THE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS OF EARLY SPAY AND NEUTER IN GOLDEN RETRIEVERS
Most of us are bombarded with messages about taking the socially correct actions and that includes early spay and neuter of our dogs. But we need to be aware that early spay and neuter leaves dogs with their long-term health impaired and in the case of Golden Retrievers, it significantly increases the likelihood they will die of hemangiosarcoma, one of the most common types of cancer in Goldens.
In Sweden spaying and neutering is against the law, under the animal cruelty ordinances. It is a very uncommon practice in Western Europe and yet there is no animal overpopulation problem in those countries. The reason is responsibility. We get puppipes either because people breed dogs on purpose, whether or not they should be doing so. Or we get puppies from accidental breedings becaue people did not pay attention. Since you are reading this website we assume you are responsible and are trying to learn about how to best acquire and care for a Golden Retriever.
How di
d we get to this place where it is socially preferable to alter our dogs to make them less healthy? For a long time there was no research done on this. Dogs were altered, they lived, no one followed sets of altered and unaltered dogs until recently, when medicine for dogs has become big business. The only side by side study of effects of early spay and neuter was done by Canine Companions for Independence. They would like to alter as soon as possible to make life easier for their puppy raisers. They found that animals altered early could not be used as service dogs because of behavior issues. If you are considering a Golden Retriever, we assume temperament and behavior matters to you.
There are a tremendous number of people who get their dogs from shelters and unlike us, the shelters cannot screen their owners. And we know that in California 47% of the dogs adopted from shelters end up back in the shelters. So in that case it is appropriate to help society, even as it hurts the long-term health of the dogs, by making sure all shelter animals are altered before they are adopted.
But you are probably looking for a Golden Retriever. If you have not considered Golden Retriever rescue, they have some wonderful dogs. If you feel you need to know more about the breeding, health and temperament of a potential family pet, that may be why you are at this website. And if you are wanting a Golden that looks like the dogs on this website, let me assure you that one that is altered early will have longer legs, less bone, a narrow and longer muzzle, be a couple inches taller and not resemble its littermates.
Nature gave animals endocrine glands for the same reason people have them. They play a large part in behavior and physical development, the rate at which bones develop, the size of the dog and how the dogs behave. It is only in the last ten years that veterinary medicine has been profitable enough to fund the studies that are not being done, most of which provide surprising data on early spay and neuter. Th
ere are a number of attachments on this subject, some more technical than others. I would urge you to read at least the one by Christine Zink, DVM.
Most uninformed people and many veterinarians would probably tell you that six months of age is the optimum time. But there is no research to support this. Your veterinarian probably attended a vet school supported by HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) which provides support to most vet school and counsels in ethics classes early spay and neuter.* And before this research was available.
But lets start with the benefits of early spay and neuter and there are some. Bitches that are spayed prior to their first season will not develop mammary cancer and not get pyometra. Dogs that are neutered have no testicles and therefore no testicular cancer. These are all low-incidence events and usually easily treated surgically.
Now lets look at the risks from early spay and neuter.
Females
- Urinary incontinence
- Increased barking and aggression toward people and dogs
- The likelihood of getting hemangiosarcoma (a non-treatable cancer that is the most common cancer in Golden Retrievers) is increased by 5 times.
- Triples the risk of hypothyroidism
- If done before one year increases the risk of osteosarcoma
- Increases the risk of orthopedic disorders, possibly including hip dysplasia
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
- Increases the risks of adverse reactions to vaccines
- Increases the risk of obesity by 1.6 - 2 times
Males
- Quadruples the small risk of prostate cancer
- Increased barking and aggression toward people and dogs
- The likelihood of getting hemangiosarcoma is increased by at least 1.4 times.
- Triples the risk of hypothyroidism
- If done before one year increases the risk of osteosarcoma
- Increases the risk of CCL injuries
- Significantly increases the risk of orthopedic disorders, including hip dysplasia
- Triples the risk of obesity
- Increases the risks of adverse reactions to vaccines
- Increases the risk of geriatric positive impairment
For these reasons anyone who acquires a Golden Retriever from Sunbeam is
contractually required to leave their dog intact until it is mature. We realize in most communities that means paying a license fee that is significantly higher. But you need to weigh that against treating a lifetime of avoidable health problems.
Please feel free to share this information with you veterinarian. We are for spaying and neutering dogs that are not part of a breeding program at the appropriate time. We are opposed to ealy spay and neuter of Golden Retrievers whether voluntary or mandatory. And if you would like more articles, please email us at www.sunbeamgr@me.com.
* HSUS operates no shelters and saves no animals but they are interested in calling attention to animal issues and stopping breeding. In fact the HSUS President, Wayne Pacelle has said this about distinct breeds "One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding."
He has also stated “I don’t have a hands-on fondness for animals…To this day I don’t feel bonded to any non-human animal. I like them and I pet them and I’m kind to them, but there’s no special bond between me and other animals.”
Opinion of the Society of Theriogenology (A specialty group in the AVMA)
Basis for the opinion by the Society of Theriogenology
An opinion by the Illinois Veterinary Medical Association on Mandatory Spau and Neuter
A letter from Canine Companions for Independence
A report on early spay and neuter and bahavioral considerations
A report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association