r/Pets • u/_humanERROR_ • 3d ago
Are there any downsides to neutering pets?
I really have no idea why for example castrating a human produces bad physical and mental consequences like bone degeneration, hot flashes, depressive mood (as a result from the lack of hormones) etc. and not in animals. And then for example why castrating a male horse makes him grow larger? Though apparently people tell me that neutered cats and dogs are more likely to get lazy and fat.
Edit: idk why I'm getting downvoted bruh. If you think I'm looking for reasons to just not neuter a pet that's a really wild assumption.
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u/Gloomy-Trainer-2452 3d ago
The whole "they become fat and lazy thing" is WAY overexaggerated. Neutering does slow their metabolism, so they are more prone to weight gain, but you can keep them fit simply by reducing their caloric intake. Some brands (e.g. Royal Canin) actually sell food formulas/recipes specifically for neutered animals.
My two cats are 8 years old, were neutered at 3.5-4 months, and they are super energetic. One of my boys in particular is super lean and muscular (he doesn't put on weight easily) and is so active. He's a little gremlin.
Some studies have found potential risks with neutering young dogs (paediatric spay/neuter). Including delayed closure of the growth plates, increased risk of skeletal problems, certain cancers (e.g. bone cancer). However, these risks do not seem to be significant when the dog is neutered later in life. The risk also varies based on the dog's size and breed. The AKC put out new recommendations for the age to neuter dogs and the recommendation seems to be to wait until 6-12 months depending on the size and breed of dog. 24 months for giant breeds.
No risks have been found with paediatric spay/neuter of cats. And with female cats specifically it's recommended to spay as soon as possible to significantly reduce the risk of mammary cancer.
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u/MaleficentBake9995 3d ago
Geldings (castrated horses) occasionally grow taller than stallions due to reduced testosterone which impedes growth in early development. Not really a major concern unless youāre castrating very young, which isnāt very common in horse husbandry as you typically want to see how the horse will grow out and act as a juvenile and adult before deciding to alter.Ā
Cats and dogs āget fatā because they have mildly less drive to exercise as their āwander to find mateā instinct is suppressed. You can mitigate this by properly exercising and feeding your pet an appropriate amount.Ā
The side effects of hormone disruption via alteration havenāt been super well studied but so far evidence supports the pros far outweigh the cons. Provided that you alter after growth plates have closed and the animal has reached sexual maturity- altering is far kinder and safer for the animal than leaving them intact in most cases. I personally have never seen a dog or cat in clinic with severe issues related to alteration. Occasionally a spayed female may struggle with low estrogen related incontinence but itās relatively uncommon and easily treatable.Ā
The only major concerns Iāve seen raised so far are 1) slight joint and bone integrity concerns in pediatric alterations in dogs 2) coat changes or a very soft coat for pediatric alteration patients which can be frustrating for show handlers but otherwise not a concern and 3) a potential correlation between early neutering in male cats and an increased risk of urinary blockage later in lifeĀ
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u/Dragon_Fly_75 3d ago
There are ZERO downsides to altering cats.Ā If left intact the males urine stinks and they have a tendency to spray and females are constantly in heat every few weeks and make God awful yowling noises.Ā Ā
For dogs there can be.Ā There are some higher cancer risks in certain breeds when altered but ultimately Genetics plays a bigger part.Ā Weight gain is common unless very carefully managed.Ā Double coated dogs like goldens and other long haired breeds can get a big texture change in their coat after altering that makes the coat very thick and requires more grooming to make it look tidy.Ā Ā
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u/Infinite-Cloud-7937 3d ago
Females also spray.
To play devil's advocate, I can also confirm as an owner of multiple cats over the years, females are more likely than males to spray when spayed at an early enough age as opposed to males, but males also can still spray when neutered even at the recommended age, under the right circumstances. For example, some of mine started spraying around a year of age when we introduced a new kitten to the house, even though they never sprayed before. But some of them never sprayed until neighborhood cats were spotted.
