After decades of owning some good hunting companions, and never once getting them “fixed,” I finally succumbed to the outside pressure to have it done to my most recent pup. He is now just passed the three-year mark and is a very happy and seemingly healthy dog. But... he is still young. And the potential problems I have now uncovered in doing a little more research are just around the corner. I hope and pray that they don’t find their way into his health history, but I can guarantee you I will never have another dog neutered.
First, none of my other “in-tact” dogs were aggressive or wandered, though, that’s one of the strong arguments for convincing the reluctant owners like myself. Therefore, the ultimate societal reason was of no concern: to help control the pet population. Add to this that there really isn’t any substantial evidence for the wandering and aggressive behavior in the first place. If you tell me there is, I want to see it. And don’t just tell me... show me the actual scientific evidence.
Another argument for it is the elimination of cancers, prostate issues and perianal fistulas. Again, the evidence is underwhelming at best and the claimed risk reduction is miniscule. But it’s the potential negative impacts that you NEVER hear about from all the soapbox preachers. Here are just a few:
In males:
if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
triples the risk of hypothyroidism
increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations
In females:
if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
triples the risk of hypothyroidism
increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations
I’m done with it. Never again. My next dog will not be fixed. Feel free to try to change my mind.