Earlier this year Rochester took advantage of an opportunity to sit down with Michelle Redfern, DVM, to talk about spaying and neutering. He found the discussion to be quite interesting and wanted to share it with you.
Dr. Redfern, thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I know my readers are anxious to hear what you have to say about spaying and neutering.
Q: Now, neutering is something I don’t like to hear in regards to myself, but I do understand there are legitimate health benefits to it. So let me ask you. Is a dog less likely to develop health issues if he is neutered?
A: It depends. Some studies have shown that there are increased risks with neutering for some health problems. However, these studies have primarily been done in golden retrievers and there are some serious biases in the studies. We do know that neutering does prevent certain health problems.
Q: What are some of those health issues that might occur?
A: Being intact, you are more likely to develop testicular cancer. You are at a higher risk for developing perineal hernias. Neutering will prevent those from occurring. If a dog is cryptorchid or monorchid, the risks for developing testicular cancer is greatly increased. Additionally, prostetic hyperplasia occurs in older intact males. Those can lead to life-threatening infections.
Q: How specifically does neutering help prevent these?
A: Dogs can’t develop cancer of an organ that isn’t there. So, by removing the testicles, we remove the risk of testicular cancer. Perineal hernias develop over time with intact males secondary to straining due to enlarged prostate. This leads to muscle breakdown and hernias develop. Without testosterone from the testicles, the prostate will shrink in size and prevent straining and infection from occurring. Many factors go into perineal hernia formation, but testosterone is a major factor.
Q: Okay. What about females? Are they more likely to experience health problems if they aren’t spayed? And what kinds of problems?
A: Yes, females are much more likely to develop health problems if they aren’t spayed. Primarily pyometria, which is a life-threatening uterine infection of older intact females. They also can develop mammary tumors.
Q: Again, how does spaying help?
A: If a female is spayed before their second heat cycle, they have a very low chance of developing any mammary tumor. If they are spayed after that, they have the same risk factors throughout their lives. In this case, elimination of the hormones reduces the risk of developing mammary tumors later in life. Pyometra develops usually in older bitches due to hormonal imbalances or after being in heat. This results in a life-threatening infection that must be aggressively treated.
Q: Now, you’ve shared with us the health benefits of these procedures. Are there benefits to leaving an animal intact even if it is not going to be used for breeding?
A: We don’t fully understand all the health risks and benefits of spaying and neutering. There are benefits to allowing animals to develop physical maturity before altering and, in some breeds, there have been definite relationships between increased cancer rate and having a dog altered. However, this does not hold true for all dog breeds.
Q: What are some of those benefits?
A: Females that are spayed are at higher risk for developing incontinence due to hormonal changes.
Q: We often hear that spayed females gain weight. Do you believe that to be true?
A: After being altered, a dog’s metabolism does slow down. Their bodies are much more efficient in their calorie use. They don’t need as many calories to maintain their body weight. But, a high energy dog will still be a high energy dog as that is more about temperament than reproductive status.
Q: What about eliminating marking behaviors in males?
A: A dog that marks does so because of a learned behavior influenced by testosterone. Neutering will reduce that tendency but, if he has an alpha personality, he may continue to mark.
Q: So, if you humans decide to cut out our parts, how old should we be before the procedure is preformed?
A: There is no one set time that a dog should be altered. It should depend on age, purpose, physical maturity and overall health status. The optimum time for the average dog would be after they are physically mature and the growth plates have closed, in large breeds especially.
Q: How old is too old for spaying and neutering?
A: You are never too old to be altered because as you age your risk for life-threatening health problems increases. Females over the age of eight are at extremely high risk for developing pyometra and males are at risk for prostatitis.
Q: What are the negatives to doing it too early?
A: If surgery is done before growth plates close, dogs will get increased long bone growth. They may appear taller. They also do not develop the same degree of muscle tone.
Q: Do you believe a female should have a season before she is spayed?
A: Being in season is not a magic indicator. Again, it is the age of the dog. Before they have a season, risk factors for mammary cancer are much lower and it is unknown whether the risk for other cancers is higher. Some studies show some breeds are at higher risk.
Q: What are the surgical risks involved with these procedures?
A: The surgical risks of spaying and neutering are minimal. There is always a risk when you are anesthetizing an animal. However, with our current anesthetics that risk is very low. All dogs are sensitive to anesthesia so careful use of pre-medication, anesthetics and pain management is required to have a positive outcome.
Q: Sometimes, so I’ve heard, men are more reluctant to neuter their males that women are. We won’t get into that, but what do you think about those things called nueticals? One day my mom took me to work with her and this 89-year-old woman looked at me as I passed and she said, “He sure is well equipped.” I wouldn’t want to lose that distinction should my mom decide to neuter me.
A: They are an alternative for people who do not wish to make it known their dog has been altered. It’s an option you can discuss with your veterinarian.
Q: Do you have any dogs at your house?
A: I do. I have three Old English Sheepdogs.
Q: Are they spayed and neutered?
A: As they are all older and retired, they have been altered.
Q: Some veterinarians don’t like breeders and think all animals should be spayed and neutered. What are your thoughts on that subject?
A: I am a strong supporter of well-bred, health-tested purebred dogs. We do have a lot of dogs turned in to shelters that are produced without regard to health testing and careful preservation of a breed. Those animals should be altered before being adopted.
Well, this has been enlightening. That you for giving us your time and expertise. Before we go, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? Where did you go to school? Where do you work? What area of veterinary medicine do you enjoy most? Stuff like that?
I live in South Carolina, but I am originally from the Midwest. I went to Purdue University and graduated with my DVM. I currently work at Animal Allies spay/Neuter Clinic in Spartanburg. I enjoy all aspects of veterinary medicine but currently focus on soft tissue surgery.
And lastly. Will you come talk with my readers again soon. It sounds like you have lots of valuable information you could share to help people give us the best lives possible.
Yes, Rochester. I will be happy to spend time speaking with you again.