[NAGDU] spay/neuter article

[Tami Jarvis]

Last year when I was preparing to get Loki, I had a long talk with my 
veterinarian niece about neutering. This was June of 2014, so either 
before the vizsla study was published or before either of us had run 
across it. The golden retriever study was a good start to formal 
research on the controversy, but it involved a very small sample of 
individuals in a smallish geographical area. I didn't find it all that 
useful for making a firm decision for a poodle in Oregon. Hm... There 
had been a lot written about clinical observations, but I didn't find 
those definitive enough to suit me, either. Clearly, there's something 
to research, and more is being done, so that's good.

She also pointed out that in her years of clinical practice, roughly 60 
percent of traumatic injury cases have been intact males. Yoiks! I think 
I made some lame crack about stupid owner syndrome, and she agreed you 
might think so, only... She hasn't noticed that all that many of her 
clients are particularly stupid or negligent. So she advises clients to 
wait until the pup is into adolescence -- 5 to 7 months, at least -- 
then watch for behaviors like digging and decide how much longer you 
want to wait. I had wanted to wait until Loki was at least a year, and 
he was still well-behaved, but he got so tall and springy he could 
conceivably jump the fence if true love happened by. Without that added 
motivation, we're not worried about it, but add a big shot of brand new 
hormones and who knows? Also, he had gotten pretty strong, and I didn't 
want to risk true love across the street when we were out on a training 
walk. So he ended up keeping his original equipment to just past 11 
months, then I decided the risk assessment wasn't making me happy.

I also considered vasectomy for him, but very briefly. Even if training 
and management could suffice to keep him working safely when he passed a 
female in heat, there are also other male dogs to consider, as well as 
those neutered males who still need to get their macho on in the 
presence of an intact male. I'm not sure it's a huge risk factor, but 
it's a risk I can avoid and choose to. I've heard of an owner-trainer 
who worked an intact male, but nothing about how it worked out.

Loki did get pretty ditzy for three or four weeks after he was fixed, 
but then things balanced out for him, and he was back to his same self. 
Whew! Seems like there will be more research to consider next time I 
need to worry about spaying or neutering, so I may end up deciding 
differently then.

