Our stance and what research shows is that hormones are not just healthy but essential for dogs. When you remove hormones from a dog, their entire feedback system is disrupted placing additional stress on the endocrine system, increasing cancers, joint issues, weight gain (which can impact heart and insulin), and actually cause unwanted behaviors. These issues are heightened when pediatric sterilization is done. 

We believe it is best to either wait till around 2 years to sterilize a dog or opt for a hormone sparing sterilization. This would be an ovary sparing hysterectomy in females and a vasectomy in males. If your vet does not offer this, please ask them to learn, we have resources for that HERE.

• The first article written on this was in 1972 by Dr. Belfield in IVC (meaning, this is NOT new information).

• A study from the peer reviewed Journal of American Veterinary Association in1991 (again, not new) shows that dogs sterilized when younger, grew taller than dogs left intact or sterilized after finished growing.  Sex hormones play a role in signaling growth plates to close. If hormones are removed before plate closure, some bones may continue to grow longer than they otherwise would, leading to altered proportions, increased stress on joints/ligaments and higher risk or orthopedic issues.

• Taken directly from the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) website:
  "However, there are gonadectomy associated detriments in both male and female dogs. Gonadectomy may contribute to the development of some tumors in male and female dogs. An increased risk of developing mast cell tumors, transitional cell carcinomas, osteosarcomas, lymphomas and hemangiosarcoma's was reported. This may in part be related to the long-term increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) after gonadectomy, which is currently under intense investigation, as is the effect of age at castration."

• AHA Guidelines recommend sterilization AFTER a dog has stopped growing due to an increase in undesirable health concerns. See HERE.

• There are numerous studies (some linked HERE) showing the positive and negative impacts of sterilization at various ages. Enough of them show negative impacts to have the WSAVA and AHA guidelines recommend waiting until after the dog is finished growing.

• If you have a dog that had a traditional sterilization, giving a supplement to support their adrenals will be helpful. Symplex F for females and Symplex M for males. 

• Females can be given chlorella during heat cycles to help mitigate males dogs smelling them. 

• Please note: Dogs will still have hormonal behaviors.