17/12/2024
Today, my boy Albie is at the vet undergoing a vasectomy instead of a traditional neuter (gonadectomy), and he’s in the best hands with Dr. Barns, the best surgeon in town—at least in my humble opinion!
Sterilization is important—no one is questioning that. But how we achieve it deserves a closer look. A vasectomy (for males) or hysterectomy (for females) accomplishes the goal of preventing reproduction while leaving important hormones intact, and research increasingly shows the importance of preserving those hormones for long-term health.
Take, for example, a systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between gonadectomy and cranial cruciate ligament disease (CrCLD). The findings were clear:
✅ Dogs who undergo gonadectomy (neuter/spay) face higher odds of developing CrCLD compared to intact dogs.
✅ The risk is especially pronounced when the procedure is done at 1 year of age or younger.
✅ For both males and females, the odds were 2x higher for CrCLD following gonadectomy.
Why? Hormones play a crucial role in bone, ligament, and joint health. Removing them too early—or at all—can have unintended consequences.
Choosing sterilization techniques like vasectomies and hysterectomies allows us to balance population control with long-term health. Science is advancing, and as advocates for our dogs, it’s worth reexamining traditional practices.
Wishing Albie a smooth recovery and giving a shout-out to progressive veterinarians like Dr. Barns for offering options that prioritize our dogs’ health. If you’re curious about alternatives to traditional spay/neuter procedures, it’s worth a conversation with your vet!
Thank you Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib Pet Health Media for sharing!❤️
Remember no one is arguing the need for sterilization, it's the surgical technique that should be reevaluated. Hysterectomy and vasectomy achieve the same goal but leave important hormones intact according to science.
"The association between gonadectomy and timing of gonadectomy, and the risk of canine cranial cruciate ligament disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Objective - To determine if gonadectomy in dogs is associated with the risk of cranial cruciate ligament disease (CrCLD) and to quantify the magnitude of the association.
Study design - Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Sample population - Comparative studies with gonadectomized and entire dogs, with CrCLD as an outcome measure.
Methods - A systematic search of the primary and gray literature was performed. The effect size of the outcome measure was defined as the OR and 95% CI. Subgroup analysis was performed with s*x, breed, and age at gonadectomy. A pooled OR (95% CI) was generated from meta-analysis of relevant studies. Certainty in the body of evidence was rated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.
Results - The literature search yielded 1398 results and 24 relevant studies were included for synthesis. Gonadectomized female (pooled OR = 2.293, 95% CI = 1.768–2.945) and male (pooled OR = 2.117, 95% CI = 1.665–2.691) dogs were both at increased odds of developing CrCLD in comparison with entire female and male dogs, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that gonadectomy at 1 year or less was consistently associated with an increase in odds of developing CrCLD in both s*xes. Overall certainty in the evidence was rated as moderate. All included studies were observational and no controlled trials were available.
Conclusion - In data with moderate certainty, gonadectomy is associated with increased odds of developing CrCLD in both s*xes, particularly in dogs gonadectomized at 1 year of age or less.
Clinical significance - This study provides an estimate of the true effect size of gonadectomy on the odds of developing CrCLD, which may be useful for clinical decision making surrounding gonadectomy and the timing of gonadectomy."
