I recently participated in a free webinar discussing neutering of dogs and cats (always a hot-button topic!). I made a screen recording of my segment of the presentation, which I am posting here.
There were some technical glitches, including some popup notifications that I have only been able to hide imperfectly. I was also asked at the last minute to shorten the presentation by 10 minutes, so it’s a bit rushed and doesn’t flow perfectly, and it ends abruptly since I handed over quite quickly to the next speaker. Nevertheless, I hope there will be some useful concepts and information in there for you!
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Really enjoyed the Neutering webinar. There was one question that was asked but didn’t get answered. I’d be interested to hear your opinion. At what stage of the oestrous cycle do you recommend neutering? I’ve always recommended in anoestrus preferably but is this backed up by science?
It is much easier to neuter during anestrus because the tissues are quiescent and the blood supply less exuberant, though this matters more if you are doing an ovariohysterectomy, not only an ovariectomy. It is also likely less hormonally disruptive to do the ovariectomy during the anestrus phase of the cycle, though I am not aware of any literature indicating whether or not there are any clinically important consequences of spaying during other phases, and this is certainly done quite commonly in shelter settings and by some vets.
Thank you. I assumed anoestrus was best but wondered if anything had been published to verify that
What is your take on Hormone sparing sterilization? Should we be educating our patients that there are healthier options available?
Effectively, this prevents reproduction but in every other way is equivalent to not neutering, so the pros and cons are nearly the same as remaining intact. I think it is not the best choice for most females due to risk of mammary cancer (and potentially pyometra if the hysterectomy is not done appropriately).
Do you have any insight into the effects of LH after neutering? Is it a huge problem? I’ve been reading some scary information being shared by a vet online, Dr Dobias. I’m not sure if any of it is true, but he seems to suggest that elevated LH levels cause huge issues in neutered dogs. Thank you for your presentation, it makes me feel a lot more relaxed about having had my female spayed when she was 3.
Assuming you mean Dr. Peter Dobias, the first thing to know is that he is not a reliable source, promoting and selling a wide range of pseudoscience.
There is no body of evidence showing that LH elevations after neutering increase disease risk. One paper showed som difference in LH receptors in lymphoma cells compared with normal lymphocytes, but that doesn’t justify the completely unsupported claim that LH “causes cancer.” I have spoken with several reputable endocrinology and oncology specialists about these claims, which are spreading online, and they do not find them credible.