Why Spay or Neuter?

This topic has become controversial as more research is performed, and vets are answering questions and sometimes responding to misinformation surrounding when is the right time to spay/neuter or should it be permanently postponed.

When pet owners decide to spay or neuter their pets, it’s often for very practical reasons — and the science backs up many of those choices. Spaying and neutering (often called “altering”) can improve a pet’s health, behavior, and longevity, while also helping reduce pet overpopulation. Still, it’s worth understanding both the benefits and the potential downsides so you can make an informed decision tailored to your individual pet.  Luckily, last year the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) created a 136-page set of guidelines (https://wsava.org/global-guidelines/reproduction-guidelines/) to help vets and pet owners make the right decision for their pets.  We summarized and translated those findings for pet owners here!

Behavioral and Lifestyle Benefits

Finding a mate is on a sexually mature pet’s mind as much as finding food, water and shelter. If you, the pet owner, are providing the food and shelter, removing the need to mate and reproduce will help stabilize many pets. Most pet owners notice behavioral improvements after spaying or neutering

• Less roaming and fighting: Pets that are altered are less likely to run away, get into fights, or be hit by cars while searching for a mate.  Unfortunately, we see these cases in our hospital quite often.
• Fewer marking and mating behaviors: Neutered male cats are far less likely to spray urine to mark territory. Female dogs and cats no longer experience heat cycles, which means no spotting, no unwanted attention from males, and less behavioral stress overall.

Major Health Benefits

Spaying and neutering also offer powerful protection against several common and serious diseases and for me, this is the take home-message.  Exam room conversations always come down to percentages of risk.  The risk of a side effect of a medication versus the risk of getting the disease; the risk of a vaccine versus the prevalence of the disease in our area; the risks of spay/neuter versus leaving pets intact.

In females:

• The risk of mammary (breast) tumors drops dramatically when spayed before the first heat. In unspayed females, these tumors have an overall incidence of about 3%.
• The risk of pyometra, a life-threatening uterine infection, reaches 24% by age 10 in intact females — but is virtually eliminated by spaying.  Pyometra is a life-threatening uterine infection causing pus to fill the uterus and often leads to sepsis and death if untreated.  It is also much more expensive to treat compared to spaying a pet when they are healthy.

In males:

• Neutering helps prevent testicular cancer and reduces the risk of prostate enlargement.
  It also lowers the chances of perineal hernias (caused by weakening pelvic muscles under hormonal influence).

Weighing the Possible Downsides

As with any medical procedure, there are potential trade-offs.

Removing hormones can slightly alter metabolism and body composition:

• Weight gain and diabetes: Both males and females may be more prone to obesity and diabetes after sterilization, but these risks can be mitigated with proper diet and exercise.
• Orthopedic concerns: In some large breeds, early spay/neuter (before 12–18 months) has been linked to higher risk of cruciate ligament tears (CCL) and other orthopedic issues. Delaying the procedure until skeletal maturity may be advisable for certain breeds.

What About Cancer Risk?

This area has been studied extensively — though research is mixed and often limited by small sample sizes. Some cancers do show a slight increase in incidence after sterilization, but the overall risk remains low.

It’s important to remember: the diseases prevented by spaying/neutering are far more common than those that might increase in risk. For example, mammary tumors and pyometra affect many unspayed females, while cancers like OSA or HSA occur in less than 1% of the general population.

The Bottom Line

The latest guidelines from WSAVA stress that rather than a blanket ‘spay/neuter all pets at six months’ policy, the best approach is tailored to the individual pet — factoring in breed, size, health, lifestyle and owner circumstances. For most pets, the health and behavioral benefits of spaying or neutering outweigh the risks. Potential downsides — such as weight gain or incontinence — can often be managed with proper care, nutrition, and, if needed, medical treatment.

Generally, small‐ and medium‐breed pets may proceed with spay/neuter earlier, but for large and giant breeds the guidelines recommend closer evaluation of optimal timing to minimize risks of orthopedic disease and maybe some types of cancer. Your veterinarian may recommend delaying spay/neuter or considering alternative timing.

Every pet is unique — and your vet can help you create a personalized plan based on age, breed, lifestyle, and health history.  Here’s a list of questions to ask your vet:

• What breed‐specific considerations apply to my pet?
• Is my pet’s lifestyle (indoor/outdoor, roaming risk, super-supervision) such that timing should be delayed or advanced?
• What surgical/analgesic protocols does the clinic use for sterilization?
• What owner responsibilities (e.g., containment, behavioral management, supervision) apply if the pet remains intact for a period?

Thanks for reading! For more information contact City by the Sea Vet at 848-217-5000 or visit our website www.citybytheseavet.com