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By Nicole Melo on October 1, 2022
When it comes to a dog’s health care, honesty is important. Neutering a dog can lead to possible side effects and risks. We’ll walk you through some of the common risks and side effects so you know what your dog could get into. Here are some common side effects of neutering a dog:
- Unspayed female dogs such as bull terriers that were aggressive before may become more aggressive after being spayed. The main reason can be attributed to a decrease in estrogen and oxytocin which induces calming and anti-anxiety effects.
- Spayed female dogs have an increased risk of developing urinary tract infections.
- Some female dogs may have trouble controlling their urine. The risk is higher for certain breeds and overweight dogs. However, it can be easily treated with medical options.
- Dogs that are spayed before reaching adult size may not grow as large as dogs that are not spayed or are spayed after reaching adulthood.
- Dogs neutered before five months of age may be slightly more likely to develop hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture.
- Neutered dogs have an increased risk of developing hypothyroidism.
- Dogs may experience changes in metabolism and appetite after neutering.
If you have your dog spayed and he develops metabolic problems, you should seek the advice of a veterinarian rather than trying to fix the problem on your own.
Health Risks of Neutering a Dog and What the Research Says
We’re not saying sterilization is bad. Like any other surgery, you may have complications. That’s why we make sure that the dog receives the best possible treatment.
Here are some of the common dog illnesses and their connection to neutering a dog. It is important to us that you know more about the health risks of specific breeds.
Complications after surgery
All types of surgery have their risks of complications. These could be adverse reactions to anesthesia, hemorrhage, inflammation, infection and many more.
However, that shouldn’t worry you too much. The complication rate after surgery is between 6% and 23%, with serious complications being only about 1% to 4%. The mortality rate is even lower, around 0.1% to 2%.
As long as you have a knowledgeable, experienced veterinarian and the right environment for your dog, he will recover and feel comfortable after surgery.
Prostate cancer
A common belief among dog owners is that neutering reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Some even claim that it increases the risk. Studies are even at a crossroads with varying results.
What you need to know is that prostate cancer is quite rare in dogs. Dogs develop a prostate cancer rate of 0.6% to 5%. Therefore, it is really difficult to attribute the risk of prostate cancer to sterilization.
Testicular cancer
In spayed or neutered males, the testicles are removed. This means that it removes any risk of testicular cancer. However, this does not work if the cancer is already growing in the testicles.
Testicular cancer is not that common in dogs either. We wouldn’t resort to neutering the dog just to avoid testicular cancer. Only if his parents also have a history of cancer will we consider having the dog neutered.
Osteosarcoma (bone cancer)
One study found that spayed or neutered dogs had twice the risk of developing osteosarcoma compared to intact dogs. This is especially true for Rottweilers who are already at high risk for osteosarcoma.
The risk of osteosarcoma increases with increasing breed size and dog size. It is even among the common causes of death in medium, large and giant breeds. We advise you to think twice before neutering the dog if it belongs to the category of large breeds.
Breast cancer
Mammary tumors are the most common tumors you can find in intact female dogs. Most of the time, these tumors are malignant. This can progress to breast cancer. Spaying female dogs significantly reduces the risk of developing breast cancer.
Cancer of the female genital tract
Uterine or cervical tumors are quite rare in dogs. This is only 0.3% of tumors found in dogs. Sterilization will eliminate the risk of ovarian tumors. However, we would not undergo the neutering of a dog just for this reason. It’s not worth it due to its low rate appearance.
In this case, we will consider sterilization if there are several risks apart from my female dog contracting cancer of the female reproductive tract. The risk of catching it is so low that it does not warrant neutering your dog.
Urinary tract cancer
Neutered or neutered dogs are twice more likely to develop urinary tract tumors compared to intact dogs. They are very likely to be malignant. However, it only accounts for 1% of canine tumors, which means it rarely forms.
Certain breeds are also more susceptible to urinary tract cancer such as Airedales, Beagles and Scottish Terriers.
Hemangiosarcoma
Hemangiosarcoma is a common cancer in dogs. It is even the main cause of death in some breeds. Numerous studies have shown that the risk factor increases in spayed or neutered dogs.
This is one of the most important things we consider before neutering a dog. We make sure to take into account the increased risk of certain breeds and to proceed with the sterilization of the dog.
Obesity
Due to changes in the metabolism of neutered dogs, they are more likely to become overweight or obese. This is why it is important that you observe any behavioral changes in your dog after surgery.
An obese dog has a higher risk of developing health problems. We often recommend seeking advice from an animal behaviorist or certified dog trainer.
Diabetes
Diabetes is also found in dogs. However, there are no significant studies linking diabetes to neutering a dog. It is more likely that dogs can develop diabetes due to behavioral changes accompanied by sterilization.
Conclusion
Spaying a dog, while also beneficial, also comes with risks. It is important that you consult a professional before deciding to have your dog spayed. Veterinarians know best when a dog should be neutered or not.
About the Author
Madison Finley is the founder and editor-in-chief of Terrier Hub. She is passionate about helping other pet parents make the best choices for their pets through her blog.
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