Should You Neuter Your Dog or Cat?

Neutering male dogs and cats is typically recommended.

Most of you have probably heard or been told that neutering your dog or cat is the responsible thing to do as a pet owner. But many of you may not understand why the recommendation is made.

What is Neutering? Is Castration of a Dog or Cat the Same Thing?

Neutering is term which is used to describe the altering of the male dog or cat. In actuality, the term neuter can refer to the desexing of both male and female animals. However, in current day usage, neutering usually is used in reference to male animals. Castration is a term which means virtually the same thing. However, the term has fallen out of favor, probably because of its harsh connotations.

Neutering, in practice, involves the removal of both testicles. As a result, neutered (or castrated) dogs and cats are unable to impregnate a female dog or cat. No sperm is produced to allow fertilization of female eggs.

Why Should You Neuter Your Male Dog or Cat?

One of the key reasons that neutering is advised for male dogs and cats is to aid in decreasing the population of homeless and unwanted pets. Neutered dogs and cats are infertile and cannot produce puppies and kittens. Many communities require the neutering of male pets as well as the spaying of female pets if the animals are not being used for breeding purposes. Though this requirement is somewhat controversial, it is becoming more widespread as more communities adopt these types of regulations.

Are There Other Benefits to Neutering Your Male Dog or Cat?

In cats, there are behavioral benefits to neutering. Cats which have been neutered are less likely to exhibit urine spraying or urine marking behaviors, though these behaviors do still occur in a small percentage of neutered cats. Neutered male cats are also less likely to fight and less likely to roam as far from the home if allowed outside as well. In addition, the urine of an unaltered male cat has a very strong odor that urine from neutered male cats does not possess, making living with a neutered male cat more pleasant and less odoriferous.

In dogs, the health benefits of neutering include eliminating the risk of testicular cancer, reducing the risk of prostate disease, and reducing the risk of perianal fistulas and hernias. There is also some evidence that neutering may help prevent diabetes in male dogs. In addition, most neutered dogs also experience behavioral benefits. They tend to be more focused and easier to train due to the relative lack of male hormones causing distractions.

Do Neutered Dogs and Cats Gain Weight?

Neutering does alter the metabolism of both dogs and cats. As a result, if the diet is not controlled properly, weight gain can occur. However, if fed a proper amount of a complete and balanced diet, there is no reason for the pet to become overweight or obese. As long as overfeeding is avoided, it is entirely possible to maintain neutered male dogs and cats at a proper weight and ideal body condition.

Are There Disadvantages to Neutering a Dog or Cat?

As with any surgical procedure, there are surgical and anesthetic risks involved. However, these risks are minimal in a young, healthy dog or cat. In addition, your veterinarian can take steps to further minimize the inherent risks of surgery by providing balanced anesthesia and proper monitoring of your pet during and after the surgical procedure.

There is some concern that neutering may increase the risk of orthopedic diseases, particularly the development of osteosarcomas (a severe, malignant, aggressive form of bone cancer) if the surgery is performed prior to one year of age. Other conditions which appear to have an increased incidence in neutered dogs include hypothyroidism, hemangiosarcoma involving the heart, geriatric canine cognitive dysfunction, prostate and urinary tract cancers and an increased risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations. In my opinion, there is insufficient evidence to be able to say that all of these conditions occur as a direct result of neutering. While it is clear that the decision to neuter a dog should not be “cut-and-dried”, I do not believe that there is sufficient evidence to justify not neutering at this point in time. However, with continued research into these subject areas, hopefully the connections will become more clear with time.

When Should a Dog or Cat be Neutered?

Traditionally, dogs and cats were neutered at six months of age or older. However, at the current time, early age neutering is a common practice and dogs and cats, particularly those being released from shelter or rescue situations, are frequently neutered as early as 6-8 weeks of age. Different veterinary hospitals typically have slightly different protocols in regards to neutering and your veterinarian may prefer to do the surgery at an early age or may prefer to wait until your pet is a bit older. Because of the increased incidence of bone tumors being diagnosed in dogs neutered prior to one year of age, some veterinarians are now advising to wait until the dog is over a year of age. Talk to your veterinarian about specific recommendations for your dog or cat based on his life style and individual risk factors.