Many people decide to neuter their dogs and spay their dogs because they are aware of the problems of canine overpopulation, to avoid complications that bring the reproductive behaviors of dogs or, in some cases, to solve problems of aggressiveness
However, neutering dogs has other benefits for pets. Scientists at the University of Georgia have shown that sterilized dogs live longer. This had been proposed by sterilization promoters long ago, but had not been scientifically verified until now. Do you want to know why a neutered dog lives longer? Keep reading on our site.
How long does a sterilized dog live?
Scientists at the University of Georgia studied 40,139 dog death records between 1984 and 2004 and found that the median age of death for unsterilized dogs was 7, 9 years, while that of sterilized dogs was 9, 4 years That is, almost two years difference between both groups. At the time of doing this research it was already known that other living organisms that do not reproduce have a longer average lifespan than those that reproduce, but the reasons are not were clear.
In the case of dogs, on the other hand, it was found that those that were sterilized were more likely to die from cancer or autoimmune diseases, while those that were not sterilized were more likely to die from infectious diseases or trauma. This may explain, at least in part, the difference in life expectancy between the two groups.
The scientists indicate that the ages of mortality of the cases studied are lower than in the canine population in general, because they were reports of dogs that had been referred toveterinary clinics for being sick. However, they explain, the difference in life expectancy between sterilized and non-sterilized dogs can be extrapolated to the he althy dog population.
At what age should a dog be neutered?
Ideally, a bitch would be spayed after the second heat and a male after 5 or 6 months of life, never too early, as it could impair growth and alter the body's homeostasis. On the other hand, it is also not recommended to castrate a dog older than 7 years, that is, an elderly dog.
Don't forget that neutering is not the same as spaying a dog:
- Ligation (sterilize): in this case two ligatures are performed (on the horns of the female uterus or on the spermatic cord males) and a cut is made in the middle. In this case, the animal continues to generate hormones, although it cannot reproduce.
- Ovariesctomy (castrate): the gonads (ovaries or testicles) are removed.
- Hysterectomy (castrate): the horns of the uterus or the spermatic cord are removed.
- Ovariohysterectomy (castrate): the gonads and ducts are removed.
If you are considering sterilizing a dog to increase its life expectancy (and even reduce overpopulation or some behavior problem), do not forget that castrating a dog has he alth benefits.
Bibliography
UGA Today. News from the University of Georgia.
Jessica M. Hoffman, Kate E. Creevy, Daniel E. L. Promislow. Reproductive Capability Is Associated with Lifespan and Cause of Death in Companion Dogs. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (4): e61082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061082
