Expert: Jana Connell RVT, CVT - 1/17/2011

Question
"Hello,
I am considering waiting until my golden retreiver puppy is 2 years old to get him neuterd because of all the cons of early neutering, but I also don't really know how hard it is do deal with an unneuterd dog. Is their behavior uncontrollable? This article shows some of my concerns and their are many more sections on other health considerations.

Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete
One Veterinarian’s Opinion
© 2005 Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP
www.caninesports.com
"Orthopedic Considerations
A study by Salmeri et al in 1991 found that bitches spayed at 7 weeks grew significantly taller than those spayed
at 7 months, who were taller than those not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed).(1)
A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and
neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of
age.(2) The sex hormones, by communicating with a number of other growth-related hormones, promote the
closure of the growth plates at pubjerty (3), so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty
continue to grow. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered well before puberty can frequently be identified by
their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls. This abnormal growth frequently
results in significant alterations in body proportions and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certain
bones relative to others. For example, if the femur has achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8
months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of
age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the
lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier (because it is longer), and may cause increased stresses on the
cranial cruciate ligament. In addition, sex hormones are critical for achieving peak bone density.(4) These
structural and physiological alterations may be the reason why at least one recent study showed that spayed and
neutered dogs had a higher incidence of CCL rupture.(5) Another recent study showed that dogs spayed or
neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered
after 5 1/2 months of age, although it should be noted that in this study there were no standard criteria for the
diagnosis of hip dysplasia.(6) Nonetheless, breeders of purebred dogs should be cognizant of these studies and
should consider whether or not pups they bred were spayed or neutered when considering breeding decisions."

I want my puppy to be healthy but I am not sure how hard he would be to handle if I waited until he was two to neuter him. My question is:  is it difficult to control an unneutered golden retreiver? Are the hormones and behavioral problems hard to deal with? What challenges will occur if I don't get him neutered before he is sexually mature?
Please help me make an informed decision.
Thanks,
Savannah"

Answer
I have to commend you Savannah for doing the research on this and for being concerned. But remember this, this article is geared for dogs that are extreme athletes, not your common pet dog.
Over the hundreds of decades that we have been neutering dogs in our society, there has not been a disproportionate amount of CCL or ACL ruptures in dogs that are neutered. We see dogs of every size, type, breed, and sex that can rupture them- both little dogs and females- so being male or intact makes no difference.

Now I am not a proponent of early neutering - that is, before 6 months old. Large breed dogs reach their major growth by the time they are one year old then continue to grow (mostly muscular) until almost 2 years of age.But that growth is microscopic in nature and is not affected by neutering.Most of the growth is muscular and neutered dogs still fill out with good muscle and if kept on high quality diet and exercised. These dogs are as lean and muscular as intact dogs. I have seen this to be true in our practice and with dogs I know.

This study was done in 2005 and new studies have come out since then. Large breed foods also help with the skeletal and muscle problems dogs can have. In 1994-95 Hills did a two year study on the causes and effects of diet (in particular minerals, etc) on skeletal growth and hip dysplasia.

What they found was that an imbalance of minerals, particularly the calcium/phosphorus ratio, was a leading contributor to hip and joint problems in these dogs. So dietary restrictions, along with optimal nutrition, are what these dogs need to grow healthy and strong. Remember that 80% of the dogs out there are neutered and that the rate of CCL and ACL ruptures seen do not correspond to that number as indicated in this old report. Basically it would mean that ALL the neutered dogs out there or let's say 89% of them are going to rupture a knee and that is just not the case.

Neutering also controls many problems both behaviorally and otherwise that will be much harder to handle once he gets into them as an intact male. If you do it before he is a year old you have a much better chance of having a calm, happy and trainable dog. Of course training should be going on now- but if he starts to have aggression tendencies (common in intact males) or food or territory aggression it will be nearly impossible to change that. Nip those in the bud by getting him done now.

If it were my dog, I would have him neutered now if he is over 6 months old  and I would feed him Hill's large breed adult food if he were over a year and Large Breed Puppy Growth if he was under a year. Keep him within his one year old weight at all times and on good food and he will be healthy, strong and active.

Good luck!!