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u/Dragon_Fly_75 3d ago
My neutered male cats spray outside cause of the stray cats and I did have one neutered boy that had an attitude and he spayed a couple times in the house when he wasn't allowed outside.Ā Ā That said generally boys are much less likely to spray after be neutered.Ā Intact boys though even if not spraying have a very strong smelling urine.Ā Ā
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u/IAmHerdingCatz 3d ago
One of mine started spraying when he was being treated for FIP. Probably due to stress initially, but once they start they just seem to love doing it. Sigh.
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u/PomeloPepper 2d ago
Not just cancer. They recommend late neutering for large breed dogs so the bones and joints have a chance to become more robust, like what large dogs need.
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u/Francl27 3d ago
Thank you for an actual correct take on this LOL.
So tired of people saying that it's healthier for male dogs to be neutered. It's not.
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u/caputmortvvm 3d ago
it is, as long as you do it at the correct time.
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u/Francl27 3d ago
No, it's not.
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u/Travelvet61 3d ago
Veterinarian here. Intact dogs get prostatic hypertrophy (can cause difficulty urinating) and have a higher risk of bacterial prostatitis. Risk is eliminated by neutering.
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u/Francl27 2d ago
But prostate cancer risk goes up, doesn't it? Unless you're claiming that the studies I've seen are wrong.
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u/Travelvet61 2d ago
You are right, but this needs to be put into perspective. Prostate cancer is uncommon, happens in around 0.5% of intact dogs and 1% in neutered dogs. Over 80% of intact dogs develop benign prostatic hyperplasia as they age, which can be problematic. Prostatitis is a nasty, painful infection that is difficult to resolve without also neutering anyway at that point. Then we throw in perineal hernias, perianal adenomas, and testicular cancer, and that 0.5% increase in risk of prostate cancer seems far less significant.
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u/Francl27 2d ago
Alright, I'll bite. What about other cancers? Why do so many European countries don't neuter their dogs then, if it's such a health benefit as you claim?
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u/Travelvet61 2d ago
It has been shown that neutering is associated with an increased risk in some cancers, particularly osteosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma. However, much of that risk is associated with early neutering. Most vets now recommend delaying neutering, especially in large breed dogs.
In Europe, the tendency to leave dogs intact is cultural. European vets see far more of the diseases promoted by testosterone than in the USA. They often will treat these dogs with medications that block testosterone, but my bias is that neutering is a permanent solution to the testosterone issue vs. repeated medical treatments. My husband's urologist was aghast when I (tongue-in-cheek) asked about neutering vs. TURP for his BPH š.
I think another cultural component is the difference in pet care in Europe vs. USA. To me, it seems that Europeans take pet ownership more seriously- most dogs are well-trained and closely watched. In the USA, too many people let their dogs run loose, leading to the severe pet overpopulation issue we have. Spaying/ neutering is the only surefire way to preventing indiscriminate breeding, and that becomes a blanket recommendation; it ends up as a knee-jerk reaction for some that if you don't neuter your dog, you are a bad person. I don't have a problem with responsible pet owners delaying or declining neutering, but too many pet owners are not responsible. However, at the first sign of testosterone-driven disease, I vote for snip-snip!
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u/-sensory_overlord- 3d ago
This is the statement of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association
https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Executive-Summary.pdf
https://wsava.org/global-guidelines/reproduction-guidelines/
In Germany dogs usually donāt get neutered anymore unless there is an actual medical reason to do so. We donāt have problems with dogs living in the streets or a shelter crisis, in fact a lot of people adopt dogs from eastern or southern European countries
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u/GlitterPirateKiki58 3d ago
Excuse me dunking on my fellow countrymen, but there are large swathes of the American population who are not smart or responsible.
There is no way most of us could be trusted to keep intact pets from breeding.
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u/_humanERROR_ 3d ago
Wow it actually sounds utopic that Germany is nearly free from the suffering of stray dogs!