Tami

On 12/18/2015 02:29 PM, Cindy Ray via NAGDU wrote:
> I don't think that Raven was asking us to agree with her. She was responding
> to some questions I had. She did also say that this intact dog thing
> wouldn't work as well in the school settings. Anyway, I think I'm going to
> go turn up my heat.
> Cindy Lou Ray
> cindyray at gmail.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Star Gazer via
> NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 3:35 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Star Gazer <pickrellrebecca at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] spay/neuter article
>
> 				Raven,
> I don't know enough about this topic to dispute you. I would be interested
> in hearing from any Scandanavian people, partly because I don't much care
> that because they do it so can or should we. Many homes in France do not
> have central heating. I'm sure people there manage "just fine". I'm also not
> about to turn off my central heating just because they don't have it.
> In other words, I'd like to hear how Scandinavian folks manage their dogs,
> and decide in my own mind if I'd be just fine with those parameters.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Raven Tolliver
> via NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 3:10 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Raven Tolliver <ravend729 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] spay/neuter article
>
> Cindy,
> Other countries, like the Scandinavian countries, do not remove reproductive
> organs from their guide dogs, as far as I'm aware. Of course, in other
> countries, it is atypical to remove these organs across the board. People in
> these other countries manage their animals just fine.
>
> The larger service dog schools in North America don't operate in a way that
> suits intact dogs in training.
> dogs are allowed to run together. This isn't bad, but With intact dogs,
> hormones run high, and pack-running will likely include some fighting, alpha
> dog competition, especially since many dogs are further stressed by the
> kennel environment.
> Dogs are not allowed to reach maturity before they start training or are
> issued.
> Too many dogs are issued before they're 2-3, which is when they are done
> with the majority of their mental and physical development. Other countries
> don't issue dogs until they have reached, or are nearing maturation.
>
> There are owner trainers who choose to work intact dogs here in the US, and
> for the girls, they simply don't work their dogs several weeks out of the
> year. An inconvenience to some, but as the article discussed above, there
> are alternative to leaving the organs 100% intact and removing them
> completely.
> --
> Raven
> Founder of 1AM Editing & Research
> www.1am-editing.com
>
> You are valuable because of your potential, not because of what you have or
> what you do.
>
> Naturally-reared guide dogs
> https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nrguidedogs
>
> On 12/18/15, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> That was an interesting article. I wonder what the service dog
>> schools/training programs are thinking of such studies. Do you suppose
>> they have counter studies? Is it possible that they are looking at the
>> other options? If you chose not to tamper with the dog's reproductive
>> system at all, I wonder how it would affect the dog's work, especially
>> female, but certainly both would have effects in one way or the other.
>> Cindy Lou Ray
>> cindyray at gmail.com
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Becky
>> Frankeberger via NAGDU
>> Sent: Friday, December 18, 2015 11:57 AM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Becky Frankeberger <b.butterfly at comcast.net>
>> Subject: [NAGDU] spay/neuter article
>>
>> Someone made reference to this on list. So here is the article.
>>
>>
>>
>> The topic of spay/neuter is emotionally charged for many pet owners.
>> It's become the "responsible" thing to do and we commonly hear of
>> the benefits of this surgery but rarely the risks. And when savvy pet
>> owners forgo or delay spay/neuter to mitigate that risk, they're
>> frequently vilified for contributing to the pet over population
>> problem. But decisions made on emotion aren't usually the best kinds
>> of decisions we can make. So indulge me while I take an objective and
>> scientific look at what's causing all the fuss. We'll start with the
>> most recent reason to reconsider spay/neuter.
>>
>>
>>
>> In February 2014, a study was completed on over 2500 Vizsla dogs and
>> the results were a blow to those who vehemently defend spay/neuter.
>> But this latest study is just the most recent of a long line of work
>> showing that removing a quarter of the dog's endocrine system might
>> not be in the dog's best interest - and maybe not even in the best
>> interests of rescues and shelters. Let's look at what this research
>> shows as the three most important reasons you should reconsider
>> spay/neuter.
>>
>>
>>
>> Spay/Neuter and Joint Disease
>>
>>
>>
>> We'll get to the Vizsla study that I mentioned later. They didn't
>> investigate the link between spay/neuter and joint disease, but they
>> didn't really need to - there was already plenty of research showing
>> the
> link.
>>
>>
>>
>> Hip Dysplasia
>>
>>
>>
>> A study on Golden Retrievers found that male dogs who were neutered
>> before
>>
>> 12 months of age had double the risk of hip dysplasia than their
>> intact counterparts (Torres de la Riva G, Hart BL, Farver TB,
>> Oberbauer AM, Messam LLM, et al. (2013) Neutering Dogs: Effects on
>> Joint Disorders and Cancers in Golden Retrievers)
>>
>>
>>
>> Other research shows that dogs sterilized before the age of six months
>> have a 70% increased risk of developing hip dysplasia. The authors of
>> this study (Spain et al, JAVMA 2004), propose that "it is possible
>> that the increase in bone length that results from early-age
>> gonadectomy results in changes in joint conformation, which could lead
>> to a diagnosis of hip dysplasia."
>>
>>
>>
>> There's even more evidence that spay/neuter can increase the risk of
>> hip dysplasia. Van Hagen et al (Am J Vet Res, Feb 2005), found that of
>> the sample dogs diagnosed with hip dysplasia, those that were neutered
>> six months prior to the diagnosis were nearly twice as likely to
>> develop hip dysplasia.
>>
>>
>>
>> Interestingly, a study by Dannuccia et al (Calcif Tissue Int, 1986),
>> found that removing the ovaries of Beagles caused increased remodeling
>> of the pelvic bone, which also suggests an increased risk of hip
>> dysplasia with spay.
>>
>>
>>
>> Cruciate Ligament Tears
>>
>>
>>
>> Cranial cruciate ligament tears have also been linked to spay/neuter
>> in numerous studies.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Golden Retriever study found that although there were no cases of
>> cruciate tear in the intact dogs, 5% of males neutered before 12
>> months and 8% of females did suffer tears.
>>
>>
>>
>> Whitehair et al (JAVMA Oct 1993), found that spayed and neutered dogs
>> of any age were twice as likely to suffer cranial cruciate ligament
