# Does neutering cause a lab not to hunt?



## jayson-davis (Sep 11, 2008)

We have a four and a half old month old lab. I am deploying next week and some friends are going to be keeping him. They are the owners of his sister. Im scared that he would tried to mate with her while they are together. Also I dont wont him wondering around trying to find a mate. I had read that they can be sexually mature by 5 months.  I was wondering if he is neutered would he still be a good hunt dog?


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## waterdogs (Sep 12, 2008)

Yes. got my lab fixed and no problems.  You dont want to breed your dog until it is at least 2 1/2 or 3. and have proper clearance of OFA ect.


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## NGaHunter (Sep 12, 2008)

He will do just fine...I had mine nuetered when he was 3 years old, and he is doing great..infact he will be running Master Hunter next month


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## jayson-davis (Sep 12, 2008)

Thanks for the info. Are they really sexually mature at 5 months or would they be ok together? He is 4 1/2 months now and will only be with her for about 2 months.


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## NGaHunter (Sep 12, 2008)

her first heat cycle will be around the 1 year old mark.  But I would not take chances.


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## hogdawg (Sep 12, 2008)

Just have them watch her very close.  If she starts bleeding and swelling, separate them.  You can see bleeding and swelling for a few days before she is actually ready to breed.  If they don't have a way to separate them, I wouldn't leave him with them.  In some cases,  neutering does cause a little loss of drive, but I think it would be more important not to have an accidental breeding.


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## Twenty five ought six (Sep 12, 2008)

The female can cycle at   5-6 months.

Ask me how I know.

Your vet can tell you if he's old enough to be "fixed".

Most vets recommend "fixing" them much earlier than we used to do.


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## Luke0927 (Sep 12, 2008)

I would not neuter any male hunting dog untill they were fully mature a female go for it.....Most vets don't know a thing about gun dogs or working dogs so i don't work with "normal" vets....I wouldn't do it until the dog was at least 2 years old...but thats me and what you will hear from most gun dog guys....I like my dogs to actually produce testosterone and develop the lean muscular physique that male dogs should have.  A normal house dog maybe hunt some times yes...if your going to try and make this a dead broke hunting machine i wouldn't do it.


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## bobman (Sep 12, 2008)

I lifted this off a blog found it very informative

There has been much disinformation spread by proponents of spay and neuter as a method of population control, with claimed health benefits. Many vets also recommend the procedure, claiming health benefits without explaining (or necessarily understanding) the negative risk factors. Many adoption agreements require that a pup be altered by the age of six months.


This is a decision that should be left to the owner, and a good vet will understand and explain both the positive and negative aspects of spaying or neutering your dog, rather than proactively recommending it as standard procedure.


The following was forwarded to me by Dr. Charles Hjerpe DVM, Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. It does not address the demonstrated behavioral issues that have been seen in neutered or spayed dogs, which should also be considered.

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At some point, most of us with an interest in dogs will have to consider whether or not to spay/neuter our pet. Tradition holds that the benefits of doing so at an early age outweigh the risks. Often, tradition holds sway in the decision-making process even after countervailing evidence has accumulated.

Ms. Sanborn has reviewed the veterinary medical literature in an exhaustive and scholarly treatise, attempting to unravel the complexities of the subject. More than 50 peer-reviewed papers were examined to assess the health impacts of spay / neuter in female and male dogs, respectively. One cannot ignore the findings of increased risk from osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, hypothyroidism, and other less frequently occurring diseases associated with neutering male dogs. It would be irresponsible of the veterinary profession and the pet owning community to fail to weigh the relative costs and benefits of neutering on the animal’s health and well-being. The decision for females may be more complex, further emphasizing the need for individualized veterinary medical decisions, not standard operating procedures for all patients.

No sweeping generalizations are implied in this review. Rather, the author asks us to consider all the health and disease information available as individual animals are evaluated. Then, the best decisions should be made accounting for gender, age, breed, and even the specific conditions under which the long-term care, housing and training of the animal will occur.

This important review will help veterinary medical care providers as well as pet owners make informed decisions. Who could ask for more?

