02275: Disease Risks Associated with Spay and Neuter: A Breed-Specific, Gender-Specific Perspective

Grant Status: Closed

Grant Amount: $61,784
Benjamin L Hart, DVM, PhD; University of California, Davis
September 1, 2016 - February 28, 2018

Sponsor(s): American German Shepard Dog Charitable Foundation, Inc., Collie Health Foundation, Portuguese Water Dog Foundation, Inc., Pug Dog Club of America, Inc.

Breed(s): -All Dogs
Research Program Area: Musculoskeletal Conditions and Disease
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Abstract

This project extends the investigator’s recently completed AKC Canine Health Foundation grant (01840) studying 12 breeds to identify major differences in the degree to which spay or neuter may be related to an increase in joint disorders (hip dysplasia; cranial cruciate ligament tear) and/or cancers (lymphoma; hemangiosarcoma; and mast cell tumor). The original breeds studied were: Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd Dog, Rottweiler, Boxer, Bulldog, Doberman Pinscher, Dachshund, Corgi (both breeds), Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier and Shih Tzu. Findings did not associate an increase in diseases in the small breeds with spaying or neutering, while in other breeds disease risk was dependent upon gender, and whether the spay or neuter procedure was performed before or after one year of age (Hart, B.L., L.A. Hart, A.P. Thigpen and N. H. Willits. 2014. Long-term health effects of neutering dogs: Comparison of Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. PLoS ONE 9(7): 10.1371/journal.pone.0102241.). In this second phase, the following breeds have been added to the study: Great Dane, Australian Shepherd, Bernese Mountain Dog, Cocker Spaniel, Border Collie, Beagle, St. Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, Jack Russell Terrier, Pug, Maltese, Pomeranian, Miniature Schnauzer, Boston Terrier, Australian Cattle Dog, Shetland Sheepdog, English Springer Spaniel, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and West Highland White Terrier. Upon completion of the study, the major publisher, Wiley, has agreed to place the total data set of all 31 breeds on an open access website as a resource for breeders, dogs owners and veterinarians.

Publication(s)

Hart, B. L., Hart, L. A., Thigpen, A. P., & Willits, N. H. (2020). Assisting Decision-Making on Age of Neutering for 35 Breeds of Dogs: Associated Joint Disorders, Cancers, and Urinary Incontinence. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388

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