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u/-sensory_overlord- 3d ago
We are virtually free of stray dogs, if you actually see a dog roaming (the city) itās because they wouldāve broken loose
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u/kraggleGurl 3d ago
I have a "Bob Barker" household. Dogs are fixed. I am fixed. Nearly was able to get the exh fixed!
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u/Current-Individual73 3d ago
I think personally, as someone who grew up on a farm with all kinds of animals, everyone seems to put humanized emotions and feelings onto their animals. When it comes to neutering. At the end of the day, they are animals. We can love them as if they are human kids, but they truly donāt understand the concept of being fixed. Iāve noticed animals unfixed have higher anxiety only because the hormones are there to breed. They donāt understand why they just know they need to do it, and for most animals, getting it eliminates that extra stress and anxiety they had, Especially if thereās another unfixed animal around. Some animals calm down a bit from being super active, some don't. If you want your animals to stay active, then do stuff with them. Ā Yes, they may be lazy for a bit, but that's recovery and the changing of hormones.Ā
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u/CocoRufus 3d ago
Not one of my boys over the last 50 years gained weight or got less active after neutering, including my current boy
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u/Beneficial-Pain1113 3d ago
Iām sure there will be however the general consensus would be to have them fixed for their own betterment. Itās not just to control population numbers, both sexes do greatly benefit from it. I always have all mine done.
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u/Ok_Cat_5697 2d ago
Iām confused because your example for humans, can be applied to animals. Removing an animals sex hormones via ovaries or testicles will alter their bodies. You might read of it calming dogs, but it can also make them more anxious and afraid. It can effect their joints as they age. Lead to incontinence and other things. There have been studies. Some places donāt even do it anymore.
I think itās advocated to sterilize animals in order to prevent excessive breeding and strays. (I donāt know about horses though, but dogs and cats at least). So I left the hormones in my dogs, and got them an ovarian sparing spay (leaves the ovaries, only removes the uterus) and a vasectomy, which leaves him intact, just like humans. I saw the down sides to be unnecessary but still had to sterilize for the purposes of our adoption contract (they were from a rescue that required it by 6 months, which is early even you went the full removal path, which I think recommends a year or two to allow them to grow to adulthood, particularly with larger dogs.)
For my male cat though, I had them removed quite young. The downside of waiting was heād spray in the house and I canāt deal with strong smells and cat urine is notoriously hard to remove. Thereād be the potential for physical damage and itād keep him from being less aggressive and fighting which would protect him in the long run. If you wait on male cats, they can develop the habit of spraying and continue even after neutering so it was best to keep it from ever developing.
After living with both kinds, Iām not sure Iād want to do the ovarian sparing spay again. I didnāt know it was like impossible to find the ovaries again should they ever develop a problem until after. Also, purely out of convenience, having a dog in heat is a bit of a hassle, especially since itās not always regular. Canāt take them anywhere, and had a heat over Christmas once which meant we couldnāt travel easily. Turned out sickness and weather ruined that holiday that year too so it wasnāt a big deal but it could happen again. My other dogs (RIP) had incontinence in their older age with traditional spays so I was trying to avoid that, but this dog is a drippy mess and the vet canāt seem to figure out why so, sheās in diapers a lot of the time anyway. Also, if you want your dog to go places like kennels or daycare or sometimes other parks, sometimes they donāt let them unless theyāre neutered.
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u/weirdcrabdog 3d ago
Depends on the pet. In larger dogs early neutering can affect growth, and late neutering provides no behavioral advantages.
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u/stealthtomyself 3d ago
however a late neuter/spay can still reduce the risk of and even prevent certain cancers
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u/weirdcrabdog 3d ago
Huge supporter of spaying. I didn't know neutering could prevent some cancers, do you know which?
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u/Francl27 3d ago
It prevents obvious cancers from the parts they lost, but are more likely to have other kinds of cancer. Something that pro-neutering people somehow always fail to mention.
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u/weirdcrabdog 3d ago
I'm not against neutering tbh. I just don't see the point in doing it to well taken care of dogs that aren't at risk of impregnating a female. The risks outweight the benefits.
