Impact on dog health after neutering still unclear, research shows

A new study has highlighted how more research is needed in order to demonstrate the effect of neutering timing on dog health.

Effects of neutering on female dog health have been reported in previous studies, and are suggested to relate to age at the time of neutering for some diseases. However, these studies have shown variation in their methodologies and study populations, making comparisons more difficult.

In a new scoping review led by Dr. Rachel Moxon at the University of Nottingham, academics systematically searched the available literature on dog neutering to identify evidence on the effect of neutering timing in relation to puberty on five health outcomes: atopy, developmental orthopedic disease (DOD), neoplasia, obesity and urogenital disease.

The review looked at studies about how neutering female dogs affects their health, specifically when it’s done before or after puberty. The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

The review identified a lack of evidence related to the impacts of neutering female dogs before or after puberty on the five aspects of dog health. Few studies were identified that investigated the health implications of neutering female dogs considering pubertal status at neutering. Most of the other studies did not focus on puberty and instead just considered the dog’s age.

This information is important for veterinarians and dog owners when deciding about neutering timing, as the impact on health is still unclear.

Rachel Moxon, lead researcher on the project, said, “Conflicting information in the veterinary literature regarding the beneficial and detrimental impacts of neutering at different times makes decisions regarding the best time to neuter female dogs difficult for pet dog owners, and providing advice to owners difficult for veterinarians.”

“Similar to the findings of another review by this research group that looked at the effects on behavior, this review has identified a lack of evidence related to the impacts of neutering female dogs before or after puberty on five aspects of female dog health.

“Studies generally propose that neutering female dogs earlier appears to be protective for some, but not all, cancers, but increases the risk of developmental orthopedic disease and potentially urinary incontinence; contrasting results that make applying the findings to benefit female dog health difficult.”