[Link] New study: "Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs"

[etenczal]

This study expands on previous research regarding the effect of spaying and neutering at various ages on the risk of developing joint disorders and some cancers. It provides recommendations based on the data for a variety of popular breeds.

https://www.frontiersin.org/article...lLW0Rj_5rOeKdzwzWm-FLE-pC63kAw-kRMqH-9aPT5eVo

 

[shiffley]

@etenczal Really, really interesting. Thank you for this. The differences in breeds is super interesting and useful, and the differences in sexes in one breed is amazing.

 

[joshuawithmartin]

@etenczal What stood out to me is just how many say “choice.” With some of the conversations around altering and the newer fervor for keeping dogs intact you’d think it was catastrophic across the board. Also, I agree that the sex differences within the same breed are really interesting!

 

[katew]

@joshuawithmartin Yea, all of the dog daycares and hotels won't take dogs if they aren't spayed/neutered over 6 months old.

 

[buzzy204]

@katew US? What is their reasoning for not allowing intact dogs?

I live in Germany and from my observations so far some daycares have extra fees for bitches in heat or won't let them in. Haven't come across restrictions for intact males, though.

 

[katew]

@buzzy204 I would assume something to do with not being responsible for accidental couplings or aggressive intact behavior. It's just standard policy. Yes USA.

 

[mrsmollett]

@buzzy204 Huh. You’d think it would be the other way around. An intact female gets in the boy pen- that could cause one pregnancy. An intact male gets in the girl pen... well, that could be a disaster.

 

[buzzy204]

@mrsmollett I don't think dogs generally get seperated by sex in these daycares. An intact male in the girl pen wouldn't be able to cause much trouble anyhow. Can't inpregnate anyone and most dogs (male or female) don't like being mounted randomly. I think the main reason for the different treatment is that males go crazy when a bitch in heat is around and female aggression during that time is also not uncommon.

 

[mrsmollett]

@buzzy204 Huh. I’d just imagine that if you were going to allow intact dogs at the daycare- you’d need separate pins. (I haven’t ever gone to one that allows intact dogs). Just seems like an unnecessary risk

 

[christian63years]

@buzzy204 I’m in the US and in my city there are dozens of daycare facilities but I only found one that will take an intact male over 4 Months. My GSD is a little over a year now and not neutered; we’ve talked about doing it around a year and a half mostly because of issues like this.

 

[bojan]

@katew I will say that (working at a daycare) we definitely had to kick some dogs out at adolescence because they would. not. stop. humping.

No matter how often you redirected them, separated them from their hump-buddy, put them on leash, put them in a time out, body blocked, etc. You have to focus on that one dog the entire time when you've got a whole group to look after.

And while some do suggest to "just not interfere, they'll work it out" that's all fine and dandy if it's your dog or your friend's dog, but we can't let that happen to everyone's dog.

 

[davecb]

@etenczal Interesting.

So I was talking to a friend of mine who is a vet and who is a serious agility person. She spayed her youngest bitch at a year, as she was about a week away from coming into season for the first time.

I talked to her about that decision: she said she can keep her dogs lean and athletic and worst case she can handle orthopedic injuries. But she can't cure most cancers and that was what drove her to spay sooner rather than later.

I thought it was an interesting view point, and one that is often missed by people who go only by one study or another and ignore some other factors.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@davecb I did the same thing, but backwards. I said I'd rather deal with pyo than hemagiosarcoma. I can always cut out a uterus, but hemagio is damn near impossible.

I ended up having to cut out the uterus.

 

[palm23]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Was it just the uterus?

 

[davecb]

@imagebeastmarkbeast

I did the same thing, but backwards. I said I'd rather deal with pyo than hemagiosarcoma. I can always cut out a uterus, but hemagio is damn near impossible.
I ended up having to cut out the uterus.

Years ago, I knew two breeders, who owned large kennels. They probably each owned about 20 dogs or so.

But both of them, within a few years of each other, lost a bitch to breast cancer. They had an older bitch, they lost track of how old she was, and oops.

I don't want to be like them...

 

[abdurrashid]

@imagebeastmarkbeast I didn’t get my male American Bulldog neutered until he was almost 4 years old. His age and size (100lbs) caused minor complications after the procedure. At 11 years old he became lethargic and off the vet we went who sent us to the ER Vet and he had hemangiosarcoma. A tumor likely on the spleen or liver had ruptured. They gave him a 10% chance to make it through surgery and then they said it would only give him an extra few months with chemo. It was a very sad day. I didn’t realize it may be related to getting him fixed later.

 

[banky]

@etenczal Very interesting! The difference is glaring in some breeds, while others have none. It really shows it should be decided on a case to case basis.

 

[shasta4737]

@etenczal This makes me feel better about when I chose to get my girl spayed

 

[faithandlove8]

@etenczal I would love to see this kind of study continue and time breeds expanded! It's very interesting and hopefully can help to reduce injuries and cancer rates in different breeds. Smari is intact and unless there are any issues, I don't plan to neuter him. Icies aren't in the study but it would be cool to see them in the next.

 

[oklahoma40404]

@etenczal My husband family has had two female boxers both of which were spayed around 6 months because the vet recommended it. Both had knee problems and both had to have several cancerous growths removed. I never put two and two together that they may be connected. Now I wish we had waited to get our boxer fixed.