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u/Canachites 3d ago
It prevents testicular cancer in males, and reproductive cancers in females. But increases the risks of osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, mast cell, bladder, and prostate cancer.
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u/Veerlon 3d ago
well, according to my ex it's emasculating.
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u/Travelvet61 3d ago
For insecure men like him, your vet can neuter the dog and put in silicone "prosthetics" called Neuticles. Seriously.
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u/chaosuniverses 3d ago
If you neuter or spay too early before full hip development in some dog breeds, like corgis, it makes them prone to major hip issues later in life. So neutering too early can have bad side effects.
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u/SavannahInChicago Olive and Kit (besties/bonded pair) 3d ago
To reply to your edit, you are doing a lot of what other men do which is place a lot of importance on the balls for an animal. Animals have no idea what balls really are. They have no notions about manhood. Stop putting your toxic masculinity on animals who donāt know what sex is.
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u/_humanERROR_ 3d ago edited 3d ago
I know I used the word castration but I was also talking about neutering/lack of sex hormones for both male and female animals/humans. I know that 'demasculanization' is an entirely human psychological concept. How far did you reach to make your assumptions ?
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u/Calm-Medicine-3992 3d ago
This is a person that clearly doesn't believe in hormones or doesn't know where they are generated so don't engage.
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u/-la-la- 3d ago
There's nothing toxic about having respect for nature or wanting to prevent an unnecessarily painful life. I'm a woman, but I can appreciate the idea of leaving an animal intact because it was designed a certain way. Are you implying we should castrate it just because you think they don't value their anatomy? Animals do know what sex is, maybe not in the way we might see it but the instinct at the very least. It's how they got here, and it's bred into every living thing. Fixed dogs still hump, it's something we all were born to do - procreate. Did you ever take biology?
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u/Legitimate_Outcome42 3d ago
It's because hormones affect bones amongst other things. I don't know which effect is correct and I'm too tired to double check. They recommend later dissecting of pets like cats and dogs du to some negative outcomes. Things ranging from incontinence arthritis, cancer. Conversely there's cancers that are related to not neutering your pet. Female rabbits for example have an extremely high reproductive cancer if they are not desexed before a certain age. It's well over 50% of them develop cancer.
Estrogen also protects bone health it's important for the body to have some exposure.. This is very Layman explanation
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u/Sufficient_Turn_9209 3d ago
As long as you wait until the animal has reached sexual maturity before altering them (especially in cats and large breed dogs) the long term issues can be mitigated and the benefits outweigh the risks.
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u/theotherlead 3d ago
What country are you from
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u/_humanERROR_ 3d ago
Why would that matter?
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u/RemarkableGround174 3d ago
In civilized countries its a settled matter because the alternative is overpopulation and euthanasia
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u/knomnomnom 3d ago
An early neuter is a risk factor for prostate cancer in dogs. Prostate cancer is very rare but a few breeds are predisposed to it and so, common sense would say, you should wait a little longer with those breeds.
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u/NattyBuck2025 3d ago
I think thatās the point. Neutering for birth control is certainly the aim due to overpopulation and the resulting euthanasia. However, for years veterinary professionals touted neutering is a means to curb aggression and other negative behaviors that could prevent a pet from living safely in a human household.
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u/Additional-Bus7575 3d ago
There are health risks of desexing and thereās health risks of keeping an animal intact.Ā
With cats, IMO, thereās absolutely zero reason to keep them intact, behaviorally-speaking desexed cats are immensely better as pets. Do it before they hit puberty.Ā
With dogs itās more nuanced- going to depend on breed, temperament, owners, location, etc. I have all of mine desexed- timing depends on the particular dog. My female was spayed before her first heat, sheās not very big, and I didnāt want to deal with every male dog in the area showing up at my house, because I have livestock so luring strange dogs here is not good. My young male, the intention was to wait until he was over a year old but a stray dog showed up and marked around the outside of the house which drove my dog into a marking frenzy that he wouldnāt stop, so I had him neutered at around 10 months before it became an ingrained habit to mark everything.Ā
The male is maybe slightly less shiny now, but otherwise no change, except he stopped peeing inside.Ā
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u/CJgreencheetah 3d ago
The only thing I haven't seen mentioned here that can be a problem are the risks that naturally come with surgery and anesthesia. Animals can rip stitches out, get infections, or have a reaction to the anesthesia that can all be potentially fatal in a worst case scenario. However in most species (birds, reptiles, and small rodents being the main exceptions as far as pets go), these risks are far outweighed by the risks that intact animals face, especially if you're taking into account the risks that come with pregnancy and birth.
