Canine Spaying-Potential Health Benefits and Risks

Ovariectomy is the most popular and reliable method of reproductive control in dogs. There are many health benefits to spaying. If spayed early enough, the risk of mammary gland neoplasia de-creases significantly, and ovariectomy also eliminates the possibility of pyometra. On the other hand, spaying and the absence of gonadal hormones is also associated with an increased prevalence of many health problems. Urinary incontinence, various orthopaedic disorders, endocrinologic disor-ders such as hypothyroidism, many neoplastic disorders (including hemangiosarcoma, osteosar-coma, lymphoma) and immune-mediated disorders are among the most common health problems associated with early spaying and spaying in general. Keywords: Spaying; Health benefits; Health risks; Neoplasia; Gonadal hormones exposure; Urinary incontinence