Taking A Look at Most Recent Research
What are effects, risks, and benefits of spaying and neutering your Golden Retriever?
Spaying and neutering your dog around 6 months old has been the advisement for the last several years. The rationale being that it prevents unwanted litters, don't have to deal with a bitch in season, no indiscriminate breeding, reduces aggressive behaviors and roaming in males. And although these are valid rationales there is now evidence advising that delaying spay, and neutering is in the best interest of many dogs.
Concerns of Spaying or Neutering Prior to Maturity
A study from a national health survey (1998) by the Golden Retriever Foundation and the Golden Retriever Club of America published the following results:
Health Risks | Finding | Reference |
Hip Dysplasia & Torn Cruciate Ligaments | "Sex hormones are needed to achieve peak bone density. Neutering before puberty produces taller dogs by delaying the closing of the growth plates and allowing the dog to continue to grow past puberty. Body proportions and the relative length and weight of various bones are altered, which can lead to increased incidence of hip dysplasia and torn cruciate ligaments." | Slauterbeck JR, Pankratz K, Xu TK, Bozeman SC, Hardy DM. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004;429:301-305.; Zink C. Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian’s Opinion. 2005.www.caninesports. com/SpayNeuter.html; Gilsanz V, Roe TF, Gibbens DT, Schulz EE, Carson ME, Gonzalez O, Boechat MI. Am J Physiol. 1998;255:E416-E21.; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pubmed/18052804 |
Decreased Life Span | "Neutering before puberty produces taller dogs, and increased height corresponds with shorter life spans in Golden Retrievers. The shortest male Golden Retrievers live 2.2 years longer than the tallest males; the shortest bitches live 1.1 years longer than the tallest bitches." | Waters DJ, Kengeri SS, Clever B, Booth JA, Maras AH, Schlittler DL, Hayek MG. Aging Cell. 2009;8(6):752-755.; Golden Retriever Club of America National Health Survey, 1998-1999. |
Hypothyroidism | "Golden Retriever males neutered before 1 year of age have an 80 percent greater risk of hypothyroidism. The risk is 60 percent for Golden bitches spayed before 1 year of age." | Zink C. Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian’s Opinion. 2005.www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html.; Panciera DL. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1994;204:761-767.; Golden Retriever Club of America National Health Survey, 1998-1999. |
Hemangiosarcoma | "A retrospective study showed neutered dogs and spayed bitches have a two to five times greater risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma. Hemangiosarcoma is the cause of death for one in five Golden Retrievers." | Zink C. Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian’s Opinion. 2005.www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html; Ware WA, Hopper DC. J Vet Intern Med. 1999;13(2):95-103.; Golden Retriever Club of America National Health Survey, 1998-1999. |
Osteosarcoma | "Osteosarcoma affects 5 percent of Golden Retrievers, and several studies have shown the cancer to be significantly more common in neutered and spayed dogs." | Zink C. Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian’s Opinion. 2005.www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html; Cooley DM, Beranek BC, Schlittler DL, Glickman NW, Glickman LT, Waters D. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002; 11(11):1,434-1,440.; Golden Retriever Club of America National Health Survey, 1998-1999. |
Urinary Incontinence | "Results of studies not consistent, but early spaying seems to increase the occurrence of urinary incontinence in bitches. Early neutering also may correlate with increased urethral sphincter incontinence in males." | Zink C. Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian’s Opinion. 2005.www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html; Stocklin-Gautschi NM, Hassig M, Reichler IM, Hubler M, Arnold S. J Reprod Fertil. Suppl. 2001;57:233-236.; Aaron A, Eggleton K, Power C, Holt PE. Vet Rec. 1996;139:542-546. |
Mammary Cancer | "For bitches not spayed before the second heat cycle, the risk of mammary cancer increases to 13 percent. If allowed to have one heat cycle, the risk is 4 percent, and if spayed before the first heat cycle, the risk decreases to less than 0.5 percent." | Schneider R, Taylor CR, Taylor D. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1969;43:1,249-4,261. |
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July of 2020 additional research conducted by UC Davis advised the following:
For the Golden Retriever the study was composed of 1,247 dogs.
"The suggested guideline for males, based on the increased risks of joint disorders and cancers, is delaying neutering until beyond a year of age. The suggested guideline for females, based on the increased occurrence of cancers at all spaying ages, is leaving the female intact or spaying at one year and remaining vigilant for the cancers. " - Hart et al, 2020, page 9).
Does Spaying or Neutering After 1 Year Change the Risk?
Terri Hartung, D.V.M., DABVP, who practices at the Redmond Fall City Animal Hospital in Redmond, Wash and Benjamin Hart, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVB, distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine supports the following:
waiting spay bitches until after their first heat cycle
waiting to neuter males until they are between 12 and 24 months of age
“In my view, it comes down to the careful selection of puppy buyers, providing education and follow-up with owners to be sure they make the right decision for their Golden Retriever puppy and themselves,” -Hovan 2011
Other Considerations & if You Choose to Spay or Neuter
Only about 25 to 30 percent of the dogs show a major change in behavior after neutering.
Regularly do breast exams on bitches throughout life so mammary growths can be detected when they are tiny
I hope this information is valuable in making an informed decision when deciding to spay and neuter your Golden Retriever.
References
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
The golden retriever club of america national health survey 1998-1999. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.goldenretrieverfoundation.org/doc/healthsurvey.pdf
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