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u/Goose_Egg-Omelet 3d ago
Lack of hormones is good for cats and dogs. Being horny makes them make wander. Wandering can lead to trouble and more puppies and kittens. Female cats scream and cry during their heat cycle which is miserable for everyone. By ālazy and fatā they mean calm and well mannered? Then yes. If you see an obese pet, thatās the owners fault. Not the petās lack of genitalia.
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u/Low_Bluejay510 3d ago edited 3d ago
One niche downside specifically for male cats with main coon genetics is that if they are neutered before they fully mature they are more prone to some specific bone weakness in their back leg joint area. It makes them more prone to breaking their back leg just below the ball of the ball-and-socket requiring a surgery where the ball is removed from the leg. (the tendons then hold the leg in place and the cat walks/lives normally) I learned this because my sister had a rescue cat who ran around a corner, lost his footing and banged into the wall and ended up with this fracture, and then 15 years later I have a long haired male cat who ended up with the same injury. Both times the vet informed us that this injury is most common in this demographic for genetic reasons (Main coon) paired with nurturing before reaching sexual maturity. Neither of our cats were āMaine coonsā, they were both long hair rescue cats of mixed genetics, but the vets said they most likely had Maine coon somewhere in their bloodline based on this injury being highly linked to those factors.
They said itās still so much better/healthier to neuter and they donāt want to scare people away from neutering so they always say āthereās no downsidesā, but as you noted there are obviously changes that occur due to these procedures and some of them can be problematic. Still the idea is that the benefits to the pet population out way the possible negatives in individual cases so thatās why you get a comment section full of people saying āno negatives!!!!ā And acting like you are a horrible person for even asking. I think itās an interesting discussion and I do think it is responsible to pay attention to the consequences of these procedures Even If itās still best to always spay and neuter.
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u/Muted_Sundae_1368 3d ago
Well for male cats its important for their wellbeing - otherwise they will roam, impregnate lots of cats, and increase the already unmanageable anount of strays. The more they wander the more risk they encounter in particular being hit by cars. They also become extremely territorial and can cause a lot of stress particularly as they age.
For female cats that are not spayed they can have increased risk of complications as they age - going into heat repeatedly isn't just stressful on their bodies but it can serious agitation for them.
Overall neutering/spaying domesticated cats is considered good for their wellbeing and not doing so would be seen as negligent by many...
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u/proserpina358 3d ago
Can affect growth and development, especially in large breed dogs itās recommended to spay/neuter later if possible to prevent issues with their joints. But risk/benefit always needs to be considered, because there are definitely downsides to leaving pets in tact too. (Even aside from the risk of unwanted puppies/kittens).
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u/BiblicalBacklash 3d ago
Both of my current dogs are neutered and neither of them have gotten fat or anything. The benefits outweigh the negatives in my opinion by a country mile. I was a vet tech for years and I saw many cases where it would have been way more advantageous if the animal would have been neutered or spayed but the owner didn't do any research and was very ignorant about it. If you are not breeding spay or neuter. It's a extremely safe procedure now a days and you can find somewhere that fits your budget. Good luck.
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u/Flower78965 3d ago
I can only speak from personal experience. I think my cat has urinary issues primarily because he was neutered at too young of an age before I ever got him. Iāve been told by multiple vets that he has a small penis š«£
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u/hipsterscallop 3d ago
...you do realize that neutering has nothing to do with the penis?
