Journal watch28 December 2024
Author(s): Moxon, R., England, G.C.W., Payne, R., Corr, S.A. and Freeman, S.L.
Published in: PLOS ONE
Date: October 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311779
Type of access: Open access
(click for full article)
Our summary
Moxon, R. et al. (2024) Effect of neutering timing in relation to puberty on health in the female dog–a scoping review. PLOS ONE, 19 (10), e0311779.
The aim of this scoping review was to identify the current evidence on the effect of the timing of neutering in relation to puberty on five health outcomes: atopy, developmental orthopaedic disease (DOD), neoplasia, obesity and urogenital disease in female dogs, and to highlight any areas where there is a gap in knowledge.
Literature searches were carried out, following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, in May 2023 on three databases and a search for existing scoping and systematic reviews was carried out on four review databases in September 2023.
The identified studies were then assessed for inclusion based on population, exposures, intervention, outcomes, language and study design. Following this process, 33 articles remained for data extraction and review. Of these, one article examined atopy, 13 articles DOD, 11 articles neoplasia, six articles obesity, and 18 articles urogenital disease.
Dogs were grouped retrospectively into neuter groups based on age in 22/33 studies or by pubertal status at neutering in 5/33 studies, whilst two studies randomly allocated dogs to neutering age groups and two grouped dogs based on age when neutered.
The included studies reported thirteen different health outcomes to be significantly affected by timing of neutering under the five health categories investigated. No studies were identified that reported the impacts of neutering bitches before or after puberty on atopy, DOD or obesity. The majority of studies examined the effects on health related to age, rather than pubertal status, at neutering.
The study highlighted a lack of information on the timing of neutering in relation to puberty.
Take home
This scoping review provides a clear overview of the current literature in this area. The review identifies that sufficient evidence to provide clear recommendations for veterinary surgeons and owners when making decisions about the timing of neutering female dogs relative to puberty does not yet exist. There is currently no available evidence on the impact of neutering before or after puberty on atopy, DOD or obesity.
The following may also be of interest
inFOCUS: Benefits and risks of neutering pets – what is the evidence? [RCVS Knowledge] [online] Available from https://infocus.rcvsknowledge.org/brnp_benefits-and-risks-of-neutering-pets-what-is-the-evidence/ [Accessed 28 December 2024]
inFOCUS: Associations between neutering and early‐onset urinary incontinence in UK bitches under primary veterinary care [RCVS Knowledge] [online] Available from: https://infocus.rcvsknowledge.org/associations-between-neutering-and-early-onset-urinary-incontinence-in-uk-bitches-under-primary-veterinary-care/ [Accessed 28 December 2024]
inFOCUS: Assisting decision-making on age of neutering for 35 breeds of dogs: Associated joint disorders, cancers, and urinary incontinence [RCVS Knowledge] [online] Available from: https://infocus.rcvsknowledge.org/assisting-decision-making-on-age-of-neutering-for-35-breeds-of-dogs-associated-joint-disorders-cancers-and-urinary-incontinence/ [Accessed 28 December 2024] and associated Journal Club resource
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