• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

Timing of spay, neuter tied to higher risk of obesity and orthopedic injuries in dogs

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
July 17, 2019
in Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

IMAGE

Credit: Sean Andersen-Vie, Morris Animal Foundation

Spaying or neutering large-breed dogs can put them at a higher risk for obesity and, if done when the dog is young, nontraumatic orthopedic injuries, reports a new study based on data from the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. The spay/neuter study was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

“For years, we’ve been taught that spaying or neutering your dog is part of being a responsible pet owner, but there really are advantages and disadvantages to consider when making that decision,” said Dr. Missy Simpson, Morris Animal Foundation epidemiologist and lead author on the paper. “Our study results give dog owners and veterinarians new information to consider when deciding on when to spay or neuter their dog, especially when considering the long-term health of their pet.”

In the general canine population, estimates are that one-third to one-half of all large-breed dogs are either overweight or obese. Roughly 2% of the same population suffer nontraumatic orthopedic injuries, such as cruciate ligament ruptures.

Dr. Simpson studied health data, collected over six years, from the entire Golden Retriever Lifetime Study cohort of more than 3,000 golden retrievers. Approximately one-half had undergone spay or neuter surgery.

She found that dogs that were spayed or neutered were 50% to 100% more likely to become overweight or obese, and the risk didn’t appear to be affected by the dog’s age at the time of surgery. Whether the dog had the procedure at 6 months or 6 years, the risk of weight gain remained relatively constant.

However, age at surgery does appear to be a significant factor regarding nontraumatic orthopedic injuries. Dr. Simpson found that dogs spayed or neutered before 6 months of age were at a 300% greater risk of sustaining those injuries.

While the paper focused on golden retrievers, Dr. Simpson noted the results likely can be applied to other breeds particularly other large- and giant-breed dogs.

“Different owners have different concerns for their dogs and the decision to spay or neuter your dog is a very complex one,” said Dr. Janet Patterson-Kane, Morris Animal Foundation Chief Scientific Officer. “It’s a balance in managing the risks of neutering or not neutering for owners committed to their dog’s health.”

The Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is the most extensive, prospective study ever undertaken in veterinary medicine. Launched in 2012, and reaching full enrollment in 2015, it gathers information on more than 3,000 golden retrievers from around the United States, throughout their lives, to identify the nutritional, environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases in dogs.

Owners and veterinarians complete yearly online questionnaires about the health status and lifestyle of the dogs. Biological samples also are collected, and each dog has a physical study examination annually.

###

The Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is funded in part by the Mark and Bette Morris Family Foundation, Petco Foundation, Blue Buffalo Company, Mars Veterinary Inc., ANTECH Diagnostics and Imaging, VCA Inc., Zoetis, Golden Retriever Foundation, and the Hadley and Marion Stewart Foundation.

About Morris Animal Foundation

Morris Animal Foundation’s mission is to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals. Founded by a veterinarian in 1948, we fund and conduct critical health studies for the benefit of all animals. Learn more at morrisanimalfoundation.org.

Media Contact
Sean Andersen-Vie
[email protected]

Original Source

https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/spaying-neutering-large-breed-dogs-linked-higher-risk-obesity-and-nontraumatic-orthopedic?fbclid=IwAR3Ai64pDGOKR9nULJAUrDKUI_y62ADf_ulK1JhXZZBuMD7a-S6FpXfwo7s

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209131

Tags: BiologyDevelopmental/Reproductive BiologyPets/EthologyPhysiologyZoology/Veterinary Science
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

Next-Gen Reference Intervals for Pro-GRP Revealed

September 3, 2025

Navigating Healthcare Funding Challenges in Iran

September 3, 2025

Comparing TV-46000 to Second-Gen Injectable Antipsychotics

September 3, 2025

Breakthroughs in Electrospun Nanofiber Composites for Enhanced Physical, Physiological, and Biofluid Signal Monitoring

September 3, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • Needlestick Injury Rates in Nurses and Students in Pakistan

    297 shares
    Share 119 Tweet 74
  • Breakthrough in Computer Hardware Advances Solves Complex Optimization Challenges

    154 shares
    Share 62 Tweet 39
  • Molecules in Focus: Capturing the Timeless Dance of Particles

    143 shares
    Share 57 Tweet 36
  • New Drug Formulation Transforms Intravenous Treatments into Rapid Injections

    118 shares
    Share 47 Tweet 30

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Next-Gen Reference Intervals for Pro-GRP Revealed

Uncovering Challenges in Social Bot Detection

Navigating Healthcare Funding Challenges in Iran

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.