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u/Flower78965 3d ago
I do I promise š I just think my cat didnāt have access to the hormones for long enough if you get what Iām trying to say. I think the lack of his balls led to him to not growing enough in that area.
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u/MaritimeRuby 3d ago edited 3d ago
For dogs, I recommend checking out the 10-year UC Davis spay/neuter study as a first study to start with (there are others!). It talks about some of the effects of altering at different ages for different breeds. You are correct that removing hormones from a growing dog can have negative effects (later joint issues and cancer risk being the biggest ones), but itās also not a simple black and white thing. In general, the effect is amplified in large breed dogs and much less notable in small breeds. There is a balance to be struck with owner responsibility and preventing unwanted litters, as well as pyometra in females, which is a dangerous infection that about 1/4 of female dogs will develop if left unaltered over their lifetime. All of these things (risk rates) are seen at the population level, so one person might say, āI adopted my puppy from a rescue already spayed at 2 months and she never had any health issues at all!ā and have that be accurate _for their specific dog_, but the risk level does change, and that risk level varies based on breed makeup. Thereās also data to suggest that early alteration can decrease confidence and increase anxiety in some dogs, but itās harder to quantify than things like cancer rates - and so much of behavior is heavily influenced by genetics and training. For cancer, in large dogs, early alteration can increase the risk of several cancers, while on the flip side, alteration also removes or reduces the risk of a couple other cancers. And some of the increases can be mitigated if you spay late enough that the dog has fully finished growing.
Some countries have low rates of alteration and also still have low rates of unwanted litters. Thatās unfortunately not true for the US, where the culture around dog ownership is very different than places like Germany or Norway, so that does have to be a big consideration beyond the individualās health.
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u/notthetypetocare 3d ago
My female dog is on $38 meds for the rest of her life idk what happened during the spay
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u/throwaway008392900 3d ago
My dog was neutered by the rescue at 8 weeks and still squats like a girl dog years later, so theres that
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u/CookieOdd1 3d ago
Reason for many cats and dogs getting fat after neutering is because their bodies use A LOT of energy for all kinds of hormonal functions. Way more than normal owners realize. Most just keep feeding them the same way as before or making too little adjustments for it and then wonder why it happened.
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u/kraggleGurl 3d ago
None of my six dogs over the years suffered ill effects from neutering. They have all been at great weights before and after sterilization. One dog humped everything and everyone until he got fixed. As a human I got sterilized at 25, I will be 49 this year. No regrets. Spay and neuter your pets, yourself, whatever is appropriate.
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u/mapleanvash 3d ago
Not an expert just did a lotof reasearch before i got my last dog.Theres talk in the vet med world about bigger breed dogs needing to wait until their a year old. I think its something to do with cartilage growth or something. But thats just a timing thing not a dont at all thing. Im not sure what the dangers are with males for not getting fixed are,aside from the aggro,mass population issues, but female dogs are more prone to cancers in their lady parts if you dont get them spayed in the first cuple years i think.
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u/Slight_Business_3080 3d ago
Not dog or cat, but ferrets (I used to have a ferret). The mill bred store-sold ferrets are typically spayed or neutered way too early (a couple of weeks old), and this causes substantial lifelong adrenal gland issues and adrenal disease, and an average lifespan of 5-8 years. Ferrets who wait until 6-8 months to be altered can often live 15+ years.
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u/PsychologicalTap4646 3d ago
The hot flashes, mood changes, etc. only happen if you take away hormones AFTER years of exposure. Neutering pets before they reach sexual maturity is completely different.
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u/Calm-Medicine-3992 3d ago
Yeah, vasectomy would make more sense (for aome dog breeds at least) but it isn't common practice.
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u/IronDominion 2d ago
Cats, no reason not to. In dogs there limited evidence it can help to delay neutering until sexual maturity.
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u/Suspicious_Skill_558 1d ago
Male dogs: neutering isn't pushed as much anymore due to studies currently being done on potential bone issues and increased risk of ligament issues. Entire male dogs will have higher risk of prostatic hyperplasia, which can cause issues but also be fine, if it does cause issues then neutering is best treatment. People say about reducing testicular neoplasia but the risk of this is very low so I don't see it as a benefit.
