Is Early Neutering Hurting Pets?

[responsiblek9]

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-practice-news-columns/bond-beyond/is-early-neutering-hurting-pets.aspx

Is Early Neutering Hurting Pets?
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VetPracticeNews.com -
Many organizations that breed service dogs, such as Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Morris Animal Foundation are keeping records that may answer these ...

[Ilghaus]

When I had younger kids at home all of the family pet companions were spayed and neutered around 7-8 months of age.

My German Shepherd males are neutered at 24 months of age except for Karl who just turned 11 years of age is still intact. My next male GSD will not be neutered until he is at least 24 months old and has been x-rayed to check growth plates. My vets and I are on the same page on this plan for my dogs and my life style.

I don't like real early spay/neuter for puppies and kittens but being involved in rescue/sheltering I can see why it is required by our shelter - 2 1/2 months old before they can be adopted out as that is the age they are S/N.

[Magesteff]

I have to say I am a bit opposite of TJ.

While there are good reasons for not spaying/neutering some animals  i.e. breeder, bone growth on working animals (including service animals), or s/n later for those reasons, my personal feeling is that with the companion pet overpopulation issue I would much rather see an early spay or neuter to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Hobbes does have the saggy belly issue that was discussed int he article but then so does the Egyptian Mau and on them it is a normal structure that came about to make that breed a faster runner. Hobbes was spayed at 5 months old. Would I do it again given the information in the article? You bet I would! With the exception of companion animals we got from Humane shelters or animal control where we don't know the exact age that the animals were neutered, all out family pets were altered by 6 to 8 months of age.

In the article they did mention a breed based bias on some of the potential complications, so I must wonder how much of the documentation of various illnesses could be more of a breed issue rather than a spay/neuter issue?

There also was no mention of how much the risks are increased. In a small study there is the possibility to find a large difference that when the study repeated with a larger group sample the the actual rate is closer to the control population and turns out to be not so much of a risk after all.

[responsiblek9]

  Here they have done too good a job with the spay neutering. The local rescues have to import puppies because none are landing in the pounds or rescues from local sources. Just TONS of  kittens.
Most pets landing in rescues here are full grown animals where the people could not keep them because they are moving,  or have behavioral issues, or the pet dont match their decor anymore.. Our rescue gets quite a few also because of people being put into nursing homes or death of the owner. Our pound is pretty much empty except for the occasional stray or lost dog every few months. 

A few  months ago I was visiting with my vet when he started talking to me about the issues of early spay and the  adult dogs tending to be fat after being altered even as adults .
He pulled out that report from ten years ago regarding impact of early spay neuter on competition dogs. I had to laugh told him I had read it and others and that it was from ten years ago.
Thing is he agrees with the report because what he sees is pretty much the same. He wont alter his personal hunting labs until they are to old to be used for breeding or are not useful breeding material. 
I had asked him how in the tarnation will I keep Wisp trim after she gets spayed in retirement when she only eats a cup and a half a day now and can gain weight on air. Once she gets spayed her chance of staying trim is about nonexistant unless someone starves her down. He said that is just a common side effect that slows the metabolism down. That weight issue by itself will shorten a dogs life. 

   

[latopla]

I didn't get a say on Sheriff being neutered.  He was about 1 year old when I adopted him and he had already been neutered when he was found.

However, future male dogs I plan to have neutered between 18-24 months of age. 

[Magesteff]

Re: Obesity - I have to wonder how much of that can be from pet owners overfeeding their dogs? Out of my family's dogs Teddy was still a good weight even at 17, but Happy was overweight, but it was because we were overfeeding him. Even with us being aware of weight issues, even just a few extra ounces of food was enought add weight. Their meals were generally a mix of kibble canned and a few spoonfuls of left over meat and some left over veg. We had been giving Happy a quarter can of canned food, and the vet told us to cut that in half. It wored, Happy lost 2 pound (small dog and at 20 # he was overweight). It was more a factor of us being aware of how much he needs and being careful to not give that extra spoonful.

Since pet obesity is widespread, I have to wonder how many owners, even witht he best intent are over feeding their dogs, by folowing the recomendations on the bag of food, or thinking that their dog looks at them with the soulful eyes, that it is ok to feed just that little extra.

While the lack of the hormones contribute to it, so does owner error.

[arrianya]

I agree on the owner error part.  Now bear in mind my mom was raised with dogs that when free fed maintained weight but when fed on a schedule gained weight.  I grew up in a house of free feeding.  My ex had grown up in scheduled feeding and so when he brought his dog home and when I got Mushu, we had a feeding schedule.  I adjusted both dogs amounts of food according to their deposits and their weight ratios (meaning when Mushu was going through an out phase he got 1/4 cup less food due to the fact he really ballooned out and had little proportion to his fat content in those stages but when he was going up he got the full amount I customarily fed him since he stayed at a proper proportion.  This was also recommended by a local vet that I do so.) 

When I moved home, my 10 year old who I am used to seeing very trim in summer and slightly fatter in winter, has become obese.  We have tried different diets, a stiffer exercise regimen, and cutting out all extras as per suggestions of her vet.  When none of this worked, he admitted defeat and summed it up to be her senior body and the way she metabolizes food now, telling us to let her go back to her normal eating habits, being free feed.  Some nights she eats maybe half a cup others she eats almost 3 cups of food.  She eats according to what her body tells her.