Larry S. Katz, PhD
Associate Professor and Chair
Animal Sciences
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

INTRODUCTION

Dog owners in America are frequently advised to spay/neuter their dogs for health reasons. A number of health benefits are cited, yet evidence is usually not cited to support the alleged health benefits.

When discussing the health impacts of spay/neuter, health risks are often not mentioned. At times, some risks are mentioned, but the most severe risks usually are not.

This article is an attempt to summarize the long-term health risks and benefits associated with spay/neuter in dogs that can be found in the veterinary medical literature. This article will not discuss the impact of spay/neuter on population control, or the impact of spay/neuter on behavior.

Nearly all of the health risks and benefits summarized in this article are findings from retrospective epidemiological research studies of dogs, which examine potential associations by looking backwards in time. A few are from prospective research studies, which examine potential associations by looking forward in time.

SUMMARY

An objective reading of the veterinary medical literature reveals a complex situation with respect to the long- term health risks and benefits associated with spay/neuter in dogs. The evidence shows that spay/neuter correlates with both positive AND adverse health effects in dogs. It also suggests how much we really do not yet understand about this subject.

On balance, it appears that no compelling case can be made for neutering most male dogs, especially immature male dogs, in order to prevent future health problems. The number of health problems associated with neutering may exceed the associated health benefits in most cases.

On the positive side, neutering male dogs

• Eliminates the small risk (probably <1%)
• Reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders 
• Reduces the risk of perianal fistulas 
• May possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive)  


On the negative side, neutering male dogs 


• If done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis. 
• Increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6 
• Triples the risk of hypothyroidism 
• Increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment 
• Triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems 
• Quadruples the small risk (<0.6%)
• Doubles the small risk (<1%)
• Increases the risk of orthopedic disorders 
• Increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations  


For female dogs, the situation is more complex. The number of health benefits associated with spaying may exceed the associated health problems in some (not all) cases. On balance, whether spaying improves the odds of overall good health or degrades them probably depends on the age of the female dog and the relative risk of various diseases in the different breeds.  


On the positive side, spaying female dogs

• If done before 2.5 years of age, greatly reduces the risk of mammary tumors, the most common malignant tumors in female dogs 
• Nearly eliminates the risk of pyometra, which otherwise would affect about 23% of intact female dogs; pyometra kills about 1% of intact female dogs 
• Reduces the risk of perianal fistulas 
• Removes the very small risk (â‰¤0.5%) from uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors  


On the negative side, spaying female dogs 


• If done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis 
• Increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of>5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
• Triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• Increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
• Causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
• Increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
• Increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs spayed before puberty
• Doubles the small risk (<1%)>
• Increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations  


One thing is clear – much of the spay/neuter information that is available to the public is unbalanced and contains claims that are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence. Rather than helping to educate pet owners, much of it has contributed to common misunderstandings about the health risks and benefits associated of spay/neuter in dogs.

The traditional spay/neuter age of six months as well as the modern practice of pediatric spay/neuter appear to predispose dogs to health risks that could otherwise be avoided by waiting until the dog is physically mature, or perhaps in the case of many male dogs, foregoing it altogether unless medically necessary.

The balance of long-term health risks and benefits of spay/neuter will vary from one dog to the next. Breed, age, and gender are variables that must be taken into consideration in conjunction with non-medical factors for each individual dog. Across-the-board recommendations for all pet dogs do not appear to be supportable from findings in the veterinary medical literature.


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## jayson-davis (Sep 12, 2008)

Sounds like I dont need to be putting them together. Our friends were just going to keep them while I was deployed so that my wife wouldnt have such a hard time with our two boys, her dog, and my pup. Does anyone know of a kennel for sale so we can keep him in for a few months until I can get back and fence in the yard.


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## Luke0927 (Sep 12, 2008)

jayson-davis said:


> Sounds like I dont need to be putting them together. Our friends were just going to keep them while I was deployed so that my wife wouldnt have such a hard time with our two boys, her dog, and my pup. Does anyone know of a kennel for sale so we can keep him in for a few months until I can get back and fence in the yard.




if you don' have time to get a kennel why not just put him on a runner out side...Some time you can run up on a good deal on the chain link ones at Tractor supply.


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