet overpopulation problem. How can we
prevent the production of unwanted dogs while still leaving
the gonads to produce the hormones that are so important
to canine growth and development? One answer
would be to perform vasectomies in males and tubal
ligation in females, to be followed after maturity by
ovariohysterectomy in females to prevent mammary cancer
and pyometra. One possible disadvantage is that
vasectomy does not prevent some unwanted behaviors
associated with males such as marking and humping. On
the other hand, females and neutered males frequently
participate in these behaviors too. Really, training is the
best solution for these issues. Another possible
disadvantage is finding a veterinarian who is experienced in
performing these procedures. Nonetheless, some do, and if
the procedures were in greater demand, more
veterinarians would learn them.
I believe it is important that we assess each situation
individually. For canine athletes, I currently recommend that
dogs and bitches be spayed or neutered after 14 months of
age.
References:
1. Salmeri KR, Bloomberg MS, Scruggs SL, Shille V..
Gonadectomy in immature dogs: effects on skeletal,
physical, and behavioral development. JAVMA
1991;198:1193-1203
2.
http://www.grca.org/healthsurvey.pdf
3. Grumbach MM. Estrogen, bone, growth and sex: a sea
change in conventional wisdom. J Pediatr Endocrinol
Metab. 2000;13 Suppl 6:1439-55.
4. Gilsanz V, Roe TF, Gibbens DT, Schulz EE, Carlson ME,
Gonzalez O, Boechat MI. Effect of sex steroids on
peak bone density of growing rabbits. Am J Physiol. 1988
Oct;255(4 Pt 1):E416-21.
5. Slauterbeck JR, Pankratz K, Xu KT, Bozeman SC, Hardy
DM. Canine ovariohysterectomy and orchiectomy
increases the prevalence of ACL injury. Clin Orthop Relat
Res. 2004 Dec;(429):301-5.
6. Spain CV, Scarlett JM, Houpt KA. Long-term risks and
benefits of early-age gonadectomy in dogs. JAVMA
2004;224:380-387.
7. Ware WA, Hopper DL. Cardiac tumors in dogs: 1982-1995.
J Vet Intern Med 1999 Mar-Apr;13(2):95-103
8. Cooley DM, Beranek BC, Schlittler DL, Glickman NW,
Glickman LT, Waters D, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers
Prev. 2002 Nov;11(11):1434-40
9. Ru G, Terracini B, Glickman LT. Host related risk
factors for canine osteosarcoma. Vet J. 1998 Jul;156(1):31-
9.
10. Obradovich J, Walshaw R, Goullaud E. The influence of
castration on the development of prostatic carcinoma
in the dog. 43 cases (1978-1985). J Vet Intern Med 1987
Oct-Dec;1(4):183-7
11.
http://www.akcchf.org/pdfs/whitepapers/Biennial_National_Parent_Club_Canine_Health_Conference.pdf
12. Meuten DJ. Tumors in Domestic Animals. 4 th
Edn. Iowa State
Press, Blackwell Publishing Company, Ames,
Iowa, p. 575
13. Stocklin-Gautschi NM, Hassig M, Reichler IM, Hubler
M, Arnold S. The relationship of urinary incontinence to
early spaying in bitches. J. Reprod. Fertil. Suppl.
57:233-6, 2001
14. Pessina MA, Hoyt RF Jr, Goldstein I, Traish AM.
Differential effects of estradiol, progesterone, and
testosterone on vaginal structural integrity.
Endocrinology. 2006 Jan;147(1):61-9.
15. Kim NN, Min K, Pessina MA, Munarriz R, Goldstein I,
Traish AM. Effects of ovariectomy and steroid
hormones on vaginal smooth muscle contractility. Int J
Impot Res. 2004 Feb;16(1):43-50.
16. Aaron A, Eggleton K, Power C, Holt PE. Urethral
sphincter mechanism incompetence in male dogs: a
retrospective analysis of 54 cases. Vet Rec. 139:542-6,
1996
17. Panciera DL. Hypothyroidism in dogs: 66 cases
(1987-1992). J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc., 204:761-7 1994
18. Howe LM, Slater MR, Boothe HW, Hobson HP, Holcom JL,
Spann AC. Long-term outcome of gonadectomy
performed at an early age or traditional age in dogs. J
Am Vet Med Assoc. 2001 Jan 15;218(2):217-21.
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