Mushu has also adjusted, nibbling throughout the day but still eats the majority of his meal at night and first thing in the morning after pottying.  I have a bowl in my room for his night eating since I usually go to my room, taking him with and close the door about 9pm and he eats at about 10pm which is when he got used to eating when I would get home from work at about 10:30 most nights.  He is staying well proportionate and I have noticed that he has actually not ballooned out on his last two out spurts

IMO for those that do have a feeding schedule, yes people really do contribute quite a bit to the dogs obesity.  In a free feed environment, either genetics, unknown causes, or humans cause the problem since the dog generally eats what it needs only and can self regulate and not gulp its food but eat it in a more relaxed manner because its not in a "I'm starving" mindset.

Remember these are just my observations and opinion, and may not be necessarily right as I am NOT a vet, NOT an expert, and NOT recommending my observations are right for all dogs or even be used.

[sunshineone]

I have seen enough evidence to wait before altering larger breed working dogs. I will wait before altering Juno. But also will not allow her to mate until time.

As far as the typical pound or rescue hound, I can understand why speutering is important. I know so many people who thinks just one litter of puppies is best (and then after that, just one more). These are not pedigreed poochies here, just run of the mill mutts.
Then there are those who wish to sell these one of a kinds and call it an adoption fee.

The weight issue I think has to do with people thinking dogs are human. With one friend I am mean because when we go out for lunch, I do not save little scraps for my dog to eat. This friend also has an unaltered female who is half again the size she should be and refuses to eat dog food. They make her a plate of food of whatever they are eating.
Another friend knows his dogs are dogs and feeds them dog food, but he feeds them Ol Roy and twice as much as he should. He also keeps stepping in poo and asks for my opinion. He thinks I am a bit out there for spending a month on three dogs what he spends for 10.

[k1maplewd]

I know so many people who thinks just one litter of puppies is best (and then after that, just one more). These are not pedigreed poochies here, just run of the mill mutts.

So what if they're "run of the mill mutts?" They have better genetic diversity in their favor.  Breeding only "pedigreed pooches" isn't doing modern dog ANY favors.  About the only thing going for breeding purebreds is that hobby breeders are generally better about doing documented health testing before breeding and some do proper early socialization.  In the years since closed stud books, genetic diversity in dogs has decreased an astounding amount.  Closed stud books and this idea that purebreds are best are killing our dogs.  Look at the huge decrease in life expectancy that is spreading throughout a large number of breeds.  really those "run of the mill mutts" if they were raised with proper early exposure would be terrific dogs.  That said, petfinder isn't doing shelter dogs any favors either.  People buying a dog sight unseen based on a photo over the internet, having the dog shipped up on a transit, traumatized with quarantine, spay/neuter, vaccinated up the wazo then given to a new home, yeah such an incredibly bad idea if anyone cares anything about the mental welfare of these animals.  Modern dog is falling to pieces right before our very eyes and everyone is so hung up about "what breed is he?" The day dogs were doomed was the day man stopped depending on his dog for his livelihood.  Becoming modern day "house pets" was the worst thing that ever happened to their species.  In 30yrs there is going to be nothing left.     

[sunshineone]

@k1maplewd All the dogs I have are mutts. I would rather have mixed breeds rather than pure breeds. I did not mean that as offensive.

I do think though there is an overpopulation of unwanted and mistreated animals. They start off as cute little puppies, grow to be awkward hyper adolescents, and are given up to various shelters, pounds and rescues. Mixed breeds are more difficult to place than pure breeds. Dogs that are black in color are the hardest to place.

This is all that I had meant when speaking about the people I know wanting to breed with no regard to what outcome will happen.

[k1maplewd]

sunshine what I said wasn't directed at you, it was a general statement on the immense amount of pain I feel for the very species that I love so dearly.  We are, as a human species, causing the massive demise of one we hold so close- the modern dog.  We are doing in, in many people's cases, all with misguided good intentions and ideals of what is "pure" and "perfect".  They're dying, we're killing them, there is going to be nothing left.  No life expectancy, no genetic diversity, no nothing, no real dogs.  I don't know what to do to fix this, I see it, breathe, it live with it every day in my job and life.  We are killing our dogs, quickly, not even slowly, there is going to be nothing left.  About the only ones who still have it right are those who breed dogs for a purpose and only breed those dogs who fit the purpose and can do what they were bred to do.  Sled dogs, live stock guardians, some long term guide/service dog programs. 

[Magesteff]

I have no issues with responisbly bred dogs, be they mutts or pedigree. It's the ones that are bred because they owners do not take the responsibility to make sure that their femae dogs are protected from unsupervised random breeding. I appreciate Breeders that are interested in making certain that they minimize genetic issues that can crop up in their lines rather than a breeder who just wants pedigree dogs to sell for profit.

Yes, most of the dogs in shelters are adult dogs, and also adult cats. THe general public loves young puppies and kittens, but are reluctant to take the older animals. Having volunteered at a humane shelter, many of the older animals are house broken and have some obedience training, so I don't understand why they do not want a dog that is already trained! Older cats are just as fun as the kittens, just not as "cute"

The only reaosn I adopted my second cat was because he was 20 years old and had already ben in at the shelter several months and had stress licked his front paws. But he was so soft and sweet, I could not leave him there. I promised to give him a home for however long he had left - it's nearly 3 years now, and he is still here - climbing on the furniture, up onto the refrigerator, and racing around the house occassionally.

I would rather see spayed/neutering because I cannot agree with breeding an animal just because the babies will be "cute"

[Jane]

There is a scientific study that said neutering/spaying increases the risk of a puppy/young dog getting the Parvovirus by 3 times than a puppy/young dog that hasn't been neutered/spayed.

I have to find that report. I've read it a few days ago.

[responsiblek9]

  i would be curious to see a report like that on the immune response issue. 

[responsiblek9]

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longtermhealtheffectsofspayneuterindogs.pdf

Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in DogsLaura J. Sanborn, M.S.May 14, 2007