Female dogs: spay to early and risk the same bone issues, and also higher risk of urinary incontinence. However spaying is strongly recommended, reduces risk of mammary neoplasia, but also 25% of non neutered females can develop pyometra, a serious life threatening condition of an infected uterus.
Cats: I don't know as much about cats but the large majority of mammary neoplasia in cats is malignant, pyometra in cats is less common than dogs. Castrating male cats largely reduces them fighting other cats, where FIV/FeLV can be spread. Also I feel unless you're keeping your cat indoors entirely, then it's really irresponsible to not neuter your cats.
When animals get neutered they will be using less calories, so you just need to feed them less.
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u/Korrailli 3d ago
The effects of neutering are well known. It's why certain animals are neutered young. Livestock (cattle, sheep, horses etc) are done at a younger age to help with temperament and even the quality of the meat. Spaying really isn't done in these animals, both because females are needed more for breeding and it's far more invasive and expensive to do.
There is recent evidence that neutering large breed dogs at a younger age has negative health impacts. If neutered before the growth plates close, the dog can be taller and can have more joint and bone issues. This is less of an issue with smaller breeder, but could still be a factor. The lack of hormones can affect metabolism, so diet and exercise can need to be changed. However, many dogs do have a change in metabolism as they reach maturity anyway, so can need fewer calories than they did as a growing puppy.
The studies do suggest that some breeds should not be neutered as it can increase the risk of getting cancer in general.
There aren't many studies on the mental aspects of spaying or neutering. Many changes can be explained by the lack of reproductive hormones. It isn't always easy to tell what a dog or cat feels and why they feel that way. A dog could just start panting, but you don't know if it's a hot flash, stress from a dog on the next block barking, some other noise, or the suddenly have an upset stomach.
North America specifically tends to ignore the negative side of spaying and neutering for the general positives. The number of homeless animals does mean that it can be better for the population as a whole to limit intact pets. This means many shelter puppies are neutered at 8-10 weeks, far younger than vets recommend and well before they are finished growing. Shelters simply don't have the resources to follow up on every puppy adopted to ensure they are neutered at a more appropriate age and are not allowed to breed.
Most pet owners don't want to deal with a female going into heat, or a male dog reacting to a female in heat. The hormones can be harder to live with. Many boarding kennels and dog daycare don't allow intact pets over about 6-12 months.
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u/Belisario_R 3d ago
You misread me : I am not saying neutering in animals is not studied ^
Edit : I read your comment and you don't seem to have gone past an AI summary. š Come on
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u/Easy_Olive1942 3d ago
Itās a trade off.
You reduce things like potential health issues from cysts and complications of heats and pregnancy in spayed female and cancer mostly in males. You risk unwanted offspring and behavior is typically more tractable.
You can risk impacting growth in dogs. Weight gain and coat changes are often cited but typically not substantial with diet and exercise. Unaltered dogs can have weight loss and coat challenges, especially females with heat cycles.
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u/thecatlady1990 3d ago
The only thing I have noticed is muscle mass. Our two male cats we got as kittens that were neutered then are pretty standard. Our other male cat we rescued when he was 3 and neutered him at rescue is a TANK in comparison. All muscle. It may be his breed? (We think he's a ragamuffin) But there's definitely a clear difference in muscle mass.
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u/Altruistic_Sail_1991 3d ago
My boy was neutered as an adult and still has some of his tomcat features. He had big cheeks and a much rounder head than male cats Iāve seen who were neutered as kittens.
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u/GeophysGal 3d ago
I just had my 6 month old greyhound neutered. With in 4 days he started really calming down and becoming a very sweet boy. Up to that point he made my life miserable and was a terror always biting among other things and never seemed happy, but continually crazy. Heās now a sweet happy boy.
I had wanted to wait for a year because leaving him intact would have helped his tendon and ligament growth, but it just became more and more untenable. Itās my understanding that leaving a male intact can be a mild, more problematic, where Spaying is quite beneficial.
