Traditional Spay & Neuter vs. Hormone-Sparing
Is Traditional Spay & Neuter the Best Choice?
Hormone-Preserving Spay/Neuter Surgery
The Parsemus Foundation
Hormone Restoration Treatment
Hormone Preserving Surgery Directory
Traditional Spay & Neuter vs. Hormone-Sparing Spay & Neuter
The subject of spaying and neutering can sometimes bring up varying emotions in pet parents because many don’t understand the difference between sterilization (unable to reproduce but preserving hormones) and desexing (unable to reproduce & removing therapeutic components of the hormonal system). Irreparable endocrine/hormone disruption also occurs when dogs are desexed early (spayed or neutered before puberty, removing all sex hormone-secreting tissues). Cats have entirely different reproductive physiology, appear not to have the same detrimental consequences as dogs.
Hormone-Preserving Spay/Neuter Surgery
Hormone-preserving sterilization accomplishes two goals: Unwanted litters and preserving vital sex hormones needed for normal development, optimal health span and lifespan. The easiest surgical alternatives that accomplish both goals are a hysterectomy for females, removing only the uterus & leaving the hormone-producing ovaries, and vasectomy for males.
Many vets don’t offer these alternative surgical approaches because they don’t know how to perform them. They are only taught traditional spay/neuter in vet school, leaving dogs with no sex hormones for the rest of their lives.
Veterinary reproductive specialist Dr. Michelle Kutzler summarizes the latest scientific findings about this topic:
"Traditional spayed and neutered dogs have been reported to have a higher incidence of obesity, urinary incontinence, urinary calculi, atopic dermatitis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, hypoadrenocorticism, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, inflammatory bowel disease, hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament rupture, aggressive and fearful behavior, cognitive dysfunction syndrome, prostate adenocarcinoma and transitional cell adenocarcinoma. Musculoskeletal issues may be especially significant for large breed dogs gonadectomized before they have finished growing, as bone physeal closure is delayed."
Hormone Restoration Treatment
Hormone restoration is a treatment for male & female dogs with health or behavior problems resulting from the loss of natural hormones from traditional spay or neuter surgery. The goal is to restore the hormonal balance in the dog and improve health.
https://www.parsemus.org/project/hormone-restoration-in-dogs/
Hormone-Preserving Surgery, Surgeon Directory
The Parsemus Foundation
"The Parsemus Foundation works to create meaningful improvements in human and animal health and welfare by advancing innovative and neglected medical research."
https://www.parsemus.org/project/hormone-restoration-in-dogs/#01