New research published in PLOS ONE < link > found that de-sexing large-breed dogs increases their risk of becoming obese and/or suffering from non-traumatic orthopedic injuries. Using data from the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, researchers found that spayed or neutered dogs were 50 to 100 percent more likely to become overweight or obese. The risk didn’t appear to be affected by age.
. . . the age of the dog at surgery does appear to be a significant factor in non-traumatic orthopedic injuries. Molly Simpson, DVM, found that dogs spayed or neutered before six months of age were at a 300 percent greater risk of sustaining these injuries.
Source: Animal Wellness, October 18, 2019. Link. This is the first study of the effects of neutering on an array of joint disorders and cancers in the same breed of dog, using a single database and examining the variables of gender and early and late neutering versus leaving the dogs gonadally intact. For all five diseases analyzed in the present study, the disease rates in males and/or females were significantly increased when neutering was performed early and/or late.
INSIGHTS: “For years, we’ve been taught that spaying or neutering your dog is part of being a responsible pet owner, but there really are advantages and disadvantages to consider when making that decision,” said Dr. Missy Simpson, Morris Animal Foundation epidemiologist and lead author on the paper.