>> rupture.
>>
>> Slauterbeck et al also found an increased risk (Clin Orthop Relat Res
>> Dec 2004).
>>
>>
>>
>> Chris Zinc DVM PhD DACVP explains, ".if the femur has achieved its
>> genetically determined normal length at eight 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."
>>
>>
>>
>> Additionally, sterilization can cause a loss of bone mass (Martin et
>> al, Bone 1987), and obesity (Edney et al, Vet Rec Apr 1986). Both of
>> these factors could lead to an increased risk of cranial cruciate
>> ligament tear and hip dysplasia. Furthermore, spayed/neutered dogs are
>> greater than three times more likely to suffer from patellar luxation
>> (Vidoni et al, Wien Tierartztl Mschr 2005).
>>
>>
>>
>> But there are even more sinister issues with spay/neuter.
>>
>>
>>
>> Spay/Neuter and Cancer
>>
>>
>>
>> Contrary to popular belief, we can't spay/neuter cancer and, in fact,
>> this surgery largely increases the risk of many common canine cancers.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Golden Retriever study looked at cancer rates and found that the
>> incidence of lymphosarcoma was three times higher in males neutered
>> before
>>
>> 12 months of age. Interestingly the percentage of hemangiosarcoma in
>> females spayed after 12 months was four times higher than that of
>> intact and even early-spayed females. Additionally, 6% of females
>> spayed after 12 months were affected with mast cell cancer, while
>> there were zero cases among the intact females. These results are
>> similar to other studies.
>>
>>
>>
>> The more recent Vizsla study found that spayed females had
>> significantly higher rates of hemangiosarcoma (nine times higher) than
> intact females.
>>
>> They also found that spayed/neutered dogs were 3.5% more likely to
>> suffer mast cell cancer and 4.3 times more likely to suffer lymphoma. (M.
>>
>> Christine Zink, DVM, PhD et al., Evaluation of the risk and age of
>> onset of cancer and behavioral disorders in gonadectomized Vizslas.
>> JAVMA, Vol 244, No. 3, February 1, 2014)
>>
>>
>>
>> In fact, the incidence of all cancers in spayed females was 6.5 times
>> higher and in neutered males was 3.6 times higher than intact dogs.
>>
>>
>>
>> They also found that the younger the dogs were spayed/neutered, the
>> younger they were when diagnosed with cancer.
>>
>>
>>
>> Waters et al. (Exploring mechanisms of sex differences in longevity:
>>
>> lifetime ovary exposure and exceptional longevity in dogs) found
>> similar results in their study of female Rottweilers. The researchers
>> set out to determine whether retaining the ovaries contributed to
>> longevity. In Rottweilers, the major causes of death are sarcoma and
>> other cancers, which account for 38% and 73% of deaths respectively.
>>
>>
>>
>> After excluding all cancer deaths, females who kept their ovaries
>> during the first seven years of life were more than nine times more
>> likely to reach exceptional longevity than females with the shortest
>> ovary exposure.
>>
>> Although intact female dogs were more likely than males to achieve
>> exceptional longevity, that advantage was erased with spay.
>>
>>
>>
>> Spay/Neuter and Behavior
>>
>>
>>
>> Although spay/neuter had been previously linked to cognitive
>> impairment and even a three fold risk of hypothyroidism, which often
>> creates behavior changes, the Viszla study yielded some particularly
>> interesting insight into this link.
>>
>>
>>
>> In the study, spayed and neutered dogs were also more likely to
>> develop behavior disorders than intact dogs. This included fear of
>> storms, separation anxiety, fear of noises, timidity, excitability,
>> aggression, hyperactivity and fear biting. Another study found
>> neutered dogs were more aggressive, fearful, excitable and less
>> trainable
> than intact dogs.
>> (Parvene
>> Farhoody @ M. Christine Zink, Behavioral and Physical Effects of
>> Spaying and Neutering Domestic Dogs, May 2010)
>>
>>
>>
>> This is contrary to the popular belief that neutering reduces
>> aggression and other behavior problems.
>>
>>
>>
>> There's Nothing Routine About Spay/Neuter
>>
>>
>>
>> These findings also present a conundrum for shelters and rescues who
>> advocate spay/neuter. Although reducing the number of dogs in shelters
>> is an important goal, it's more important to prevent them from ending
>> up at the shelter. While most people believe that shelters are full
>> because of over population, behavior problems are the most common
>> reason owners give up their dogs. Moreover, is it fair for shelters to
>> burden adoptive families with the increased risk of cancer and joint
>> disease?
>>
>>
>>
>> There are alternatives to the complete removal of the reproductive
>> organs and this might play a role in reducing the risk of cancer,
>> joint disease and behavior issues. Spay is "instant menopause" and
>> immediately shuts off the supply of protective hormones that are
>> obviously involved in much more than just reproduction. Modified
>> spay/neuter surgeries have less impact on the hormones and endocrine
>> system, so dogs will enjoy more protection, even when sterilized.
>>
>>
>>
>> Hormones produced by the reproductive organs not only are essential
>> for reproduction, but in the development of homeostasis, body
>> condition, cholesterol levels, energy levels, urinary continence,
>> muscle tone, cognition, behavior and, most importantly, they also play
>> a role in the immune system. The rise in the risk of many cancers in
>> response to the removal of the reproductive organs is evidence of this.
>>
>>
>>
>> In females, a partial spay, or ovary-sparing spay or tubal ligation
>> are safer options. In males, vasectomy can also be a safer option.
>> There is also a zinc injection that has recently come into favor.
>> Hopefully this research will encourage more shelters to look into
>> these safer and less intrusive options.
>>
>>
>>
>> Finally, if your goal is to give your dog the best chance at a life
>> free of joint disease, cancer and behavior issues, then keeping your
>> dog intact is certainly an option. If you're thoughtful and caring
>> enough to get this far in the article, you're certainly thoughtful
>> enough
> to manage an intact dog.
>>
>> Simply make certain your intact male isn't allowed to wander and keep
>> your intact female on leash for a few weeks when she is in estrus.
>>
>>
>>
>> Removing a significant part of your dog's endocrine system should be
>> anything but routine. As research continues to show the damning
>> results of spay/neuter, it's certainly in your dog's best interests
>> for you to consider these three important reasons to keep your best
>> friend just the way mother nature made him.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Becky Frankeberger
>>
>>
>>
>> Butterfly Knitting
>>
>>
>>
>> -           Ponchos
>>
>>
>>
>> -           Afghans
>>
>>
>>
>> -           Shawls
>>
>>
>>
>> -           Custom Knitting
>>
>>
>>
>> 360-426-8389
>>
>>
>>
>> becky at butterflyknitting.com <mailto:becky at butterflyknitting.com>
>>
>>
>>
>> www.butterflyKnitting.com
>
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