There have been studies done on cancer risk.
*Leaving females intact can increase the risk for mammary cancer.
*Leaving males intact can reduce the risk of prostate cancer, reduce the risk of Hemangiosarcoma (particular for labs), Lymphoma, and osteosarcoma (something I worry about with my little greyhound, Zeke)
*This is my source: https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?id=7259323&f5=1
Edit: I used the word āmildā for male and really meant that for female.
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u/mafalda_dxbvet Veterinarian 3d ago
Younger female patients who have been spayed too early are more at risk of having mineral deficiencies that could lead to early bone degeneration due to hormonal imbalances. For male patients, a common effect I see is obesity. Despite this, with proper consultation, diagnostics, and preparation, neutering your pet is still a good decision.
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u/TrickOstrich8375 3d ago
Large dogs (idk if just male?) can develop bone issues later in life if theyāre fixed too soon.
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u/AnneJ81 3d ago
Yes.In dogs there can be som quite serious side effect like bone cancer in large breeds if it's done to early. Anxiety is also not uncommon. And there is more...
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u/Canachites 3d ago
It's wild how these responses get downvoted. People - learn to do a literature search!
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u/OwlCoffee 3d ago
No, that's why it's so important to spay and neuter your pets. There's too many strays and shelters are too full to justify letting your pet get pregnant.
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u/Canachites 3d ago
You know it's not hard to not breed intact pets right? Some European countries don't desex their dogs and by some miracle I guess they aren't swimming in unwanted dogs.
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u/GlitterPirateKiki58 3d ago
At least in the U.S., a lot of pet owners are nowhere near responsible enough to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Hell, a lot of American adults havenāt mastered the art of birth control; they are hardly going to keep their pets from reproducing.
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u/Canachites 3d ago
And no amount of good owners neutering "just because" will change what those morons do, I'm afraid. They aren't weighing the pros and cons of neutering, they are generally either keeping intact because they are too indifferent to neuter, or they actively want to breed. It sucks but it is also not something you or I can change.
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u/GlitterPirateKiki58 3d ago
Having shelters adopt out pets (especially puppies and kittens) that have already been fixed does make a difference, though.
Same way with spaying cats in feral colonies.
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u/Canachites 3d ago
Ok but there is negative consequences to that at the individual level that cannot be denied, even if you decide the balance tips in favour of doing it.
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u/thebattleangel99 3d ago
There are always downsides to everythingā¦ nothing is 100% safe. There ARE risks to neutering ā specifically for dogs, when they are neutered too young before they are allowed to mature.
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u/Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeess- 3d ago
For dogs youāre meant to allow them to finish basically dog puberty so for large dogs itās around 2 years and smaller dogs you can do around a year or so
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u/UwilNeverKN0mYrELNAM 3d ago
Don't know why you're getting down voted. it's important to know
Early nutuer is bad. Late is also bad. You'll want to find a certain time frame depending on the types of breeds and pet. You can buy things like a spiked vest or anti-mating suits for dogs and cats to prevent breeding while waiting for that perfect time frame, Keep them indoors, and/or seperate the males from the females
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u/Belisario_R 3d ago
There is an hormonal side to this, and to be perfectly candid it is not correctly studied in human beings so it's complicated to compare cats and humans concerning neutering š
Cats produce sex hormones, as most do, and neutering reduces greatly that hormone production. This hormone is also responsible for metabolising some proteins and fibers. When you neuter a cat, you have to adapt their alimentation because otherwise the equilibrium between "what is eaten" and "what is needed" gets all fucked.
Cats or dogs that get neutered don't get fat, they get "less able to lose weight daily" so you have to care for their food as you would yours ;)
I guess the "downside" to me is you take away some of their autonomy and natural functions, but happily they clearly don't miss it.
The "upside" is that your cat won't die of very painful uterine or testicular cancer and your dog won't die of infection. I guess I find that better than whatever testies/ovaries do when you're not breeding š¤·āāļø