Comments on: Should I Have My Labrador Neutered: the latest evidence

By: Jojo

Jojo — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:02:37 +0000

Great article and very informative. However, I would like your opinion regarding the German Shepherd breed. Would the health (and/or behavioral) benefits/risks apply to this particular breed?

I have a 16 month old German Shepherd dog who has undescended testicles (cryptorchidism). A lot of articles say that the risk of testicular cancer is increased ten times-fold. However, your article says that neutering increases the risk to other forms of cancers also. So it is a sad that neutering will prevent testicular cancer (and perineal fistula) but will make the GSD more susceptible to other forms of cancer.

I’d like to hear your view on this. Would neutering be the best option?

Thanks.

By: Jane

Jane — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 19:38:43 +0000

In reply to Liz. They will absolutely try to mate with any female. You should separate the females (ideally in a different house) from any intact male. It would be possibly dangerous for such a small dog to have puppies with such a big dog.

By: Jane

Jane — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 19:31:58 +0000

I have a female chocolate lab who is currently seven months old and is in her first heat. I have had many dogs over the years, and after reading your books and other articles, I have decided to hold of on spaying her at least until well after her first season. I am still considering the risk of pyometra and mammary cancer (which I have read is higher in unspade female labs), but this was not mentioned in your article, so I’ll have to double check on that. So far, her season is going fine. We are keeping an eye on one of our neutered male dogs who is exceedingly interested in her despite being altered…I think they will end up mostly apart during this time. Thanks for the information and your expert advise on this matter.

By: Matt Bailey

Matt Bailey — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 18:02:39 +0000

I’m really torn now after reading this article. My male lab makes 6 months in a few days. He is being trained right now. The trainer who has trained labs for field trials said there is absolutely no benefit in neutering and that it’s the vets that want it so they can make a buck.

By: MJ

MJ — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 20:35:10 +0000

I live in North America and I have always had male dogs (black labs) and have never had them neutered. I feel like my veterinarian (and because I have moved it was not always the same) is always pushed the issue. I almost feel like I get shamed for not doing it but my first lab was not neutered lived a great life until 14 years of age no health issues and had great behavior. Maybe it was just a fluke maybe not I just feel that it is pushed in our country due to the pet population. I currently have a one-year-old lab and I have at this point no intention of having him neutered either he doesn’t go to doggy day care because someone is home during the day when he interacts with other dogs I let them know that he has not been neutered before hand.

By: Christine Carter

Christine Carter — Sun, 03 May 2020 18:34:49 +0000

Thank you for this excellent, unbiased article! I live in North America and grew up around dogs on my family farm. I also worked in veterinary clinics for 2 1/2 years as a young adult. Back then, neutering and spaying were considered healthy for all dogs, male and female. However, that was a few decades ago and my medical information is clearly out-of-date. I own a German Shepherd x Shiba Inu female and this article helped me to decide to spay her, but not until she’s at the older end of the spectrum (6 months, not 4). I work full-time, so she’ll be going into doggy daycare and the local daycares require dogs to be spayed/neutered. I also want to avoid pyometra. However, I am concerned about the potential for genetic hip dysplasia on her German Shepherd side, so definitely want to spay at an older age per the article mentioned above. Thanks again!

By: Bridgett

Bridgett — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 16:57:40 +0000

Thank you for the article. I had read all the studies mentioned in your writing, but your article gives a nice summary of those studies’ findings. I have a 9month old Labrador who came from the breeder already having had an ovary sparing spay. She is going through her first heat now. My dilemma is whether or not I should have her ovaries removed in the future and if so at what point. There are so many varying opinions between professionals, I am conflicted and just want to do what is best for the long term health of my girl.

By: Anna

Anna — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 01:11:38 +0000

Great article, thank you. I am from Scandinavia where pet dogs are rarely neutered (at least during the 35+ years I lived there), and now live in Australia where, like you say, it is considered standard practice, especially for rescue dogs, so this is interesting for me. Dog behaviour problems like anxiety and reactivity are extremely common here, and weren’t in my country of origin. There’s obviously a huge number of variables involved, including the size of the dog population and how they are bred & raised – plus, it is a self-perpetuating dog population problem. However, I wouldn’t categorically rule out that for some dogs, early neutering could be one of the pieces in the puzzle.

However, in regard to study flaws, in addition to the ones mentioned there is a very big chance that many behaviour problems present in neutered dogs were already there before neutering, because:

Due to the widespread belief that neutering may solve behaviour problems, there is a good chance that behaviourally challenged dogs get neutered – putting them in the “neutered” category.

Also, shelters and rescue organisations (at least in Australia, and likely the US) tend to neuter every dog that goes through their system. That means that every single rescue dog will end in the “neutered” category, none of them will be in the “intact” category. Dogs can lose their homes for many reasons, but behaviour problems is definitely one of them. So that’s another big source of dogs with behaviour problems for the “neutered” category.

By: Alison Harwood

Alison Harwood — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 21:09:09 +0000

In North America, a relatively new procedure for females is available, whereby the ovaries are left intact, and the uterus is removed. It’s called the Ovary-Sparing Spay (OSS). This way, a female still keeps her hormones, and will go into heat like usual, but the risk of pregnancy is fully eliminated. The risk of pyometra is also eliminated (if the spay was done properly). Also, there is no bloody discharge during her heat. From the research I’ve done (well beyond the 4 articles reviewed above) I decided to do the OSS for my black lab/german shepherd cross (it’s been over a year ago now). My girl was already a reactive dog with other dogs (playing often turned into dominance aggression), and she could also be very stubborn and aggressive with my husband and I if we tried to get her to do something she didn’t want to do (this behaviour is more shepherd than lab). There is evidence in several controlled studies, that spaying females may result in a more reactive/aggressive dog. I didn’t want to risk making her more reactive, and I don’t mind dealing with some moodiness and solo walks during her heats. So far, I don’t regret the decision to go with the OSS (she’s 2), although time will tell. If any readers would like more info on this procedure, the Parsemus Foundation has excellent resources and the best explanation of the advantages/disadvantages of alternatives to traditional spaying/neutering (gonadectomy).

By: Alison Berry

Alison Berry — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 15:46:57 +0000

In reply to Alison Berry. ... just found the australian paper where they do address the reason for spaying so please ignore my first point (couldn't see how to edit it). Maybe the Generation Pup study will throw further light on these findings as they record quite a bit about the owners attitudes at the outset.