LETS TALK NEUTERING!!

It's always a topic of conversation which causes heated conversations about when or if to do it!

Pro's of neutering include:

Females:

Preventing accidental litters, phantom pregnancies, excessive denning and digging, whining, loss of appetite, or restricted walking when a female is in season. Furthermore, it prevents the risk of any female getting pyometra, which if gone unnoticed, can be fatal.

Males:

May reduce roaming, loss of appetite, sexual frustration around a female in season , or possible behaviours towards other males.

But.....what about the negatives?

Please remember it's not about not neutering, it's about timing. I am certainly not anti- neuter, but it should be carefully considered on a case by case basis.

Obviously if there's a medical reason to do so, you have no choice. Ultimately its about weighing up the risks, and not being the one who, "didn't know!"

Neutering anxious dogs has been shown to INCREASE anxiety. Here's a link to an article with a lot of useful information referencing academic sources: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/effects-of-neutering-on-undesirable-behaviours-in-dogs.

In the UK, we are carrying out a lot of research into the causes of IVDD, alongside other things

The charity Dachshund Health UK   supports and financially contributes to a lot of this research.

Peer reviewed research has found an increased risk of IVDD (by 4 times) when dogs are neutered under the age of 12 months, follow up surveys show it is increased if neutered under 2 years old.

Independent research by myself also reflects this.

The research does not imply causation, but it is a risk factor (which many vets are aware of and support). There are many factors which influence IVDD, and it is largely believed to be genetic, but it is about reducing as many of those risks as possible, Good diet, good weight, fit and active etc.

Here's the academic research:

https://cgejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40575-018-0067-7

And here's the jargon translated alongside other hot topics supported by its research: https://www.dachshund-ivdd.uk/lifestyle-advice/neutering/

And from the health committee: https://sites.google.com/site/ukdachshundhealthreport/dachshund-health-information-library/welfare/should-i-spay-or-neuter-my-dachshund

Ultimately regardless of what anyone tells you, do your own research, look at beyond ivdd too. Don't just take my word for it, or anyone else's, you need to cope with the shudda, wudda, cudda's! Search up the implications as supported by research (not anecdotal). If anyone has any evidence of research that contradicts the IVDD research please feel free to post links to the research (scientific please) below.

Here is a link to a balanced article on neutering with the sources of information listed at the end.

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/long-term-health-risks-benefits-spay-neuter-dogs/

Just to add chemical neutering, although not researched is believed to have the same implications!!

Why are academic sources important?

Academic sources give more credibility and reliability than sources written by those who are not experts in a field of study. Academic sources have also been through a peer review process, which means other experts have evaluated the work and determined it to be of good quality.

Final note

Ultimately it is your decision, your choice and you will do the best by your dogs with the information available to you. That is the best we can do.

I hope this helps those of you weighing up the risks.

Pic of Kami having a lie in for cuteness ❤️❤️