Traditional Spay-Neuter Shouldn’t Be the Answer for Every Dog

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Studies show that spaying/neutering (aka desexing) large and giant breed dogs increases the risk for many diseases, including several types of cancer
• While animal health groups are reconsidering their position on automatic spays/neuters, animal welfare groups by necessity remain advocates of early desexing of all shelter pets
• A reasonable compromise may exist in wider use of sterilization procedures that do not remove the ovaries or testes
• For pet parents interested in, for example, an ovary-sparing spay for a female dog or a vasectomy for a male, resources exist but aren’t widely available
• If you decide to spay/neuter your large or giant breed dog, consider waiting until your pet reaches musculoskeletal maturity, and in the case of a female dog, wait until she’s completed her second estrus cycle before scheduling the surgery