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from the how-much^W-big-is-that-doggie-in-the-window? dept.
Big Dogs Face More Joint Problems if Neutered Early:
It's standard practice in the U.S. and much of Europe to neuter dogs by 6 months of age. This study, which analyzed 15 years of data from thousands of dogs at UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, suggests dog owners should consider their options carefully.
"Most dogs are mixed breeds," said lead author Benjamin Hart, distinguished professor emeritus at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
[...] Researchers examined common joint disorders including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament tears, a knee injury, in five weight categories.
[...] The risk of joint disorders for heavier dogs can be up to a few times higher compared to dogs left intact. This was true for large mixed-breed dogs. For example, for female dogs over 43 pounds, the risk jumped from 4 percent for intact dogs to 10-12 percent if spayed before a year of age.
"The study raises unique challenges," noted co-author Lynette Hart, professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. "People like to adopt puppies from shelters, but with mixed breeds it may be difficult to determine just how big the dog will become if you don't know anything about the dog's parents."
Neutering prior to adoption is a common requirement or policy of humane societies, animal shelters and breeders. [...] Shelters, breeders and humane societies should consider adopting a standard of neutering at over a year of age for dogs that will grow into large sizes.
Journal Reference:
Hart, Benjamin L., Hart, Lynette A., Thigpen, Abigail P., et al. Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for Mixed Breed Dogs of Five Weight Categories: Associated Joint Disorders and Cancers, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00472)
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Friday August 14 2020, @10:58PM (5 children)
Q. Why does a dog lick his balls?
A. Because he can
There's a Marylin Manson rib removal surgery joke in there somewhere.
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(Score: 2) by gtomorrow on Saturday August 15 2020, @06:26AM (4 children)
...or maybe I'll just get the damn dog neutered and risk the possible 10-12% of future joint problems.
(Score: 2) by DeVilla on Saturday August 15 2020, @05:02PM (3 children)
It's not fun when the old girl keeps falling down in the kitchen like bambi on ice. Our old girl has been withering away for the last year. I know stairs are hard on the elderly, but I never thought of it with a dog.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Saturday August 15 2020, @06:07PM (2 children)
We should show the same kindness to humans.
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(Score: 2) by gtomorrow on Sunday August 16 2020, @05:55AM (1 child)
This reply is to you and @Devilla. Believe me both, my reply wasn't coming from a heartless place. I don't mean in any way to diminish your situations. I know what it's like when the family animal is suffering.
That said, are you both telling me that your dogs are suffering because you neutered them before one year of age? And you can both unequivocally prove this? Or is it, as I suspect, the luck of the dice so to speak.
You wanna see suffering? Volunteer at the ASPCA for a month.
PSA: Spay and neuter your pets, and don't abandon them.
(Score: 2) by DeVilla on Sunday August 16 2020, @09:37PM
Well, I certainly can't say for certain if my dog's issues are the result of the timing of her being neutered. Whether it's animal medicine or people medicine, I have to depend on people who are better trained than I.
I know non-elderly people who tell me, hip dysplasia sucks. And from what I gather from the article, some researchers feel they have reason to believe that early neutering of large bread dogs can make a non-negligible contribution to the odds of the types of problems my dog is having right now. If these researchers are correct (assuming they are not maliciously misleading people or utterly incompetent) then in time we may want to modify the normal timing of when we neuter certain animals (such as large bread dogs).
I'll admit, I'm not going to head to the ASPCA to see suffering. It's easy enough to find without searching it out. And I do agree that pets should be fixed and absolutely should not be abandoned.
Your tone suggests that you suspect the researchers are incorrect or being alarmist. Am I understanding that correctly? If so, are you basing that on anything?