For decades, conventional spaying and neutering, which involves removing the gonads, were considered the healthiest and most humane choices for dogs. But not anymore.
Earlier this year, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association turned this conventional wisdom upside down.
They announced that based on recent research, conventional, they no longer recommend conventional spaying and neutering because it can lead to a whole array of acute and chronic conditions in dogs, including (but not limited to) muscular-skeletal injuries, ligament tears, arthritis, chronic inflammation, pain, thyroid and adrenal issues, allergies, organ dysfunction, and behavior problems such as fear and aggression.
As we look to 2025, my team and I have fully committed to spreading the word about a safer alternative to conventional spaying and neutering: hormone-sparing sterilization.
Whether your dog has been spayed, neutered, or is intact, it’s vital that you learn more about hormone-sparing sterilization as well as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), especially if your dog has already been spayed and neutered.
I recently interviewed two colleagues — Dr. Moira Drosdovech, DVM, and Dr. Mike Lavroff, DVM — for our podcast. I consider them early adopters of hormone sterilization techniques and hope you will enjoy the interview.
Please don’t worry or feel guilty if your dog has already been spayed or neutered. I did the same because I didn’t know any better.
We do the best we can with the knowledge we have, and as time passes, we gain more knowledge that empowers us to make even better decisions for our canine friends.
I’m thrilled that we have options like HRT and hormone-sparing sterilization to help keep our dogs healthy and happy.
Because when our dogs feel better, look better, and move better, it makes us happy and less worried.
