Is Neutering Right for Your Dog? Understanding the Latest Veterinary Guidance

7 Aug

Back in my veterinary student days, the dog neutering advice to be given was loud and clear:

“All dogs should ideally be neutered as this prevents various physical diseases that could potentially be life threatening….”

Nowadays, however, you may be getting slightly different advice, and rightly so. Years have gone by, and more recent studies emphasize that neutering should not be a blanket policy.

Neutering decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis.

Originally, neutering was thought to be equally advantageous for all dogs. With time, additional studies were conducted and results suggest that neutering could adversely impact physical health in some dogs, for example, by increasing the likelihood of orthopaedic issues. Additionally, neutering may also negatively impact a dog’s mental health and behaviour in the longer term.

Specifically, while neutering could contribute to an improvement of sex hormone-driven behaviours (e.g. roaming, urine marking, phantom pregnancy), it may lead to worsening of other behavioural issues. However, studies to date have limitations and further research is required to give us more clarity on the physical and behavioural impact of neutering in different dogs.

Thus, individual assessment and risk-benefit discussions are needed to MAke the best possible decision for you and your dog.

So, if you have recently adopted a dog and your vet is carefully considering the pros and cons of neutering with you, it likely means that

your vet is up to date with the latest scientific evidence and would like to help you reach the best decision for you and your dog.

If you are wondering whether you should neuter your dog, the infographic below can help you identify the necessary next step in your decision making process.