Should you spay or neuter your pet?

It’s an age-old debate: should you or should you not spay or neuter your dog? Common wisdom seems to say you should—yet there’s research now that shows neutering may not always be the best option. The Pet Project wades into the debate to help you make a more informed decision.

What exactly is spaying or neutering your dog?

Neutering or spaying in the process by which your pet’s reproductive organs are removed. For female dogs, this involves removing the uterus and the ovaries. For male dogs, neutering is when their testicles are removed, also known as castration. This means your pet will not be able to either bear a litter (if they’re female) or sire a litter (if they’re male).

Dogs are usually spayed or neutering at several months of age, although it differs from dog to dog. If you plan to neuter or spay your pet, talk to your vet when you bring your pup home, and see what timeline they suggest.

When did the practice begin?

Spaying or neutering your pet was not always a common practice. Until the 1970s, in fact, very few pets were neutered and many bore litters. But in the 1970s, there was a sudden wave of new puppies and stray dogs, which overburdened the shelters in the US. They were forced to euthanize dogs en masse, which is when neutering or spaying your dog became popular. If your dog was neutered or spayed, then they couldn’t have puppies and if they didn’t have puppies, they couldn’t add to the number of homeless and stray dogs swarming the streets. It makes a huge difference: according to PETA, one unaltered female dog and her litter can produce 67,000 puppies in only six years.

Today, neutering is such an accepted practice, it is mostly considered the norm. In several circles, in fact, not neutering your pet risks you being branded as an irresponsible pet parent. Several dog day-cares and pet salons in the US will not accept dogs that haven’t been neutered. Shelters in some American states mandate sterilization for any dog that passes through them.

Positives of neutering or spaying your pet

There are several positives to spaying or neutering your pet. Here are a few:

You won’t have a litter of unplanned puppies. If you don’t spay your female dog, then there’s a good chance that she’ll get pregnant at some point, leaving you with a litter of puppies. If you were not planning on breeding your dog, then this can leave you at somewhat of a loose end. You’ll need to care for the puppies until a certain age, do all their vaccinations and shots, and look for responsible pet parents that can adopt them. That means putting out notices for pet parents, fielding calls, and doing your due diligence to make sure they are actually capable pet parents that will give the pup a stable home. This is a lot of work if you aren’t prepared for it.

Neutering may help with aggression. It’s believed that neutering your male dog makes them more docile and less aggressive. This makes it easier for them to get along with other dogs, as well as other people, especially children.

Remember leg humping? If you’ve ever met a non-neutered make dog, then chances are that at some point, they’ve tried to dry hump your leg. They can’t help it; it’s just their instincts. Neutering your dog will help get rid of some of that unwanted behaviour.

Your female dog won’t go into heat. If you don’t spay your female dog, she will go into heat. This means she has entered the reproductive phase of her cycle, and will be instantly attractive to all the male dogs around her. That means chasing away packs of dogs as they come after your pet—as you can imagine, it is not a pleasant experience. “Being in heat” usually last for three weeks, and usually occurs every seven to eight months.

Your male dog won’t leave home. Male dogs that haven’t been neutered tend to do anything to reproduce with a female. This includes leaving home in search of one. Neutering your pet will make it less likely that they’ll wander—which will keep them safe from accidents and harm.

Health benefits. Many claim that there are health benefits to neutering and spaying your pets. Male dogs are less likely to develop prostate cancer. Dogs in general tend to live longer with neutered or spayed, and they have a lower chance of developing urinary tract infections.

This seems pretty great! Are there negatives to neutering or spaying your pet?

New research has shown that there may be benefits to not neutering and spaying your pet. Here are some of them:

Neutering and spaying increase the chances of cancer. New studies have shown that while neutering may reduce the chances of prostate cancer in male dogs, it increases the chances of other cancers. Neutered large-breed dogs, for instance, suffer from bone and spleen cancers far more than dogs who are not neutered.

And there is even new research to suggest that neutering doesn’t actually prevent prostate cancer, since the cancer not linked to hormones. We know all this information can sound confusing but it helps to remember that, like any field, the science and knowledge we have on pets is constantly evolving. Nothing “known” is ever set in stone, and opinions are always divided on the best course of action.

If you’re breeding your dog, don’t neuter or spay them. This one is obvious, but the obvious is always worth saying—if you’re planning to breed your dog, then don’t spay or neuter them. Spaying or neutering will take away their ability to bear or sire a litter, and make them unfit for breeding.

Neutering won’t fix all behavioural disorders. One of the most compelling reasons to neuter your pet is because it is believed to fix aggression and rage in male dogs. But new research shows that neutering doesn’t actually fix behavioural disorders—it’s not this one-stop solution that many believe it to be. It does prevent your dog from trying to leave the house though, and thus does keep them safer from road accidents. But you may not get the nice, docile dog you believe you’ll get once you neuter them.

Neutered and spayed dogs have a higher chance of developing joint issues. A study conducted at the University of California examined 795 golden retrievers. They found that neutered pets had a higher chance of developing hip dysplasia and ligament problems. So if your dog loves hiking with you and you plan to do it well into their old age, neutering may not be the right option for you.

Right! To neuter/spay or not to neuter/spay?

We know this article probably hasn’t done a lot to help clear the confusion in your mind, but this is what it looks like to listen to all sides of an argument. If you’re wondering whether or not to neuter or spay your pet, we suggest talking to your vet. Outline your concerns—on both sides—and see what they say. They’ll help you take an informed decision backed by their medical experience. More importantly though, they’ll help you take an informed decision based on your pet, which is the most important consideration.