Four out of five studies show an increase in prostate
cancer in neutered dogs; however, this cancer arises in only 0.2 % to 0.6 % of the population.
In this retrospective study, several conditions showed an increased risk associated with neutering whereas other conditions were less likely to be
expressed in neutered dogs.
4 out of 5 studies show an increase in prostate
cancer in neutered dogs; however, this cancer arises in only 0.2 % to 0.6 % of the population.
For example, the increased incidence of joint diseases among early - neutered dogs is likely a combination of the effect of neutering on the young dog's growth plates and the increase in body weight that is commonly
seen in neutered dogs.
Contrary to popular belief, studies show that the risk of prostate cancer is actually
HIGHER in neutered dogs than in their intact counterparts.5 Several studies prove significant health risks associated with sterilization, particularly when done at an early age.
You might for example chose not to neuter a female Golden Retriever as the breed is susceptible to a number of cancers which have been shown to develop more
frequently in neutered dogs.
This is more than just `'» humping» or mounting behavior... it's intense hypersexuality and can even
happen in neutered dogs.
A retrospective study of cardiac tumors in dogs showed that there was a 5 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma, one of the three most common cancers in dogs, in spayed bitches than intact bitches and a 2.4 times greater risk of
hemangiosarcoma in neutered dogs as compared to intact males.
A greater risk for cancers associated with neutering may reflect the (non-significant) tendency for neutered dogs to be older when diagnosed and the greater
longevity in neutered dogs [11, 56, 57] as advancing age is associated with a greater prevalence of cancers [24, 58].
Now, these behaviors can also
occur in neutered dogs and can stem from over-excitement, lack of exercise, attempts to show dominance, or the dog simply not being taught that these behaviors are unacceptable.
Finally, studies in dogs with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder or prostate have also revealed an increased
incidence in neutered dogs as compared to intact male dogs (Norris AM et al..
The risk of vehicular injuries was also
reduced in the neutered dogs possibly due to associated differences in owner behavior and / or dog behavior.
The fearful
behaviors in neutered dogs included: responses to loud noises, when first exposed to unfamiliar situations, when approached directly by an unfamiliar child, when barked at, or growled at, by an unfamiliar dog, or even when approached by another dog of similar or larger size, when encountering strange or unfamiliar objects on or near the sidewalk, when encountering windblown objects, when examined by a veterinarian, or when having their nails clipped.
With regard to cancers, a study on osteosarcoma (OSA) in several breeds found a 2-fold increase in
occurrence in neutered dogs relative to intact dogs [5].
There were other problems which appeared more
frequently in the neutered dogs, such as eating droppings or feces (its own or from other animals), rolling in droppings or other smelly substances, stealing food, barking persistently when alarmed or excited, or licking themselves in an obsessive manner.
There have been several conflicting epidemiological studies over the years that found either an increased risk or a decreased risk of prostate cancer
in neutered dogs.
Prostate cancer is another tumor seen more commonly
in neutered dogs.
Growth plate closure was delayed (group I vs group III; P less than 0.000001; group II vs group III, P less than 0.000001)
in all neutered dogs, as compared with sexually intact dogs.