PROS AND CONS OF NEUTERING DOGS
• If you own an intact male dog, you may be wondering if you should neuter or not neuter him.
• There are a lot of strong opinions about the procedure— people against neutering on one side and people for neutering on the other.
• We have all heard that neutering a male dog provides countless health benefits, such as reducing prostate and testicular cancer, but how true is that?
• While it is true that with no testes, the chances for testicular cancer in a neutered dog are close to nil (unless there is a retained testis in the abdomen) but there are other important considerations.
• There are higher incidences of testicular cancer in intact animals but neutered dogs are predisposed to a 4 times greater risk for prostate cancer and a 1.5 to 3 times greater chance for developing bladder cancer.
The Health Benefits of Neutering
• Reduced risk (<1%) of dying from testicular cancer
• Reduced risk for non-cancerous prostate conditions (i.e., benign prostatic hyperplasia)
• Reduced risk for perianal fistulas
The Health Risks of Neutering
• Increased risk for osteosarcoma (bone cancer) when neutered before 1 year of age
• Increased risk for cardiac hemangiosarcoma
• Increased risk for hypothyroidism
• Increased risk for progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
• Increased risk for obesity
• Increased risk for prostate cancer
• Increased risk for urinary tract cancers
• Increased risk for orthopedic disorders
• Increased risk for adverse reactions to vaccinations
This article is not written nor edited by veterinarians.
https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Should-Male-Dogs-be-Neutered-To-Neuter-or-not-to-Neuter-Some-Considerations-About-this-Debate